Artistic solutions to rural challenges

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WE WERE mortified at the thought that we were expected to dance on concrete in our bare feet.

The space provided for us to get dressed was cramped and if we needed to use the bathroom, well, that was in a different location altogether. The villagers did their best to make us comfortable. They were not used to dancers, actors and musicians invading their humble space.

In the end, we achieved our goal, emotionally affecting them with our messages about family dysfunction and violence.

That experience was many years ago, before community centres with stages, lighting and dressing rooms became the norm. Today, when we go into remote spaces to share our cultural interventions, the venue is less of a concern than back in the day.

Still, development in rural communities is increasingly part of the national conversation. Whatever you may think of how people in communities express their frustration, the truth is, these explosions of discontent were decades in the making. The issues are complex, intertwined with history, patterns of human settlement and the political will to improve quality of life in the countryside.

Why does any of this matter? As countries like Trinidad and Tobago adjust to the reality that the era of oil and natural gas is coming to an end, new paradigms of sustainability will have to be established. As the world struggles with increased pressure for water and food, more attention will be placed on the value of rural communities.

Given limited resources available to arts and culture, is it even possible for this sector to serve as a force for the rejuvenation of remote communities?

Globally, some arts-based organisations have been implementing creative projects founded on the belief that creative investment can contribute to the revival of declining rural areas. These projects are targeted to communities considerably neglected or at risk of being abandoned.

Their success relies on making that crucial link with the culture and heritage of the community. So for instance, in Portugal, storytelling was used to connect to their history of wine-making. As part of the revitalisation project, theatre performances were enacted in wine cellars and dances performed in the vineyards.

In the US, one young woman who realised her community was disappearing gained support to organise a concert with a couple of well-known artists. Hundreds attended and she was able to achieve her revitalisation goal by including the community in finding a solution.

These experiments linking the arts and sustainable development hold exciting possibilities for us.

Several of our notable novelists and artists came from rural communities. Many currently live and work in remote villages. From gatka to African drumming, from stick fighting and whip-cracking to Indian folk dancing, the potential to spark economic rejuvenation through the arts is there. But how?

Award winning novelist Earl Lovelace grew up in Toco. Imagine the excitement that could be generated by a literary festival in this community featuring his work and the places that were important to him. Scholars from around the world would be invited to participate, a perfect opportunity to involve the schoolchildren in the area as well.

The festival would of course ensure that entrepreneurs such as the fisherfolk, popular bars and guesthouses benefit from the experience.

The Best Village competition is already about empowering communities. From Mayaro to Sangre Grande, Charlotteville and Princes Town, there are people in these communities who have dedicated their lives to culture.

It should not be difficult to adapt the competition structure to develop experiences that appeal to external audiences and at the same time encourage community growth. Arts and culture meet entrepreneurship.

In TT, we are fortunate that our rich culture and heritage provide possibilities for dozens of similar projects. However as one expert cautioned, “Getting bigger isn’t the solution. Getting better is. If you design it for the tourists, you’re making a mistake. Design it for your community. Then the others will come.”

I often think about our performance in that remote place. We had an impact on them, but their humility and love for their community had an impact on us as well. As we got back on the bus, the hugs and tears overshadowed any discomfort from the cold concrete floor.

Communities are fragile and need to be nurtured. The arts can be a vital feature of their protection, but in the face of a rapidly changing world, we should not wait too long to raise the curtains on including artists in a plan for their survival.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN.

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