Even priests playing mas
THE EDITOR: As a Carnival enthusiast, I find a call to stage a gospel alternative to the annual celebrations in Tobago to be a slap in the face to culture buffs. How could any one or group in Trinidad and Tobago seek to sideline our greatest show on earth? Carnival as we all know, is the nation’s biggest event. I can’t really say for Tobago but it is a well documented fact that Carnival brings in a lot of revenue to the country and, to coin Iwer George’s words, "allow calypsonians, masmen and pannists to "eat ah food". Even priests have been known over the years to play mas and actively participate in Carnival. So who are these ‘purists’ who are proposing an alternative to Carnival? Yes we know there are some negatives to Carnival, but there are some positives as well. Without Carnival, how would our children learn about Pierot Grenade, Jab Jab, Jab Malassie, Moko Jumbie and Midnight Robber? These are all part of our heritage. Many Carnival characters are taken straight out of our ancestry. Should we disregard these vital traditions? As a people, I think we have to be careful not to substitute our own values and morals for things European. I do agree that people should have the right to choose what they want to do with their own lives but at the same time they should also let others enjoy similar freedoms. The religious bodies have their space which we do not invade. I always held the view that Tobagonians are more culturally oriented than Trinidadians. The fact that they have chosen to perpetuate a heritage Festival when we here in Trinidad are yet to do so, speaks volumes to me. It is indeed surprising to me that such an initiative could emanate there. As an island whose economic mainstay is tourism, I hope the people of Tobago resist and reject these overtures. Not only will such a move affect their visitor arrival but it also takes us into a colonial era when the elitist class described Carnival as a vulgar riotous revelry by jamettes in the street. Since then, we have come to regard it as the greatest show on earth. So onward I say to a great Carnival this year. "Ah Trini to the bone." GEORGE SAMUEL Diego Martin
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"Even priests playing mas"