Experiencing the Divine

Culture Matters

“Apparently, it is possible to see physical manifestations of God inside us whether you are Christian, Buddhist or any kind of spiritual person. Experiencing the Divine actually changes the brain, changes the way we see the world...”

– Morgan Freeman

EVENTUALLY, I understood why my grandmother would go for long spells without speaking. As she stared out into Laventille, I rationalised that the silence was her strength or maybe she was just praying. I thought of her as we battled so much this week in our nation.

In Port of Spain, at least six homeless people settled down for the afternoon in front of the bank. One of them, a male, pants unzipped, stood in the street littered with discarded symbols of modern life, holding his privates in his hands, staring down at the road. Cars zigzagged, dodging human targets, horns blared.

Further up, two or three police officers did nothing to restore calm or sanity. Through my artistic lens, that desolate scene in our capital city unfolded almost in slow motion, a play within a play.

The image of my grandmother sitting, looking at the wretched scenario out her window came to me. And, though I am not a huge fan, the soundtrack in my head was from Buju Banton – “While I’m Living/ Thanks I’ll Be Giving/ To the Most High You know/ I am living while I am living to the father I will pray/ Only he knows how we get through everyday/ With all the hike in the price/ Arm and leg we have to pay/ While our leaders play...”

Buju, considered a musical prophet by many, has been incarcerated since 2009 in the United States on drug-related charges. Soon to be released from prison, one online magazine captured the reaction of some in the industry to his impending release – “DJ Khaled stated: “I love Buju so much. His music is like praying.”

Was that the message that Ida, my grandmother and Buju were trying to send me? That we need to flood our country with praise music – of all kinds? In our many traditions, it is true we pray through music.

One of my earliest memories is of The Mawasi Experience founded by Peter Telfer in the 1980s. Peter pioneered his concept of Drum Mass, combining African instruments and rhythms into traditional Christian styles of worship. In addition to celebrating his faith, it struck me then that it was also a way of claiming his identity and his place in this country.

Parang, our joyous indigenous Christmas music, celebrates the entire story of the birth of Christ, from baby to adulthood. It is not by accident that this music is becoming less and less seasonal, as it is being played as early as July. Parang works because it lifts us and reminds us of a force larger than ourselves – “Vamos a cantar, vamos a cantar la divina historia sobre el nacimiento, sobre nacimiento el nino ... Come and sing, we’re going to sing the divine story about the birth of the child...”

When we listen to music, or enjoy a performance of Los Alumnos de San Juan, it positively impacts the activity in our brain and releases pleasure responses. Scientists have shown that prayer or meditation activates the front lobe of our brain, that is, the part that controls emotion, sexual behaviour, and other functions such as decision-making. It is sometimes referred to as the “pleasure centre.”

As such, prayer or even meditation is not about any particular religion. It is about focusing the mind on positive thoughts and creating calm within our brain so that we feel better, think positively and make better decisions. Artistic works cause us to tap into that pleasure centre, hence the reason music and other creative works affect us.

My grandmother stayed silent, because it was her way of coping. Perhaps the lesson is that sometimes we should just be still and bring down the power of love as Ella Andall commanded in her powerful vocals. Was she correct when she sang “Love to heal a nation is the greatest power?” Possibly.

The question of the Divine as it manifests in our culture is a fascinating idea that we will continue to explore. In the meantime, I leave you with the words of musical prophet, Bob Marley – “Give thanks and praises to the Most-I/ Give thanks and praises so high/ He will not deceive us my brethren/ He will only lead us again/ Oh take that veil from off of your eyes/ Look into the future of realise ...”

Dara E Healy is a performance artist, communications specialist and founder of the NGO, the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN