Sometimes we don’t know who we are

THE EDITOR: Dr Selwyn Cudjoe’s radio talk show addressing the contribution of Afro Trinidadian writers from as far back as the 1800’s, to the present, was most informative.

The show highlighted the fact that Afro Trinidadians have an unsurpassable rich literary past second to none, of which we should be very proud. The show brought to the fore the reality that Afro Trinidadians have a lot of work to do; with regards to our past in general, and literary accomplishments in particular. Just think; Afro Trinidadians had been writing seriously since the 18th century. How many of us were aware of this fact? I know I was not. We were made to walk around without mental compasses to direct us, or perspective of our history availing us of our rightful place in the scheme of things. However, if we fail to highlight the accomplishments of our writers, who will? Our writers are our precursors — our links to the past, present and the future — without them, we are nothing.

On the night of the show an uninformed caller called in to ask why no mention was made of the famous writer Charles Dickens. The caller was obviously not aware that the show was all about Afro-Trinidadian writers past and present. The caller had inadvertently zeroed in on our debilitating root problem. We know everything about people of all different races, at times we identify with them, and at other times support them vigorously in thought, word and deed; but we know absolutely nothing abut anything relating to our own race or history . . .  As a matter of fact, I do not think we care; which is manifested in our indifference and insensitivity towards each other. We are lacking in ties of inner-solidarity. This is the very situation that was being subliminally addressed by Dr Selwyn Cudjoe. There are very many things that we should know; but don’t. Too many things escape our consciousness.

Just to digress a bit. The caller’s plea for the inclusion of her favourite writer Charles Dickens, in a show about Afro-Trinidadians exclusively, was a discomforting revelation. The caller knew absolutely nothing about Ralph Ellison who was an African American, the writer of the classic The Invisible Man, said to be the greatest novel in the second half of the 20th century. In a recently published book in the US; Genius: A Mosaic of 100 Exemplary Minds; Ralph Ellison was referred to as one of America’s foremost literary geniuses and even acclaimed as a philosopher for The Invisible Man. Ralph Ellison’s name was mentioned in the same vein with the likes of Plato, Socrates, The Prophet Mohammed and Saint Paul just to name a few. The author of the book, Genius: A Mosaic of 100 Exemplary Minds is Harold Bloom, a perennial literary scholar and Yale professor (certainly no 7-day wonder). The caller should be made aware of the African American writer Toni Morrison who won the Nobel Prize for literature in the 1990’s, the first person of African descent to do so. Not to mention that the best adventure classic ever written — The Count of Monte Cristo — was also written by someone of African descent. The book’s story line was made into a successful movie. This is the type of company that Charles Dickens could have only dreamt about. It would be presumptuous of me to lay claim for the mention of our TT writers in this illustrious company of writers. Neither could Charles Dickens, who was for the most part,an expositor of slum-life, and tragic comedy, which were more autobiographical than analytical.

It is important for us to know and honour our Jean Baptiste Phillipe, TT’s first novelist, and Maxwell Phillip, from as far back as 1822; which is still mind-boggling. I was overwhelmed and impressed by the accomplishment of such a feat over two hundred years ago that nothing else mattered. The books written by these writers during this period were superseded by this feat. I have great respect, and unshrinking admiration for any accomplishment of the past; when taking into account the atrocities that Africans and those of African descent are forced to grapple with, and the tribulations we encounter up to today at every turn. It boggles the mind to think, what it was like, for these noble pioneers of literature two hundred years ago.

The caller of the show, like many of us, remain oblivious to the contributions of our TT writers past and present. Now that we have been made aware of the achievements of our literary pioneers Jean Baptiste Phillipe and Maxwell Phillips, they should be enshrined in our consciousness, if not for literary entitlement then for what they were able to do with what little they had. The integrity of the man is measured by what he does with what he has. With literary pioneers of this mental fibre, we should consider ourselves extremely fortunate. We are eternally indebted to them. Our writers of yester-year, although plagued with insurmountable hardships and degradation, could still serve as outstanding role models for very many of us today. There is a saying: “The reason why some people don’t say who they are; is because sometimes, they just don’t know.” This saying does not apply to these writers in any way, shape or form. Consequently, they should be acknowledged; as “natural wonders” of the world, a most deserving first; putting them in the same category as our renowned natural wonder — “The Pitch Lake.”

ULRIC GUY
Point Fortin