Talks on gender analysis of calypso

A panel discussion and seminar on the theme, ‘A Gendered Analysis of Calypso – The Portrayal of Women and Men in Calypso: What’s wrong with the song?’, took place yesterday at the Government Campus Plaza.

The event was a collaboration between the Office of the Prime Minister’s (OPM) Gender Affairs Unit and the Trinbago United Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO), in celebration of Calypso History Month.

Lutalo Masimba, president of TUCO, told the gathering that one of the things the organisation is embarking on is to move beyond established boundaries of the performance, the show and the vulnerability of the calypso performance artform.

“In TT, when we say calypso, we think Carnival, who will win the crown, who will win road march and things like that. But it is extremely crucial for us as a nation to begin to embrace calypso in so many other different ways, such as the educational aspect of the work and the aspect of the calypso artform that speaks directly to us as a people, as a nation and as a region,” Masimba said.

Masimba expressed appreciation for the foundation laid by those who have gone before like Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon), Growling Tiger (Neville Marcano), Atilla the Hun (Raymond Quevado) and others who paved the way for the artform to be celebrated on a global stage.

Jacqueline Johnson, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), said the collaboration is a significant one for the OPM’s Gender Affairs unit to open dialogue on lyrical content, the use of empowerment and social issues.

She said: “Our gender analysis today looks at the advocacy of gender to calypso to assess its impact on the development of our men, women, boys and girls. And we must make some determination whether this fruitful artform with its total richness, has contributed to gender equality and equity.”

Dr Rudolph Ottley, assistant professor of Carnival Studies at the UTT, led a panel discussion with Dr Sue Ann Barratt, lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), who looked at the Power of Gender Myths: Misogyny and Masculine Entitlement in Calypso.

Meagan Sylvester, TUCO Education and Research Officer, delved into Unpacking the Language in use of Calypso using a Gendered Perspective.