Show some WI style, not Gangnam

Now that the necessary congratulations are aside, time to raise my bacchanal.

These days everyone is doing it, at one point during the month gone by or possibly the months to come.

I am referring to the phenomenon known as Gangnam Style, the song which has become a household name. Many of us can remember the faithful day; you log onto Facebook one morning to see your feed flooded with a weird “Chinese” video.

The curiosity that is always dominant in our Trini blood stirs to the surface, you click on the video and suddenly you are flooded with a new experience you try to make sense of what you are seeing here.

Who is this man? What is he saying? Why the hell is the song so catchy?

Gangnam Syle is a form of satire depicting the very elite lifestyle of the residents of Gangnam.

Located in Seoul, South Korea, this is the city to go to if you are looking to shop trendy and purchase the latest fashions.

Attending a coffee shop is seen as something high class.

Trinis should more than be able to relate to the district of Gangnam, after all we have an entire area dedicated to the elite of Trinidad.

Via the means of internet we have unknowingly adapted an aspect of Korean culture into our own, and we have proceeded to spread it throughout the cultural veins of this country.

Culture is ever changing and adaptive, the reason we played mas 20 years ago is no longer the reason we play mas today. But most importantly culture gives us an identity and a means to cope; it unites us and helps us form a bond with one another. It also gives a presentation of who we are to the world, so just like how PSY has presented an aspect of Korean culture into our society I think more effort should be done to make our presence known to the world.

Our country is bursting with talent and there are issues that need to be brought to the popular culture, the average schoolchild does not care for politics, it is boring, but if you put creativity into it, if you make the message clear, then my friend you have just created a ripple in the pond.

So as Sanka told the team in the movie Cool Runnings not to imitate the Swiss in their ways and their rituals but instead to show the world they came as Jamaicans, so must we show the world who we come as. So fellas next time you all out there represent your culture, buss a wine, grab a girl and dance, show them the style of the West Indian Lions.

N MARAJ

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