CARNIVAL STORY
CALYPSO CENSORSHIP
By Terry Joseph
Episode Seven
Sunday Express
February 27, 2000
Page 15
While the physical attacks on the lower class of Carnival masquerader
quickly subsided toward the end of the 19th century, a new method of
artistic containment surfaced.
In
1890, the influential landowners, stoutly aided by the Port of Spain Gazette,
took a giant step, asking police to intervene in the calypso arena and censure
those singers whose works were perceived as embarrassing. It would certainly not be the last time that
an attempt was made to corral calypso.
Even
after political independence (1962), calypso censorship - or at least state
intimidation - would experience its most glaring examples. Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams, a respected
historian, ordered his Attorney General to investigate the possibility of
actually pressing charges against a calypsonian.
That
year, Dr. Williams had invited several visiting dignitaries to Carnival's
premier event, the Dimanche Gras show.
One of the finalists in the national calypso competition, Lord Shorty
(now Ras Shorty I) had the temerity to sing the racy "Art of Making
Love", complete with interpretive gestures.
No
arrest was made, but in the tradition of calypso, Lord Shorty taunted him
outright in the following season, with a song called "The PM Sex
Probe."
In
fact, Dr. Williams never failed to let the calypso fraternity know, in
unequivocal terms, exactly how he felt about uncomplimentary remarks aimed at
him.
When
Relator won the calypso crown in 1980 for singing "Food Prices" and
"Take a Rest", the latter song including a suggestion that Dr.
Williams should retire, the calypsonian's name was axed from any official
government functions and tours for the entire year of his reign. He too bounced back with a calypso called
"The China Syndrome", after a government team visited China and left
him at home.
Teacher/calypsonian,
Chalkdust (who was later to become Director of Culture), was also targeted by
Dr. Williams who, when it was suggested that Teaching Service Regulations could
be invoked to censure the stinging political commentaries that were coming from
this calypsonian, disdainfully said: "Let the jackass bray."
Nor
is this all ancient history, although in the recent examples, attempts to steer
calypsonians away from offensive approaches have been softened.
Current
Prime Minister Mr. Basdeo Panday has publicly declared a decision to withhold
State funding of any activity in which calypsonians sing lyrics deemed
distasteful. He however gave no clear
indication as to how artistic content would be measured.
Two
years ago, a song by calypsonian Sugar Aloes, which made an unflattering
reference to the PM's wife, became the subject of such a controversy. Aloes was excluded from the state-funded
Dimanche Gras show, although the printed programme indicated that a slot had
been set-aside for the winner of a competition at which he was victorious.
But
today's calypsonians have even more to worry about. Particularly during the last quarter of the 20th century,
interest groups representing a wide variety of causes have targeted not just the
singers, but Carnival administrators, in situations where they felt wronged.
Women's
rights groups have castigated calypsonians whom they consider insensitive,
religious bodies have forced changes in mas design and neighbourhood activists
have successfully restricted fete promoters from making noise in certain areas.
Noise
pollution is still an issue, particularly in built-up areas. Successive Prime Ministers have complained
about noise levels coming from fetes near to the official residence, even to
the point of sending police to turn the music down.
Later
in this series, we will see that the inaugural attempt by the central
government to manage Carnival might have contained some sinister motives,
including another brand of censorship.
But
let us not race ahead of the unfolding story.