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If She Not Red....?
Posted: Friday, July 12, 2002

By Peter Ray Blood

I am amazed at times at the wide range of topics readers of this space write me about. Take for instance the following e-mail from redemption_child@hotmail.com.

"Hey Peter Ray Blood,

I'm a reader of your column in the Guardian. To be quite honest, I enjoy most of the things you write about. There is, however, a question on my mind that I would like you to help me understand...why is it that most men are so fascinated by de 'red women'?

"Now I'm a male, so you know I thought it would be quite easy for me to understand this phenomenon but really it isn't. A friend of mine once told me that brighter colours are more appealing to the eye and it may be this is the reason why when a fair-skinned person passes our retina we tend to watch them instead of our darker female beauties. What do you think?

"Or maybe, could it be the fact that our ancestors were forced to believe that their masters, the white man was seen as true beauty because they were fairer? Could the way that our ancestors were forced to think then still have an effect on us today after so many centuries ago?

"Well, if so, why is it that myself and a few others think otherwise about de 'reds'?

"There are so many beautiful dark-skinned women in T&T. Take for example, Wendy, Carla, Odikha.... So why is it that these women are bypassed by so many men?

"I remember one day I was travelling in a car and I overheard a passenger in the back seat say 'Nah, she too black and ugly' about a dark- skinned woman who had just walked by. Taking into consideration that this passenger was also dark-skinned, is it that we as a people have grown to hate ourselves?

"Even today there are a lot of women who use bleaching creams to remove their 'dark stains'. Tell me, what do you think.?

"Is this 'if yuh ain't red yuh dead' the beginning of a new trend in sweet T&T? Or is it that I'm just paranoid?"

Now, how do I begin to respond to this one? Being a man who doesn't judge a human being by pigmentation, but by the colour of their heart and deeds, I'll pass up on this one. I have decided to invite you, my faithful and knowledgeable readers, submit your opinions. The ball is your court.

Meet Me in the Arena

I must be a glutton for punishment. Having made a complete fool of myself for charity for two consecutive years, I am returning for my blows on September 8 when the third edition of Celebrity Showdown takes place. Having had its genesis at St Anthony's College Grounds in 2000 and moving to President's Grounds last year, the 2003 charity games will take place at Pier 1, Chaguaramas.

This year's event is billed as Gladiators All, and all competitors will be dressed to the hilt to suit the theme. Pier 1 will be transformed into Roman Coliseum, and "combat" will draw its inspiration from blockbuster movies like Ben Hur, Spartacus and Gladiator.

Chief organiser Niki Borde has already rechristened me "Taurius," which I don't mind at all, as it sort of matches my birthsign. I can't wait to see what some of the other gladiators, like Brian Lara, Big Mike Antoine, Wendy Fitzwilliam, Michelle Khan, Johnny Soong, Arnold Dwarika and Yoko Fung, will be named. Of course, while one can expect well known warrior names like Artemis, Romulus, Maximus, Comodus, one thing's for sure, everyone will have a grand time as usual.

Flabej Ensemble entertains at City Day

It was a fantastic performance at the Port-of-Spain City Day reception recently, as 11 members of the Flabej Ensemble serenaded members of the diplomatic corps, parliamentarians, many of the Port-of-Spain Corporation councillors and arbiters and specially invited guests.

This performance marked the re-introduction of the Flabej Ensemble to these celebrations. The band rendered a unique blend of music including calypso, soca, R&B, Latin, jazz and reggae. After the band's performance, which lasted over an hour, the audience was beside itself with glowing superlatives to describe the ensemble's superb level of panmanship and stage presence.

Flabej, led by veteran pannist and former Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars captain John "Poison" Douglas, has been in existence for over five years. However this year the band rededicated its mandate to be a musical on the pan landscape, reviving its commitment to the youth. Eighty percent of Flabej's membership now consists of youths between the ages of 15 and 25, all focused and committed on expanding their talents on the national instrument.

Based at Abercromby Street, Flabej plans to get involved in more events in Port-of-Spain and its environs and also intends exposing its musical excellence to communities nationwide.



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