On the World Stage

Linda McArtha Sandy-Lewis, from Bethel in Tobago has earned the respect; some might even say the adulation, of the global music community. Her song, ‘Abatina’, had the huge audience on their feet as she bade them to get up and dance.

Some of our local commentators have noted rather cynically that it takes foreign recognition of our arts to make us cognisant and appreciative of Trinidad and Tobago’s input to the world cultural legacy. Many of the honours which Calypso Rose has won over the years have come from Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Belize, France and other countries where artistes are affirmed for their valuable contribution to humanity.

There has, of course, been national recognition of a woman who began writing her songs at the age of 15. The National Carnival Commission records her achievements and dominance in the calypso arena which forced a change in title from ‘Calypso King’ to ‘Calypso Monarch’ in 1978, when her songs ‘I Thank Thee’ and ‘Her Majesty’ saw her a convincing winner in a previously male-dominated competition.

Rose’s calypsoes range from party songs to politico- social commentaries and the NCC states her ‘Fire in Me Wire’ of 1966 has been translated into eight languages. Her collaboration with Manu Chao and Jean-Michael Gibert of France, Trinidadian Drew Gonzales and Belizean Ivan Duran produced a masterpiece with an irresistible melody that highlights an issue occupying national attention yet again - the tragedy of domestic abuse and spousal homicide.

‘Abatina’ was lucky to marry the rich, handsome charmer, Harry. Nobody believed that he would harm her and it was not until she was “buried by the church were she got married” that it was acknowledged she was “no deceiver”.

Our season of national merriment is juxtaposed with the ugly reality of physical, emotional and psychological cruelty in the very place where we seek and expect shelter, comfort and strength. The love of the family is crucial to the well-being of the individual, but child and spousal abuse plague the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens. This is a problem that we ignore or minimise at our peril. It knows no race or class barriers and is no respecter of age.

Today’s Gospel (Mt 5:38-48) urges us to love our enemies and to love those who persecute us. It recognises the hurt we sometimes heap on each other’s heads and it does not condone the evil deed. It instructs us to seek to forgive those who harm us.

Experience teaches us that healing may extend over a long period of time and the ‘physicians’ who attend may encompass family members as well as members of the immediate or the wider community.

Calypso Rose has faced many difficulties in her personal life as well as in her career. She has gained the respect of those who know how easily she could have become bitter or hopeless but who admire her indomitable spirit of faith and tenacity.

May we all fight to right our national wrongs and to overcome our national ills.