Halloween is new ole mas

THE EDITOR: I hate Halloween. Or maybe it is not Halloween I hate, but Trinidadians/Tobagonians' attitude to it.

Beginning in the northwestern region, it has gradually spread its tentacles throughout our country. We are celebrating Halloween as though it is ours. Our culture, so deep in tradition, so colourful and mesmerising, such wonderful folklore, is being replaced by pumpkin heads.

Our ole mas is no longer. As children we used to make our masks and costumes, get up early and go through the neighbourhood beating our biscuit tins (thanks to Bermudez). Jab molassie and jab jab would roam the streets for free. Our ole mas had real character. Now that is gone.

Carnival costumes, if they may be called that, have already been eroded so much that they cover less and portray even less as we sought to compete with the Brazilian ones. And, in yet another way, we are adopting American culture. What's next?

Can you imagine dame Lorraine in one of those string costumes, imported? We are stifling our culture. Nalis cannot present an informative page on ole mas. The Pan Trinbago headquarters in Trincity remains a testimony to our rate of progress.

As a child, ole mas was the greatest event for us. Our preparations began weeks in advance. It was a neighbourhood event. Those day will never return.

Unfortunate.

RAWLE RAMJAG

El Dorado