Culture Minister booed
Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters walked into heavy lyrical bashing on Friday night during the opening of Kalypso Revue at the Arima Velodrome. Several calypsonians used satire to express their disappointment with the Minister, who was announced shortly after the show started. It was not a warm welcome. Emcee, Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall, had to ask the crowd to stop booing Peters. “Wait until he gone!” he exclaimed. Peters, however, took the tongue-lashing calmly, sitting through the ambush and even visiting his fellow artistes during the intermission. The 49-year-old Revue opened to a velodrome full of patrons. The Revue showcased 26 entertainers who mainly lambasted the People’s Partnership.
Replies
I visited the Calypso Revue Tent at Palms Club last evening and was surprised by the negative comments made on the Culture Minister by many calypsonians during their presentations, which in my view does not go down well for our culture. As a calypsonian I've never heard any Culture Minister being lambasted in that manner by so many calypsonians on one stage. There may be a lot more than we think. Being a Minister and acting in that portfolio he needs to put aside ex-tempo and the likes especially when making public statements and speeches. It requires a lot more diplomacy regardless of what race or class is being addressed. It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Some of us may seem to be in agreement with some of his statements because of our experiences and we know that a lot of wrongs are being done not only in the field of pan but also in the Soca,Calypso and Soca Chutney monarch competitions. Remember - There is no carnival without BACCHANAL.
People are hurt by some of his actions and his remarks especially those of his actions against the Pan players we must not digress from that issue. When he became culture minister a silent cheer went up we were all sure that he was going to be just about the best minister by virtue of his own craft. Kenny J I have always been a great fan of yours it is good to see you commenting on this blogg.
I agree with you 100% and ah giving yuh 10% lagniape. But I suspect that it is a generational thing. Those of the younger generation will never appreciate how sweet the Panorama competition used to be. And that time POS saluted the winner on Jourvert morning, as they truimphantly rolled down Frederick Street playing their winning arrangement. Is the same reason why we football in the same sorry state, There is no longer any Colts vs Malvern or North vs South clashes.
But the rama change. Is more theatrics and showmanship now. If that is what the younger people know and love I go leave them to quarrel, when in the 2030 Panorama, the players start playing while standing on dey head.
Doh let Valentine Young fool allyuh.
He eh no youth!!!
I have stated and continue to maintain that in spite of the fact that the Panorama is a glorious festival and has produced wonderful and unforgettable music, it has had negative side effects on the development of the steelband in Trinidad and Tobago.
The need to excel in panorama has caused some bands to focus on being great Panorama bands instead of great Music Bands.
Thus , other than Panorama, the bands have not evolved like the big bands did (Roy Cape, etc.) to keep up with the changing tastes in Carnival music.
Most of the improvements in pan took place at a time the bands were trying to satisfy the needs of the carnival parade.
Thus, we went from "pan 'round neck" to the chariot like constructs that were designed to mobilize the steelband.
Even amplification was experimented with that time.
I would suggest that as Panorama changed from being one of the things the steelband did at Carnival, to being the only major steelband event, steelband progress became static.
We now are in a time when individual panists can thrive as soloists, but the steelband (except for the top bands) stagnates.
I think the Trinidad Carnival Season is prime time for the Steelbands. The question is whether all the steelbands time and energy are best spent focused solely on Panorama, or whether another approach should be considered.
I must also mention the fact that I've never advocated doing away with the Panorama, although in any discussion everything has to be on the table.
However, for reasons mentioned here, and for other reasons stated by myself and others on this forum, Panorama needs to be looked at.
Fortunately , these things are being discussed.
I notice a posting on this site about funds shared between 165 unsponsored bands. I thought this was great news for the steelband movement, but no one (except me) noticed.
Makes me wonder what some of us really care about.
BTW, this has nothing to do with public funding for steelbands. Whatever the steelband's participation in Carnival, they bring income to the nation's coffers, and are entitled to share in the nation's wealth.