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A Caribbean man
Published: Thursday | November 18, 2010 1 Comment and 0 Reactions
Noel
Keith Noel, Contributor When I was a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in the late 1960s, I found that one could divide my fellow Trinidadians into three groups. One contained students who disliked Jamaica intensely, one had students who rather liked Jamaica, and the other, the largest, did not care two hoots one way or the other. Jamaicans could also be so categorised conversely.
At first, I could not fathom the reason for the animosity but later I could rationalise it. Some of us were fiercely chauvinistic and each assumed that his/her country was 'obviously' the best in the Caribbean, and resented any posturing by persons from any other territory. So the animosity grew until one heard the most ludicrous criticisms of each other between the 'Trinis' and the people from 'yard'.
I remember being seen almost as a traitor by a Trini friend because I openly declared my fascination with Jamaican pop music and declared that Bob Marley was possibly the most important Caribbean entertainer. This was still the 1970s and every Trini 'knew' that Sparrow had that mantle.
There is a natural rivalry between the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]islands[/COLOR][/COLOR]. But Caribbean people, when it comes to the crunch, put aside their chauvinisms and support each other. So, in the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Caribbean[/COLOR][/COLOR], there was a general, although not universal, feeling of joy when Jamaica went to the World Cup. I remember a story I heard years ago. In his first Olympics, the young Trinidadian sprinter Haisley Crawford had pulled up lame and could not compete in the 100m. final. Jamaica's Lennox Miller became the 'Caribbean hope'. But he was sore and there was a bit of concern about him. So, before the final they were working on his legs, the Jamaican physiotherapist on one leg and the Trinidadian, on the other. It was crunch time!
There are Bajans who revered Yagga Rowe, Trinis who worshipped Holding, Jamaicans who claim that Lara was the greatest ever. There are Trinidadians who crowd to a Byron Lee fête at carnival time, Jamaicans who give respect to the contribution of Merlyn Taitt to the development of reggae music, Beryl McBurnie of Trinidad was Rex Nettleford's mentor. There are Jamaicans who love carnival and soca and Trinis who are reggae music afficionados. So why do we let a vocal minority have us make such a big deal over what is a natural rivalry?
Our difference
Our animosities are less than those in the US between big-city 'slickers' and [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]small [COLOR=blue !important]town[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] dwellers, between sophisticates and rednecks, between North and South, East Coast and West. It exists between Trinidadians of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Indian[/COLOR][/COLOR] and African descent, between English and French Canadians and between the English, Welsh and Irish.
So while it is a fact that Trinidadian manufacturers have found loopholes in the CARICOM treaty and their government has used it to give them an unfair advantage over Jamaica, that is something for the technocrats to sort out. It does not justify the silly self-defeating call to boycott.
And now the politically naive, and insensitive comments of their new prime minister have given new voice to the 'haters'. Although the idea of tying conditions to aid is a fairly standard international practice which Caribbean governments accept, even the most arrogant First-World nation has never put it in the way she has. Not to mention the ridiculous 'ATM' comment. One wonders how the bright young woman of yesteryear could turn out so. I suspect that the rhetoric of the hustings is still spilling out of her mouth and that it is not, as some Trinis claim, the influence of the rabid in her party.
Maybe we should listen to Black Stalin, the Trinidadian calypsonian who, tells us that:
"We is one race,
from de same place,
who tek de same [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]trip[/COLOR][/COLOR]
on de same ship.
So we mus push one common intention,
for a better life in de region
for we woman an we chirrun.
Dat mus be de ambition
of de Caribbean man."
I think, in a way, he sums it up succinctly.
Keith Noel is an educator. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com
Published: Thursday | November 18, 2010 1 Comment and 0 Reactions
Noel
Keith Noel, Contributor When I was a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in the late 1960s, I found that one could divide my fellow Trinidadians into three groups. One contained students who disliked Jamaica intensely, one had students who rather liked Jamaica, and the other, the largest, did not care two hoots one way or the other. Jamaicans could also be so categorised conversely.
At first, I could not fathom the reason for the animosity but later I could rationalise it. Some of us were fiercely chauvinistic and each assumed that his/her country was 'obviously' the best in the Caribbean, and resented any posturing by persons from any other territory. So the animosity grew until one heard the most ludicrous criticisms of each other between the 'Trinis' and the people from 'yard'.
I remember being seen almost as a traitor by a Trini friend because I openly declared my fascination with Jamaican pop music and declared that Bob Marley was possibly the most important Caribbean entertainer. This was still the 1970s and every Trini 'knew' that Sparrow had that mantle.
There is a natural rivalry between the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]islands[/COLOR][/COLOR]. But Caribbean people, when it comes to the crunch, put aside their chauvinisms and support each other. So, in the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Caribbean[/COLOR][/COLOR], there was a general, although not universal, feeling of joy when Jamaica went to the World Cup. I remember a story I heard years ago. In his first Olympics, the young Trinidadian sprinter Haisley Crawford had pulled up lame and could not compete in the 100m. final. Jamaica's Lennox Miller became the 'Caribbean hope'. But he was sore and there was a bit of concern about him. So, before the final they were working on his legs, the Jamaican physiotherapist on one leg and the Trinidadian, on the other. It was crunch time!
There are Bajans who revered Yagga Rowe, Trinis who worshipped Holding, Jamaicans who claim that Lara was the greatest ever. There are Trinidadians who crowd to a Byron Lee fête at carnival time, Jamaicans who give respect to the contribution of Merlyn Taitt to the development of reggae music, Beryl McBurnie of Trinidad was Rex Nettleford's mentor. There are Jamaicans who love carnival and soca and Trinis who are reggae music afficionados. So why do we let a vocal minority have us make such a big deal over what is a natural rivalry?
Our difference
Our animosities are less than those in the US between big-city 'slickers' and [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]small [COLOR=blue !important]town[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] dwellers, between sophisticates and rednecks, between North and South, East Coast and West. It exists between Trinidadians of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Indian[/COLOR][/COLOR] and African descent, between English and French Canadians and between the English, Welsh and Irish.
So while it is a fact that Trinidadian manufacturers have found loopholes in the CARICOM treaty and their government has used it to give them an unfair advantage over Jamaica, that is something for the technocrats to sort out. It does not justify the silly self-defeating call to boycott.
And now the politically naive, and insensitive comments of their new prime minister have given new voice to the 'haters'. Although the idea of tying conditions to aid is a fairly standard international practice which Caribbean governments accept, even the most arrogant First-World nation has never put it in the way she has. Not to mention the ridiculous 'ATM' comment. One wonders how the bright young woman of yesteryear could turn out so. I suspect that the rhetoric of the hustings is still spilling out of her mouth and that it is not, as some Trinis claim, the influence of the rabid in her party.
Maybe we should listen to Black Stalin, the Trinidadian calypsonian who, tells us that:
"We is one race,
from de same place,
who tek de same [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]trip[/COLOR][/COLOR]
on de same ship.
So we mus push one common intention,
for a better life in de region
for we woman an we chirrun.
Dat mus be de ambition
of de Caribbean man."
I think, in a way, he sums it up succinctly.
Keith Noel is an educator. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com
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