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Caribbean: Seventh Annual Orisa Rain Festival
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Triniview.com Article
Trinidad and Tobago
In Yoruba tradition, as indeed in many other eastern and pre-western societies, the change of seasons is of tremendous importance and is a time for much jubilee and inner reflection. This is especially so during the time when the seasonal rain cycle begins and new life has a chance to assume physical vessels and roam the earth. Traditionally, in Yorubaland, Africa, the rainmaking rituals were some of the most formal ceremonies that were held there. The revered rainmaker would even call on the deities responsible for the rain to bless the earth during periods of extreme drought. This reverence and deep appreciation for the coming of the rainy season has been transplanted from the mainland, Africa, to Trinidad and Tobago and by extension, other nations of the west that have been directly influenced by African people and culture.
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by George Alleyne, Trinidad & Tobago
June 25, 2003
Groups should urge on the University of the West Indies to conduct research into the history of Africa, its level of industrial growth, including manufacturing industries such as cotton manufacture, garment manufacture, food processing, its mining industries including the smelting of iron ore, and its trading before the colonisers came.
The young people in the Caribbean of African descent must be rescued from the bondage of mind conditioning, induced by the deliberate falsifying of African history by Europeans, who because of their superior military power, including the possession and use of gunpowder, were able to seize large parts of Africa and control the continent's raw materials and trade.
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Caribbean: The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth... Six Feet Of It
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By Corey Gilkes
There is an uncomfortable truth about the Caribbean; not much of an intellectual tradition exists here. There have been many intellectual giants such as CLR James, Lloyd Best, Vidya Naipaul, Earl Lovelace, Sir Arthur Lewis, J. J. Thomas, Dr Eric Williams and Sam Selvon, whose names will forever be etched in our history for their immense intellectual and literary contributions. However, by and large the desire to read – and, stemming from that, the desire to analyse and challenge – is not as widespread as it should be. It was once said that just about everything was imported into the Caribbean except books and the love of reading. Over the years many young people have been faring poorly in the academic system with many spurning academics as "acting white". Paradoxically, many people clamour to listen to your every word if you have the gift of gab backed up by the magic letters – PhD, Dr., LLB., and, perhaps most ominously, Fr. or Pastor. This, I suppose we can label "Dr Titles" (with apologies to Lloyd Best)
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World Focus: Bush/Kerry, Republican/Democrat: same Imperialist
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By Corey Gilkes
I have read many posts, blogs and articles written by people opposed to President George W. Bush's policies and actions; I've listened to the comments made on numerous radio and TV talk shows both local and foreign. There are many who vilify the President and express righteous indignation and horror over his wild, illegal military actions. Ok, fine, I have no problem with that. What amazed me, however, was that so many of these people saw a saviour in John Kerry and the Democrat Party. That there were so many people in the last election trying to foist Kerry on us as if he was any different, shows that Americans still don't get it. They are still (innocently?) unaware of what have been the prime motivators of US foreign policy (regardless of party) for the last 100-odd years. They, therefore, may never understand why they are deeply resented in other parts of the world and told to get out when they offer "assistance" to poorer countries or countries racked by conflict.
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By Ras Tyehimba
June 23, 2004
A little over a year ago, I attended an Orisha festival in 'deep south', Trinidad,, near Princes' Town. This festival was entitled Egungun- A Celebration of the Ancestors. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, families were present and men and women, young and old, were dressed in beautiful African garbs. Tony Martin, the esteemed Garveyite scholar delivered a speech about the importance of history. Part of the program involved African songs, dance, and of course drumming. Processions of characters representing ancestors paraded and danced in the main area to the powerful rhythms of the African drums. Beautiful voices filled the air, singing praises to the ancestors and remembering the days of old. The tempo increased, and some people particularly females began to 'ketch the power'. Oshun the feminine deity who governs the river manifested in one female in particular, and she began to dance with amazing grace. She was a dark-skinned woman, bare feet, head wrapped, and dressed in long patterned material. She strikingly reminded me of someone I knew. I watched in awe as she moved, smooth as water, in perfect harmony with the pulsating rhythms. Never have I seen a dance so graceful, beautiful and sensual. Interestingly, a friend was supposed to meet me at the festival, but at the last moment she decided not to attend: her family had serious concerns about her being involved in 'devil thing'.
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