Fostering a different Carnival culture in SVG

EDITOR: Each year in July our country celebrates a unique festival, described as the “hottest carnival” in the world. It is composed of Pan, Mas, and Calypso. These art forms provide avenues for our people to express their creativity. It is amazing that it has survived mostly depending on volunteers. Perhaps the time has come to have the festival institutionalized and become part of the formal school programme.

Formalizing the teaching of Pan in schools will ensure its survival. Skills of building and tuning pans will be essential. Given the number of schools, a cadre of pan builders and tuners should be trained. They should be able to earn a decent living working at their skill. Arrangers too are needed. While most depend on practical skills of listening and blending sounds, learning the rudiments of formal music will enable the compositions to be written and widen the number of persons who can benefit from this skilled knowledge. The school steel band will provide music for all ceremonial occasions of the school, including daily worship sessions. Participation in national competitions will provide increased motivation for students. The crime fighting component of Pan is mainly in prevention and must be combined with discipline where children at risk are required to participate in prescribed programmes. Adequate rewards in the form of grades must be awarded to students for their musical performance. In too many cases the efforts of students are not valued.

Art and Craft, Drawing, and Clothing and Textiles should culminate in the design and production of costumes for the country’s premiere festival. Study of the subject areas would be given a purpose and add some excitement to the studies.

Production of plays of English B could provide avenues for students to express their artistic skills also. Over- loaded curricula with too many subjects inhibit creativity and the capacity for students and teachers to become more meaningfully involved in cultural activities.

Lyrics for calypsos can be composed during term 1 either as part of the English A, English B, or Music classes under the guidance of the teacher. Term 2 can be used to compose the music to add to the lyrics, and in term 3 singers give full expression to the Calypso.

Various themes can be explored and teachers can ensure that positive lyrics and vibes are created.

If we consider our culture to be important, formalizing our Carnival will ensure its survival and transmission to the next generation.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD