I READ WITH INTEREST Toni Thorne’s article in the Sunday Sun of July 24, 2016 entitled “So You’re Not Into Crop Over? Really…” and I must admit I was amazed at some of her comments, particularly where she said, “There is no right-thinking person who can look at the entire schedule of activities (NCF produced and otherwise) for Crop Over and say that there is nothing that would be of interest to them”.
I do not know Ms Thorne’s qualifications to speak to my state of mind without meeting me, but I have never doubted my mental faculties. I have studied the schedule and found nothing of interest. There are 50 plus calypso/soca-related events (including band launches, various limes and cavalcades, Pic-O-De-Cropand Kadooment).
There are four pan events, one jazz event, three heritage walks/tours, Bridgetown Market and City Fest, visual arts, one literary event and one thanksgiving service (which is so far from the main events that it seems to be stuck in just to make the Christians happy). For Ms Thorne to assume that this “variety” of events covers the interests of all “right-thinking” people is in itself narrow-mindedand offensive.
I will date myself somewhat,but I am of the vintage where I can say that my favourite Crop Over event was the Crop Over Air Show. People in my age group would remember going to the airport and watching planes doing stunts, watching pilots taking part in the “land closest to the linebut not behind it” competitionand the round-the-island air-racewhich boiled down to the epic battle between the crop duster (yes, we used to spray crops using an aircraft in Barbados) and the Thorpe T-18. Alas, that is no longer a part of the Crop Over calendar. Back then, the Landship, the maypole and stick-licking used to be part of the Crop Over Fair as well.
Where are events for the water sports fans? (Sorry, I don’t count “wet fêtes”). Aren’t surfers, swimmers and jet ski operators participants in our Barbadian culture? Where is the Barbados Crop Over regatta? Where are the events for the automotive enthusiasts? The bikers? Where are the hikes in the country? Where are the Barbados Crop Over 5K and 10K road races?
Where are the road tennis competitions and dominoes championships (or even draughts)? Where is the Barbados Crop Over film festival? Where are the Barbados Crop Over tennis and Barbados Crop Over golf opens? Where are the Barbados Crop Over choir festivals and Barbados Crop Over comedy festivals? Where is the Barbados Crop Over fashion week (fashion not made of feathers)? (I keep repeating “Barbados Crop Over” to show that these events can be of a stature to draw tourists).
Why do we have Soca OnThe Hill, Pan On The Sandand jazz but no spouge in thesquare? Are we really embracing our culture or pushing someone else’s? There are many people out there, I believe, who don’t care for the loud music party atmosphere or the skimpy attire but would come out to a football match (like either of the two championships that were runningfor a while).
We need to really consider what our culture is – our national culture, not just the culture that certain people are trying to promote. Not everyoneis into bashment soca. Not everyone eats roast breadfruit. To put down those who are not interested in these things and to exile them to Culpepper Island is to deprive them of their freedom to choose what they want to enjoy. If we want the Barbadian culture to reflect right-thinking persons and not mindless drones then we cannot go that route.
Perhaps what the NCF should do, rather than plan any events, is just facilitate the various interest groups in staging national events – whether parties, sports, aviation, culinary, craft, fashion, visual or performing arts or whatever else people may be interested in. Tourists come for the rallies, the road races and the parties. Doesn’tit stand to reason that a national festival that embraces all of these things would bring even more tourists than just the revellers?
If Crop Over was truly a “national” festival, and not just 80 per cent party and bashment, then maybe more people would “do Crop Over”.
– MAX MILLAR
