Fraser's stinging calypso wins Windward title

Giselle Washington Fraser delivered a stinging performance in defence of culture on Saturday night on her way to be crowned Windward Calypso Monarch champion.

At the Cyd Gray Complex in Roxborough, Fraser's performance opened with footage from the funeral of cultural icon Rawle "Axeback" Titus, who died last month, and a video clip from Chief Secretary Farley Augustine who lamented the lack of recognition for Titus while he was alive.

Paying tribute to Titus, Dexter "Blaxx" Stewart and Leroy "Black Stalin" Calliste, Fraser lamented that some calypsonians could not even pay their rent as they were not given the respect the artform deserves.

She sang:

"I'm afraid to see that right here in TT,

If you didn't know, is we mashing up we own calypso.

Cuz when is time to invest in culture, for them things we doh have a cent.

But if you call a fete the place ram out, pillar to post, all on the pavement."

She also hit out the penchant to gravitate to the Jamaican and American cultures.

"Wherever you go, people must know you from Trinbago," she told the audience.

Seemingly taking an indirect dig at the Watson Duke-led Progressive Democratic Patriots, a line in Fraser's chorus interchanged between, "We should feel ashamed to put patriot in we name" and "We should be ashamed to put progressive in we name."

Caston Cupid, a Calypso Fiesta semifinalist, got more love from the judges this time with his Saga of Truth, which criticises the quality of judging in calypso competitions, placing him tied for second with Nicole Thomas.

The latter, who was also at Calypso Fiesta, sang Carnival is We.