By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
September 12, 2012
In the aftermath of the celebration of Indian Arrival Day on 30 May 2011 in T&T, this article focuses on certain origins and the historical dynamics of Indian Arrival. These origins include the Asian-Chinese Dynasty, “Ganges” river, Indian originality and the label “Indentured Servants.”
Continue reading Question of origins and Indian Indentureship: Updated
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
Septeber 04, 2012
It was there for all to see. The PP had its own independence function at Woodford Square while the PNM conducted its own at Balisier House. Even die-hard PNMites were offended by such disunity. One of my nieces exclaimed: “Why dey dividing up the nation like that? It’s de worse Independence I ever see.”
Continue reading Aspiring Together
Fellow Citizens
This year, as we celebrate the significant milestone of the fiftieth anniversary of our nation’s Independence, I am reminded of how thankful we should be to be citizens of a nation in which religious observances, such as Eid-ul-Fitr, can be celebrated in an atmosphere of respect and peace, as guaranteed by our Constitution and as espoused in the words of our National Anthem, where “…every creed and race find an equal place.”
Continue reading Eid-ul-Fitr 2012 message from His Excellency Professor George Maxwell Richards
By Alana Lalman
May 30, 2012
I was well poised to begin writing for an article on Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago when I coincidentally stumbled over Satnarayan Maharaj’s commentary about Indian Arrival in the Guardian newspaper that day. Sat Maharaj is the secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) organization which is the major Hindu organization in Trinidad and Tobago. It operates 150 mandirs and over 60 schools. It was formed in 1952 when Bhadase Sagan Maharaj merged the Satanan Dharma Association and the Sanatan Dharma Board of Control.
Continue reading 167 Years of Indian “Arrival”: Are Indians Still Arriving?
UPDATE: April 03, 2012
Sheldon John – Former Extempo Monarch of T&T
Extempo craftsman, Sheldon John, dies
Sheldon John, 2011 Extempo Calypso King has passed away approximately one month shy of his 39th birthday, according to Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Association’s (TUCO’s) Welfare Officer Carlston Kerr on Monday. He died of kidney failure at approximately 5.30 pm on Sunday at the Eric Willliams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
Continue reading Extempo champion, Sheldon John, dies
By Stephen Kangal
March 19, 2012
It was culturally fulfilling, timely and enlightening to attend the public presentation of a ground-breaking PH.D dissertation produced by renowned cultural activist, Kathak dance exponent par excellence and former distinguished Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sat Balkaransingh held at NAPA on Wednesday last. The work is entitled, “Trinidad Space Speaking through Indo-Trinidadian Rituals and Festivals” will contribute immensely to cross-cultural understanding beyond the confines of the Indian community of the culturally persistent linkages that exist between ancestral India and its culturally-rich, diasporic community in T&T.
Continue reading Exploring Linkages Between Indian Places and Cultural Spaces in T&T
By Stephen Kangal
March 07, 2012
Writing in her Sunday Guardian column of January 22, Ira Mathur a naturalized citizen of T&T but Indian, was born of military middle class parentage completely detached from the reach of the systems of Caribbean indenture-ship and slavery. She has unwittingly and falsely included herself as a victim of that system.
Continue reading Mathur Dealing in Psycho-Cultural Falsities
By Raffique Shah
February 25, 2012
ON Ash Wednesday, two articles in the Express perked me up. In the first, Planning and Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie, interviewed in the Grand Stand, told reporter Anna Ramdass that soca star Machel Montano “should be leading the charge in selling Trinidad and Tobago internationally”. Vowing to pursue this quest at Cabinet level, Dr Tewarie added, “…I think Machel is in a class by himself… we should try to support an external thrust led by Machel in the world outside…”
Continue reading Marketing our music
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
February 22, 2012
I was stuck by Michael Narine’s post, “Culture is a ploy for more state money” and Newsday’s headline “Calypso gets $1M.” With that came a justification from Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool: “This is good for calypso. Calypso is the father of all different genres of music, so they must ensure that calypso gets a good prize. All these other genres of music: chutney, soca, they came out of calypso, so it’s only fair that calypsonians get a good prize.” I will not argue with the doctor’s thesis except to say that at the beginning of the 21st century we may have to revise our accepted concepts of the genre, its influences and the musical forms it has spewed.
Continue reading Carnival and Culture
By Raffique Shah
February 18, 2012
NOTHING that I wrote last Sunday should be misread as the lament of an “ole geezer” who has had his Carnival day and who now wants to deny others the joy of the festival. Quite unlike some “sourpusses” who see nothing good in Carnival, I believe ours is a unique mix of music, artistry, colour, spontaneity, high-energy, sexuality, conviviality and more, much more. So, as this year’s festival comes to a climax over the next two days, I encourage Trinis-to-de-bone and our foreign guests to “play mas”. Have a whale of a time, but be safe.
Continue reading Play mas