Lift the tempo
Editorial
THE spirit of Mashramani is very much in the air all around the country in the run-up to the grand Republic anniversary celebrations on February 23. The usual frenzy is on to complete costumes and other trappings in time for the traditional float parade in the city on Mash Day and the preliminaries are under way for several aspects of the children's and regional competitions. These attract a lot of attention but a main talking point is usually the calypsoes that crop up every year and it is no different this year. Perhaps it is because Guyana is so close to Trinidad and Tobago, the acknowledged world capital of calypso, that Guyanese tend to compare what passes for the art form here with the real fare in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere in the Caribbean. There is little doubt that a lot of what is being masqueraded this year as calypso would not make it past the door of even some of the lowliest kaiso tents in Trinidad and Tobago and it is time for those in charge to take a closer look at whether it is really worth the while. Calypso is an art form, a form of social commentary that has been perfected to a fine art by the masters in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and some other Caribbean countries. That is not to say that Guyana has not produced calypsonians of calibre. Three who readily come to mind are King Fighter, Lord Inventor and Lord Canary and there have been others who could have been numbered among the `also rans' in some regional races. But the majority of the tunes in the Mashramani tents have not been up to scratch. Admittedly, up to several years ago, Mash calypsoes were heavily sanitised before they could have been aired on radio and many of those being sung today at the competitions and broadcast on radio and television would not have seen the light of day. But things have changed to such an extent that some composers have given themselves licence to criticise without being fair, leaving little doubt about which political camp they are jumping in. They may argue that that's the freedom of the artiste. Fair enough, but they should also seem to be fair and maybe this will help lift the standards from off the floor of the tents, where much of the Mash calypso fare still seems to be. Mash should be about celebrating together and high standard calypsoes that can somehow help to bridge the gaps in a popular medium could be invaluable. Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Ms Gail Teixeira is confident Mashramani can be like Trinidad Carnival and Barbados Crop-Over, developing into not just a national cultural festival but also a main event in the regional calendar. She said in an interview this week, "I don't want us to be copying Carnival in Trinidad. We're different people; we're unique in many ways." But Mashramani can provide Guyanese with the opportunity to showcase the country "so that we're not only remembered for Jonestown and rigged elections between 1968 and 1985; that we're put on the map for something positive, explosive and wonderfully creative and different," she said. Lifting the standard of the calpysoes can put the festival on the regional map even faster
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