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Here we go again! It baffles me every time. Why exactly is it that as a Caribbean people we are followers and not leaders? Our shows within the region all express how much the cultures of the “developed nations” influence our way of life. This in my opinion is another case of cultural imperialism. It is a situation that allows these North America and Western European media products to emphasize their dominant attitudes and values.

A friend once said that Caribbean people are very “flowery and creative”. I too, honestly do believe that; however the items produced by the various media within the region have me doubting.

Let’s make a list of all the shows that duplicate foreign media.

• · Digicel Rising Star
• · GBN Gospel Star
• · Mission Catwalk
• · Synergy Soca Star
• · Grenada’s Got Talent
• Synergy TV Supermodel

I am pretty sure that many more can be added to this list.

In my opinion, as a Caribbean community we need to be trendsetters. We need to use our talents and develop shows that are totally Caribbean. I pose this question to you,

Do you think that as a region, we should limit the amount of foreign media that invade our shores?

This technological era has its many advantages, but for the region and its availability and accessibility to the peoples allows these foreign media to invade our shores quite easily. Many also believe that these new technologies help to create and maintain the freedom of the press. In so doing it generates a problem of erasure of indigenous cultures. Once again I pose this question to you,

Do you think that as a region, we should limit the amount of foreign media that invade our shores?

Here's a typical example:

Shopping Toppin

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Shopping_for_women-142880765.html

Freshest Louis Vuitton Model

Kamla, Machel and Louis Vuitton?

What a combination?

Plastered all over Trinidad and Tobago’s print, broadcast and social media was this snapshot of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the stage with Machel Montano, at his infamous Machel Monday show, clad in a US$ 795 Louis Vuitton high-top, gold sneakers. It seems like the whole of T&T had a field day “kicksing” of the picture. Some began to question government finances, others wanted to purchase the boots, and yet others rooted for their PM, as women who knew style.

Despite, all of this I question the relevance of this article to the political economy of Trinidad and Tobago? I question the decision of the Trinidad Express Newspaper to put this as a headline at the front page. Is there nothing going on in Trinidad and Tobago that this is the only information of importance to the T&T populace? This in and of itself is a sad revelation.

This is a typical example of how the media tells us what we should be discussing at lunch or dinner tables. It is yet another way of the media highlighting to citizens what should be important to our livelihood. An image like this would help shape the identity of many persons; as identities can be easily influenced by images of class and notions of beauty expressed by the media.

The image shows the top woman in the T&T political arena, and along with the top man in the entertainment-soca scene with a Louis Vuitton in the picture. In my opinion, this says to onlookers, that only if you’re of a certain caliber can you be exposed to and possibly own the finer things in life. This is a case of subliminal messages cultivating false needs that are created, and can be satisfied by capitalism (Adorno and Horkeimer).  

But my question to you, should this have been the main headline for the newspaper issue on February 16^th 2012?

“No Bacchanal please!”

This picture I saw on the front cover of the Catholic News for the weekend preceding carnival Monday and Tuesday. It was an illustration by Fr. Tom Willemson, CSSp, titled “David Danced”. The drawing depicted the biblical words, “…and David danced before the Lord, with all his might!” (2 Samuel 6:14). An observation of the picture I saw iconic representations of Trinidad and Tobago’s traditional masquerades. From the pierrot grenade, bookman, fancy Indian, sailor mas to the midnight robber.

On closer analysis of the picture, it shows that the Catholic Church has no problem with the carnival festivities. Well, it has been proven that carnival celebrations are linked to European nations who colonized countries in the west, and bringing their religious practices with them. The drawing indicates that the bible sees nothing wrong with dancing. However, the church complemented the image with an article rightfully titled, “no bacchanal please.” The commentary implored readers to be modest in dress and behavior during the season. The general message of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) campaign was, “if you’re ‘reveling’ for the carnival, don’t become a ‘bacchanalist’”.

Carnival celebration is a time of drunken revelry, relatively lewd, sexual music and indecent exposure. In my eyes, the inclusion of the traditional characters in the drawing was a way of the Church saying; bring the old time festival back. A festival where masqueraders were fully clothed, and costumes where grounded in the historical contexts. This can be even connected to the theory of cultural imperialism. It shows that the uniqueness of the Trinidadian mas is being lost, as mas band designs are becoming homogeneous replicas of those of the Brazilian costumes.

This article in an unconventional format, is actually saying to Catholics to show dignity in their actions, and not lose their Catholic identity that is based on the teachings of the bible. On the other hand, they are telling all the Trinbagonian readers to not let the traditions of other cultures influence the content and direction of their inherited lifestyle elements.