Regressive view not way forward

No way someone like Junia Regrello, a major figure in the steelband fraternity, could state such defeatist nonsense.

Imagine where south steelband would have been, indeed pan in general, if more people adopted that regressive view than what currently exists.

So younger people aren’t as involved in ole mas as older folks. Why? What conversations has he had with them? More importantly, what did he do to encourage greater participation on their part? When people are leaders and not just in positions of leadership, that’s what they do — use their imagination and their office to effect progressive change.

But is it that the ole mas is dying out on its own or is it an assisted “death”? A long-running sentiment among old masqueraders, including those from a band I am currently writing a book on, is that there have been influential people in the San Fernando City Corporation who became displeased with the ole mas side of J’Ouvert because they consider it too political in its portrayals and that the irreverent way political figures and parties were made the objects of ridicule in the streets. It didn’t matter that all figures are lampooned, the fact is that certain sacred cows must never be touched.

Ole mas in Trinidad Carnival was the principal way people who had and still have little political representation expressed what affected their lives. This was freedom of expression at its finest and as one old masqueraders argues, the purest form of democracy. Politically correct, however, it is not, nor should it be.

To the trained eye, it also provides very useful windows into TT ’s social history and sociology as interpreted by ordinary people, some of whom can’t even spell sociology, but had powers of understanding far more insightful than some intellectuals I’ve encountered.

I’ve followed ole mas in San Fernando for years and saw the rise of “jersey” bands following music trucks that essentially had little artistry and even less in the way of social commentary or any kind of commentary.

This has had an (un)intended(?) consequence of shifting the younger people away from the ole mas where many of them were actually playing.

A similar thing occurred in the early 20th century with the rise of pretty mas; evidence points to it being undertaken to depoliticise the “jammette” portrayals which evoked disgust among the elites and which was seen as subversive.

Whatever the current reason, if the mayor takes the position he seems to be taking, then he had better know that if ole mas dies, eventually so too will J’Ouvert itself and then, with the revenue from that drying up, he’ll be in an even more difficult position.

So Mr Mayor, be careful what you call for.

Corey Gilkes La Romaine