There is no Cohobblopot this year. When I initially heard there was no Cohobblopot, like many Barbadians, I lamented about it. However, like many Barbadians, I have not been to Cohobloppot in years so my lamentation was rather hypocritical.
Cohobblopot was experiencing declining numbers for years. The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) did its part in tendering elements of the event. However, the numbers remained unimpressive. We need to start running the creative industries like fully functioning machines. Unless we cease depending on Government being the main financier of the industries, they will not grow. This is an industry that needs the sector’s leaders to initiate and execute. The role of Government should never be to provide massive amounts of funding for what is viewed as the most innovative sector.
We should be finding creative ways to make our industry work. The government is a facilitator not a banker in these harsh economic times. One could only assume that Cohobblopot was making no money and as a result it became more of a burden to execute, than a blessing.
My lamentation quickly turned to excitement when I realised that a new event had been ushered in as the penultimate event for our Crop Over season. This event is known as One Love. It will feature soca superstar Machel Montano and is touted as his only live performance for the season. The announcement was made and the response from some of us was disappointing. As I perused the comments on social media, my thought was. “There we go. We always see the wrong side of the coin.” It is interesting how we pay little attention to something and fight for the retention of it only when there is the possibility of it being removed. Human nature is quite a thing.
Another burst of excitement came with the awareness that this new event was the brainchild and execution of a team of young, Barbadian entrepreneurs who are all under 40 years.
There were comments about the choice of Machel Montano as headliner. Who do these people expect to have headline? Aretha Franklin? Machel Montano is the leading soca artist in the world. He has done what nobody else in his sector has done. He is in a class of his own and has an unmatched standard of excellence. Point blank, the man works hard and reaps his success. His name on the performance card is a surety to sell out any concert and this is a fact.
Many also expressed dissatisfaction that the name was “One Love” and not “Cohobblopot”. As stated in Shakespeare’s book “Romeo and Juliet”, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. In our arguments against the name change, we did not even ask ourselves about the ownership of the name Cohobblopot”. If the NCF owns the name, we surely could not expect Volume Entertainment to use it without some level payment or accountability to NCF. These young people need to be given the chance to craft their own brand on their own terms – especially if this event is their project.
I have seen the Trinidadian notion of having committee members for events infiltrate our society. It is a novel idea and I see its place in many recent events. However, many of the Barbadians who are committee members for events are not paid for this service. It is more a bragging-rights role and one that aligns the individual with some level of gate-keeping, social operation. Nobody quarrels about this nominal role of young Barbadians. Therefore, why are we upset about a few, business-savvy young people who are looking to bring a quality product and make money whilst doing so? Isn’t this what we want for the creative industries? To make money and stop the multitude of hand-out requests from Government or the opportunity to run our own industry?
It is an impossibility to please the Barbadian public so there will always be the naysayers. I find it refreshing that in a year when so many outside influences are having an effect on our festival, that a few young Barbadians are seeking a share of the financial pie.
Toni Thorne is a fashion entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global shaper who Loves global youth culture, a great debate and living in paradise.
