Magic people

Culture Matters

Now the election bacchanal die away,/In short, this is what I have to say/Let us forget spites and grudges and concentrate/Come, let us sit and try to relate/Because now, more than ever, we must show/Discipline, Tolerance and Production/To build a strong and better nation/I say that is the main foundation

– Let us Build a Nation Together, calypsonian Merchant

MAGIC. It is defined as the use of special powers to make the impossible happen, a “special and exciting quality that makes something seem different from ordinary things.” The word magic is used to describe our culture, our art and our essence more than you might think.

As we approach another anniversary of becoming a republic, I want to celebrate us. The world is in flux and in TT we are again in a probing phase. In 76, we stepped towards self-determination in the midst of social revolution and global tensions. More than 40 years later, the debate is familiar. What really happened in Bayshore? In this environment and against the reality of a year that promises to become even more exhausting, is our magic strong enough?

In 1962, the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Bryner did battle for the song that best described what it meant to be patriotic. The “Birdie” was brilliant but judges are notoriously unpredictable, so Bryner emerged victorious. Perhaps Bryner’s simple lyrics struck a chord of home, of belonging – “This is your land/Just as well as my land/This is your place/And also it’s my place...”

Home. It is a powerful construct. Embedded is an awareness of patriotism; a sense of being from somewhere, of entitlement. The blue passport says everything – the beach, the oil, gas, mountains, Charlotteville, Bamboo Cathedral – everything is part of who we are, regardless of where we originated. And that is very much part of the magic.

Over the decades, our artistes virtually willed patriotism into us. Almost 20 years ago, Denyse Plummer earned the respect of a sceptical public with her poignant Nah Leaving. She marvelled at our ability to transform the ordinary. “I see a people creative who must overcome/Make magic from old steel, from rusty old drum.”

Lord Shorty admitted that he too was under the spell. “Is this music, music, music, yeah, sweet music/No matter what you say or do/The magic of our music gets you.”

However, David Rudder is often identified as one of the most prolific voices of nationhood. Bitter and ragged, but sweet, like us I guess. “Once upon a time there was a magic island/Full of magic people/Let me tell you a story/'Bout their pain and their glory...”

Patriotism is characterised by “freedom, justice, and equality. The patriot believes that both the system of government and the people of their country are inherently good and work together for a better quality of life.” For me, that is the crux of our current challenge. It is not possible for the entire society to move forward when some feel disenfranchised. “Bear with me,” sang calypsonian Chucky. “Bigger nations are in crisis/My development is a process/It's our welfare, so show some interest/Our aim now is social justice.”

In many ways he is correct. In 1976, under the racist apartheid system in South Africa, white police gunned down students, triggering riots that left hundreds dead. In the US, an accelerated swine flu vaccination programme was halted after deaths and other problems surfaced. At home, we faced massive labour strikes the year before, even as Black Power activists continued their own social justice campaign.

But in addition to coming of age politically, we created magic internationally. In 76, Hasely Crawford earned our first Olympic gold medal, elevating us as the first country from the Caribbean to achieve this in the prestigious 100m race. And we did not know it yet, but the following year, Janelle “Penny” Commissiong would propel us into the global spotlight, becoming the first black woman to be crowned the most beautiful in the world.

Two magic islands indeed, our special powers reaffirmed by the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). We know our story thus far; Merchant tried to get us to reason with each other to write the next part. As Kes and Jimmy October implore, there is “so much magic in us as a people. The way that we talk, the way that we dance, our style. Believe in the magic. We are the magic.”

I truly want to believe in the magic people of TT, I do. Bear with me.

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