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4. Self Evaluation of the course Caribbean Civilisation.

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4. Self Evaluation of the course Caribbean Civilisation.

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When I first started this course I expected it to be a lot like the A level subject Caribbean Studies, how ever I discovered that this course is more in depth and deals with matters not mentioned in Caribbean Studies. This course enlightened me on several topics especially on the history of the Caribbean and the struggles people faced forming our civilisation. In the past there were different conflicts but this course opened my eyes to see that history is written by victors and often times neglects to tell the story of those who the victors deem unworthy. This course also helped me to realise the importance of cultural festivals and sports, as they have deep history and are tools for cultural renewal as they remind us of where we came from and the struggles our ancestors faced. Overall this course has made me realise how grateful I am to be a part of this Caribbean civilisation and how far we have come and that every one needs to continue working towards the betterment of our region civilisation.

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3. How Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago has culturally degraded.

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3. How Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago has culturally degraded.

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In the article below by Vernon Khelawan talks about how Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago has become nothing more that a "bachanal type street party." Carnival was once a creative way to express our culture through traditional mas characters such as the Jab Jab and midnight robber, but now carnival is advertised as big "fete" or party where masqueraders wear revealing bikinis and monokinis. I agree with what Vernon Khelawan is saying as Carnival has become flawed and it is an injustice to the rich cultural heratige of our country and is falsely representing our culture. Carnival should focus on the festivities that it originated upon and not on this vulgar street party type carnival.

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Vernon Khelawan

Does the fact that Massy Trinidad All Stars steelband has won back-to-back Band of the Year titles send a subtle message to bandleaders to bring back 'real mas' with real costumes like All Stars did with their genuine sailor mas? The other group that is trying hard to bring back costumes into the Carnival is Word and Associates, also dubbed the Catholic Band. They placed third in the Small Band category during the parade of bands in downtown Port-of-Spain.

The Carnival is over and the near naked masqueraders are now in most instances completely covered up and going about their regular business, probably thinking about next year's festival. I overheard a comment on Ash Wednesday about Carnival 2015. It went like this:

The best thing the National Carnival Commission (NCC) could do is spread sand along the parade route, sprinkled with a few palm trees (the bake and shark sheds are already in place) and our Carnival can become the world's biggest beach party, so boring and disgusting was the constant stream of bikinis, mokinis (they tell me that's the name given to those bikinis, even smaller than usual-a cross between a bikini and a thong).

From the greatest show on earth, T&T's Carnival has sunk to the very depths of debauchery and wretchedness and can now be safely described as the greatest flaw on earth. The lack of interest is manifested in the dwindling number of spectators and the increasing numbers that flock to the beaches here and in Tobago, with many still able to travel abroad-just to escape the Carnival.

Today's bandleaders would not admit it, but they have transformed our once beautiful Carnival from creative street theatre to a bacchanal-type street party. It has become a Cepep-Carnival Empty of Pomp, Entertainment and Pageantry, if I may borrow an acronym, truly a stain on our rich heritage and culture.

And the reason is simple. As a society, we have, over the years, succeeded in continually lowering our standards in everything, not least those of Carnival. It is as though we make great effort to dilute our values, which have endured for decades.

This dilution of the Carnival should not strike us as strange. It has been building for decades and representative of the increasing decadence of the society. It is a society which has been allowed to deteriorate. So what do we have? A litany of woes, daily murders, indiscipline in schools, at home and in offices, unwillingness to give a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, the vulgar display of lawlessness at all levels of the society, across-the-board corruption. The list is really lengthy.

That is what happens to any society which fails to maintain high standards, to teach our people the need for a proper set of values and most of all, respect for human life and the dignity of the human being. These are all absent in a large way in T&T today, created by the used Japanese motor car, which has become the great equaliser at one level of the society, and the huge mansions and million-dollar cars at the other level.

All this is perpetuated by the 'Me' syndrome. At every level the question is always, "What's in it for me?" That is the hallmark of the society in which we live, maybe exist is the better word, and unless and until we demand change, then God help us and that's when he will stop being a Trini.

* Vernon Khelawan is media relations officer of Catholic Media Services Ltd (Camsel), the official communications arm of the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain. Its offices are located at 31 Independence Square. Telephone: 623-7620.

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Carnival...now the greatest flaw on earth

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Vernon Khelawan Does the fact that Massy Trinidad All Stars steelband has won back-to-back Band of the Year titles send a subtle message to bandleaders to bring back 'real mas' with real costumes like All Stars did with their genuine sailor mas?

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Robert(Bob) Marley (6th February 1945-11th May 1981) was a Jamaican born singer/songwriter who is regarded as one of the best reggae artists of all time. He became a symbol of caribbean identity by sining about Jamaica and its rastafarian culture and exposing it to the world. He is a prime example as how music can represent and shape how Caribbean societies are viewed.

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2.Caribbean cultural expression and pop culture.

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2.Caribbean cultural expression and pop culture.

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Pop culture is defined as culture that is widely accepted and has mass appeal, one form of pop culture is music as people from all over the world listen to it and accept it. A popular genre of music that was heavily influenced by Caribbean artistes and represents Caribbean people is reggae music. One of the most famous reggae artiste was Bob Marley who expressed his rastafarian culture through his music and gave the world some insight to his society within the caribbean.

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Cultural expression simply put is the way people express their culture, and some of the main ways people do this is through festivals, music and dance and sports.

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Carnival in Trinidad is a good example of a cultural festival in my region that allows people from various backgrounds to come together and express themselves. The festival is well known and people from all over the world come to experience it. It originated in 1783 and was started by the french as they had dinners, balls and concerts leading up to ash Wednesday. The slaves who could not take part in the festivities formed their own celebration called Canboulay which influenced developement music like calyspso which still plays a great role in carnival today.