Ministry of Education, CDC hold 9th annual Calypso symposium

A people who have no knowledge of their culture are like trees without roots.{{more}}

That’s the advice shared by veteran calypsoninan, Carlton “CP” Hall, to the students who attended the 9th annual Calypso symposium on Wednesday, January 18.

Hall, also a Senior Education Officer in the Ministry of Education told the students that the country’s culture and heritage is under threat of cultural penetration from other countries.

“…Our young people have impressionable minds, observing all of the foreign culture,” he said.

The former calypso monarch also stated that he is not satisfied with the media’s contribution towards the development of the calypso art form.

Drawing direct attention to the local television station, Hall said he is dissatisfied that local impressions are used as fillers for the day to day programming until a movie is shown.

“So we start Vibrating Skates and we clip it in the middle because it is now on the hour. I do not like that. I feel disrespected on behalf of all the artistes who are clipped like that.

“We deserve better,” he stated.

Hall described Wednesday’s symposium as a part of the battle against cultural penetration.

Drawing his attention to Wednesday’s program, Hall disclosed that it was a fantastic line up, but in the past there was a segment that dealt with the history of calypso that was not listed.

He however encouraged the facilitators to ensure that the students were given a brief journey in history about the Vincentian calypso art form.

“What we call vintage calypso is suffering by what we call the soca genre and as we know there is really no development in the soca genre. The one lines and the repetition, and you know the content I don’t need to say. Not constructive, not educational but indeed leads to lewd thinking,” Hall said.

The education officer also encouraged teachers to integrate calypso writing into their language arts teaching and follow the writing process.

He advised the young calypsonians to brainstorm their topics, pre-write their songs and gather the information needed to complete their calypsoes.

“A good song is not done in one sitting. A good song writer will tell you that.

“You write and give yourself enough time to come back to it and re-write, revise, edit it and have someone proof read it. This is the method you use in writing essays; you apply this to the teaching of the calypso art form,” he added.

The 9th annual Junior Calypso symposium was a joint effort between the Ministry of Education and the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC).

The symposium was held at the Peace Memorial Hall bearing the theme, “Preserving our Culture through Youth development.”

The students also heard addresses from President of the SVG Calypsonians’ Association, Anne Miller, Carnival Development Officer, Oneka Morgan and Minister of Culture, Frederick Stephenson.

Veteran calypsonians Vibrating Scakes and the Mighty Toiler were some of the artistes who were present at Wednesday’s symposium.(AA)