Thursday, October 9, 2025

WORD WISE – Shattering the door

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Should you /shatter the door /and walk in the morning /fully aware /of the future/ to come? – The Arrivants by Kamau BrathwaiteHaving lived for as long as I have in our Barbadian society, I am aware that many have no interest in connecting with what we may call the new community evolving in our midst. Such individuals have acquired a “peaceful” way of life and would prefer not to have it disturbed. Others seem committed to erasing any vestige whatsoever of the village life from which they came. Immersed in a kind of pseudo-sophisticated lifestyle, they entertain no thought that they may become alienated even from themselves.Yet another group comprises the “solid” middle and upper classes of perhaps three generations. I fear this wall is impenetrable. Nothing must be admitted into this group that is not proper: somewhere out there something is not quite right but please do not taint us with the ugly details.It is not my place to judge any of the above. I am more concerned with those who have accompanied me on this journey and who feel as I do that there is need for intervention in this nation we deeply love. The question is, how? What do we do? Simply walk into an area and begin dialogue with those we meet? Moreover, we must be aware that the most well-meaning efforts may be regarded with suspicion or thought to be condescending. How to connect in more direct ways will require ongoing strategy and may be the subject of future articles. For now, however, I will put forward some suggestions.While I do not support B.C.’s irreligious views, he may be making a significant point when he suggests a link between the Common Entrance Examination and later deviant social behaviour. By all means, excellence should be rewarded. But from my years of teaching, I know that long after the examination is over, a number of young people remain plagued by feelings of inferiority, resentment and alienation. Several of these youngsters who end up in the schools “at the bottom of the hierarchy,” according to Nation columnist Peter Laurie, succumb to those forces that promise them power and a sense of belonging. We must add our voices to those who insist that the present system be seriously reevaluated. Feelings of dispossession at age 11-plus on an already uncertain foundation will ripen into a national catastrophe.I would also seriously ask that the sexually explicit BET music videos and similar fare from other stations be erased from our local television. There is no justification, in my opinion, for filling the minds of the young with lascivious images of individuals especially of their own ethnicity or gender.Admittedly, it is increasingly difficult to beat the purveyors of such merchandise at their game; the technology is everywhere. But one way to counteract its effect is to place much greater emphasis on the development of analytical skills in the educational system. From primary school, students watching the screen, listening to music or even reading must be trained to ask the following questions: what message is being sent to me and by whom? What is their agenda? If I respond in a particular manner, whose puppet am I? The manufacturers’? The drug lords’? Can I use my own common sense and intelligence to make the right decision for myself? Community theatre is another powerful tool, particularly when the actors are drawn from their own environment and can incorporate their experiences into the drama. One such group has already started its outreach in at least one parish and should be given full support from community councils and other concerned bodies. In conclusion, I have made use of the word “shattering” advisedly. I know that in most cases it is easier to break through a three-foot solid mahogany door with a table fork than dislodge mental barriers. It is particularly difficult if we perceive that behind that door lies all we deem valuable to us as individuals. But you may remember that my very first choice of metaphor was water, and what is more powerful than moving water to dislodge, uproot and demolish all obstacles in its path? The tide of the heart is no less powerful when we reach out with sincerity and commitment to help the potentially deviant, the marginalised. This Barbados is where we live. The future to come will find us here. This is home.
l Esther Phillips is an educator, poet, and editor of BIM: Arts For The 21st Century.

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