le flâneur antillais | carimagination
Spoiler alert: Sociological critique of the construction of a white man’s paradise and neo-colonial gaze with reference to the Caribbean. “The national bourgeoisie organises centres of rest and relaxation and pleasure resorts to meet the wishes of the Western bourgeoisie. Such activity is given the name of tourism, and for the occasion will be built […]
Continue ReadingThis blog is a fictional “interview” Machel Montano. I extracted lyrics from some of his most popular soca songs and woven them into a made- up conversation to illustrate the importance of building consent culture in Carnival. Interviewer: Mr. Montano, this carnival, thiefin’ a wine is an offense under the Summary Offenses Act. Public awareness […]
Continue ReadingIn 2008/9, SALISES hosted “Is Calypso Dying?” forum at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. Panelists included Singing Francine, Elizabeth Montano, Brother Resistance and Dr. Louis Regis. Dr. Regis’ contributions stimulated the most responses from attendees. He asserted that soca music did not explicitly express a political consciousness as calypso music had. […]
Continue ReadingMachel Montano was the star of Bazodee (directed by Todd Kessler and written by Claire Ince). People went to the cinema to see the “Machel Movie.” The film highlighted the vivid colours of the natural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. It also portrayed ethnic solidarities/“real unity” between Afro- and Indo-Trinbagonians on screen. This solidarity is […]
Continue ReadingI thought that the economy was in recession; I did not know that soca music was too. In one carnival fete, DJs played major hits from last year with more enthusiasm than the lead songs that set the stage for Carnival 2016. Few singles from the ‘big name’ artistes really stood out. And, special shout […]
Continue Reading