Calypso youth not getting a chance

This was the argument put forth by Dr Rudolph Ottley, owner and manager of the only all-female calypso tent Divas Calypso Cabaret International (Divas) at the tent’s opening night on Wednesday at De Nu Pub (Mas Camp Pub), French Street, Woodbrook.

“Somewhere along the way, all of the tents, including TUCO (Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation), have all become businesses; there’s limited space for the young aspiring calypsonian.

So when you go to the tents, you find almost the same cast of people, one or two (new ones) may slip in each year (but) there’s really not a feeding ground for the young aspiring calypsonian, except for those who may venture into the community tents or who may venture into Divas,” Ottley declared.

Turning his attention to TUCO President, Lutalo ‘Brother Resistance’ Masimba, who was seated in the front row, Ottley said, “I’m saying this to try and send a message to my president.” “TUCO needs to also embark on a conscious mission of ensuring that a cadre of young aspiring calypsonians are included in each of its tents on a regular basis,” Ottley continued, “because it’s the only way they’re going to reach the status of a Sparrow, a Brigo...a Calypso Rose.” “Unless they mix with that group of (experienced) people, they’re going to continue to fall by the wayside (or) give up calypso and go into soca because there’s something that seems to be blocking the young aspiring calypsonian from moving into the calypso tents, which is the main avenue for establishing themselves,” Ottley stated.

Earlier during the formal opening of the 2017 edition of Divas, the TUCO president issued a call of his own — for calypso tents to be seen as cultural businesses ventures.

“We must find a way to understand that the documents that calypsonians produce will (show) us a way forward here in Trinidad and Tobago.

In doing so,” Masimba argued, “we would understand that when somebody has a calypso tent...it’s not just a situation of leisure, that a calypso tent is a business unit and the same way we could accommodate other business units in other aspects of industry in this country, we should also find ways to accommodate the calypso tent production.” Masimba also spoke about the importance of marketing what makes TT’s carnival unique and in so doing, earn more revenue for the benefit of our culture and economy alike.

“It should be that calypso tents (and) the steelbands on the road...are an important part of our cultural business; we’re talking about creative and cultural industries.

We should find ways to embrace what we do...These two experiences are what set the standard for the power of calypso,” Masimba stated.