Reconstruction of VincyMas

After two and ah half years of Sabbatical without any renumeration, com-pen-say-shun,remittance, subsistence or whatever to de components of Vincy Mas, de Festival, or what’s left of it, will now attempt to shake off de ashes, fine tune de instruments, restore Pan after de Pan-dem-ache; revisit Carlton “CP” Hall’s masterpiece “Kaisonians will sing,” and ‘come hell or high water’, Vin-sin-shuns will play Mas wid or wid-out wearing Mas, Jab or no Jab, if even is ‘Jab!

Jab! Mas’ out ah Shatto-bel-air. Yes, this coming weekend Vin-sin-shuns and visitors alike will see de re-emergence of what uses to be “De hottest summer Festival” in de ‘Carry-Beyond’. De long break was due to COVID-19 pan-dem-ache, and an erupt-shun of de La Soufrere Volcano falling smack in de middle.

Me neither interested in de Hottest nor Coldest Summer Festival, give me ah Festival dat captures as much of Vincy as is available and affordable, Vincy Music, we Pan, Mas, Kaiso, Vincy traditional dance, Vincy Cuisine, Vincy local drinks and so on. Ah great deal more emphasis must be placed on youths’ participation. Ah was told dat de organization of de Junior Calypsonians last Tuesday was far from acceptable. Ah total disrespect to de youngsters who will be de Big Guns of tomorrow.

My girl, Lie-Za agrees dat dis is not de best time to ask de organ-eyes-as about Vincy Mas, but she miss ah lot ah de main ingredients. Her visiting friends from far-rain are grilling her wid questions relating to Vincy Mas. Twenty-five years ago their parents were here foh Vincy Mas and may have told dem about lots ah Steel Band Music, from de time dey arrived at de ETJ Airport, Pan at Heritage Square, at every CDC Show, Pan at all CDC approved private fetes or
block-o. So this second generation of far-rain based Vincies visiting, are expecting more substance at open air fetes and block-o’s. Can yuh imaging someone travelling from Europe about 4, 000 miles from SVG, to watch young people dressed in de skimpiest of outfits gyrating foh hours on and off stage to loud music. Dah’s not Vincy Mas.

Lie-Za thinks dat CDC got ah lot to do. She got de nerve to ask me if ah have any I-dare how many members of de CDC Executive ever played Mas or ah Pan, or any instrument, bend ah piece ah wire or help mek ah costume, ever visit ah Kaiso Tent or Pan Yard during rehearsal?

Ah told her to call names and ah will whistle.

At long last de Ole Kaiso warriors have decided to pick up dey guns to sing foh real again. We long to hear nice Kaiso Picong, Social Commentaries exposing corruption in Go-venom-mint.

How well we remember de fairest of de brave among Kaisonians: “ De man Age, de former Reality, Messenger; Sulle, Ebou, Professor, Scakes, Exposer, Carlton “CP” Hall, Toiler, Abijah and ah few others. CP renamed Mitchell ‘Jesse Gambler’, Toiler called him ‘Mr Anansi’, Sulle sang ‘Gangster’. And den came de ULP and was like everybody “hung up dey Guns” Social Commentaries, excluded criticism of de Go-venom-mint. Dey fraid Ralph. Some ah dem were compensated handsomely. And is so de public interest in Kaiso went cold. Now after 21 years of ULP, de year 2022 is like a revival of de interest in de Kaiso, Lie-Za calls it de Renaissance of Kaiso, thanks to strong men like Abijah, Zion I, Tajoe, youngster ‘Boney Man’ who is being groomed. Sunday night will be big at Victoria, anybody could win de Monarchy. Ah will announce my pick foh de Monarch next week. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.
One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.