The Art of Thinking Like the Colonized

But I am still confused. Pardon my naivety but I’m definitely not seeing a bigger picture here except for the immortal hydra heads of the usual ingrained fears and racism story that persist where cultural and political matters are concerned.

As far as I am concerned Mac Farlane’s apology might be politically correct and ‘shows class’, but in my opinion, it wasn’t necessary. We don’t live in the 1800s. Nobody holding a whip or tying you to a stake to make you participate in Mac Farlane’s band. But talk about the empire fighting back and making the man apologize! When people started condemning Minshall’s swan, nobody forced him to burn it down. But now Mac Farlane chooses to highlight an area of history that remains a relatively hidden subject, (I speak here about the image of the models depicting a negro slave and white mistress, which seems to be the real offender), and some bodies decide to pick a fight.

Why? Because it glorifies an era of history that was oppressive and, I suspect, offends some males perhaps? I wondering what the Mighty Sparrow might say.

Whatever happened to the uses of art for the purpose of highlighting our history? What ever happened to judging art within its own context? But I suspect those involved ain’t thinking that far. But I laugh (after the many expletives I uttered inside my house), because some jeans and sneakers and suit and tie-wearing people living in a tropical country decide to oppose what felt like a breath of fresh air for 2017 Carnival.

At least we could LOO K at the mas before switching off and moving on.

Since when people suddenly got so conscious about the political correctness of mas? Mas as far as my knowledge goes - (and please do write to me and correct me if I am wrong for I would hate to die ignorant) - was never about political correctness.

We can get into the jamette issue here.

It was a mockery of the plantocracy using their own masquerade to do so (I guess that was politically correct); it was humour; it was violent; it was a power battle (which this controversy apparently is) between the elite and the lower classes, and now is just one big free for all, but still a place where people are divided by cost and skin colour. There are fetes that keep out the not-too-appropriate characters by their very cost and venue.

When people attend certain fetes, it’s because there is a particular behaviour expected of them and a certain class we know will be there. So, we choose our fetes wisely.

Anyway, so like nobody ever went to the Moriah Ole Time wedding.

But Tobago heritage is not Trinidad heritage and is all black people in massa clothes so the playing field equal. Right. Is true. Moving on… So, you telling me, Greek heroes and fairies are fine because they didn’t have anything to do with our slave or indentureship past but don’t go touching Cazabon because he was racist and ‘glorified’ the oppressed? See, this is what happens when the prices of books are too high. And now they impose online taxes. Steups.

Somebody recently told me that she met someone who said she had met Cazabon a few years ago.

‘How old is the lady?’ I asked, momentarily intrigued.

“Around her nineties. Is the same man who paintings the Prime Minister buy right?” I nodded.

“Yeah, well is him self. I can take you to see her.” “You sure it was she or her mother?” I asked feebly.

I thought that this Carnival masquerade would have been a useful exercise in history. We do have a large non-reading public. But that’s just me again.

And then there’s the little fact that Cazabon was also a commissioned artist. We all know that commissioned art is about producing what the people want. But, those more informed than I am will discuss that.

Healthy debate, according to Mac Farlane.

Carnival is a show, folks; it’s not reality TV. But in the name of modernity, people prancing on the roads in bikinis and trunks is all good. They depict the benefits of exercise – sculpted abs and what not.

I’m back off to haunt the fields.

Must be part of my ethnic make-up.