TT’s cultural dilemma

I am alluding to the show —“Fiddler on the Roof.” A show about Jewish customs and lifestyles that is culture-bound, emanating from Annatevka — a small village in Russia, with a cast made up of Afro Trinidadians just going through the movements, while they pretend to enjoy it. Staged at Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s, not too long ago. How can TT locals, enjoy a show so far removed from their everyday life, when Afro Trinidadians and Indos in TT, have no interest whatsoever, in the others’ culture to this day. As we speak: Indos aren’t remotely interested in Emancipation Day or any Afro related endeavours, any more than Afros are interested in Divali — notwithstanding, both races’ dominance in the society, and their prolonged peaceful coexistence together.

The staging of this “culture-bound” show in TT, is an indication that there is a vacuum in the arts in TT to be filled but not by art with no relevance to our culture. A play must not only be entertaining, it must also be relevant. It’s incumbent the people of TT, to flood TT with art depicting our culture. There is a saying: You must exert your ownership, over the place you live. If you fail to do so someone else will.

Anthony Guerra, the choreographer of the play, The Diary of an Exile puts the matter in perspective with his remarks, “It’s important for locals, to see their own stuff.” This was after the show’s relative success in TT— a far cry, from Fiddler’s success. Therein lies our cultural dilemma.