Play mas. Furaha!

THE EDITOR: Even as the roots of Carnival are buried deep in European civilisation (Trinidad Carnival has evolved in a class by itself), drumology, history records as a slave plantation feature, Canboulay freedom celebrations, stick fighting, calypso (slave voicemails), dancing de cocoa, all, every time, evoke thoughts in my mind of slavery.

It also brings to mind the Nalis theme around slavery and emancipation of reconnection, reclamation and reparation. Not that it matters, as all three are necessary if people of African origin are to be free indeed of the stigma of slavery. I, however, beg to rearrange the bywords as enunciated by Nalis to read instead reclamation, reconnection, reparation as, to my mind, the process of reclamation must precede any form of reconnection and ultimately reparation.

By the very simplest definition, the word reclamation is to control erosion and this, to my mind, must be the first step in dealing with any form of stigma.

Reclamation

The first step to reclamation is to reject the so-called "stigma."

With particular reference to the targeted east-west corridor, as, indeed, many other areas of Trinidad, where a significant percentage of the citizenry are of African descent, law-abiding, progressive, innovative and highly intellectual, the stigma of uneducated, vile, lawless and unbecoming, as is being promulgated by those who seek to conquer, must be rejected outright.

The intergenerational injuries caused by slavery and the history of slavery, difficult a task as it might be, must be obliterated from the psyche, not only of descendants of Africa but of those who seek to use it as a weapon to dominate.

The stigma of slavery is being obliterated by the strides people of African descent have made, so fresh, concerted efforts are being made to attach an alternative stigma. We must defend this generation from first accepting and adopting this unfounded, deliberate and diabolical attempt at re-engineering the effects of that dastardly part of African history.

East Port of Spain, one of the targeted area, has given the world steelpan, calypso, renowned mas producers, world-class sportsmen and women, intellects, poets, a prime minister, historians, Miss Universe, virtually almost single-handedly giving Trinidad to the rest of world, more so Europe.

Reconnection

Africa's history is irrefutably rich in culture and achievements. Africa laid the foundation for world development. The true and full history of Africa, not exclusive of slavery, must be established, embraced and respected to enable positive self-imaging and racial pride, good, bad or indifferent. Knowledge is power and conversely the lack thereof erodes the power.

Emancipation must not be symbolic, it must not just represent a day in our lives, an occasion to dress culturally but must be embedded in the fabric of our society. African history must form part of our schools’ curriculum, the cultures of Africa must be allowed to flourish, enabled by those who hold the reigns of authority.

Reparation

In most cases reparation is expected of the person/people who committed an act, most times monetary. The institutions of slavery, however, had a reach that transcended boundaries, nations and continents, and even as reparation might be available and necessary, the ratio to be appropriated, to my mind, would set some of the main "slave masters free."

Monetary reparation is a necessity but true reparation, to my mind, can only be the untethered, unhindered release of the indomitable spirit of people of African descent striding forward together to regain and re-establish their rightful place. The journey has begun. As it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end.

History is not my subject area, just feeling it.

Play mas. Furaha!

ANN MARIE DAVIDSON

San Fernando