One of Barbados’ cultural ambassadors is on a mission to get more children involved in the arts.
Speaking to WEEKEND BUZZ, Stedson Red Plastic Bag Wiltshire said that the recently held inaugural calypso competition at Hindsbury Primary School was one project that he embarked on as “cultural ambassador to try to develop culture within schools with the young people, helping them understand who they are culturally”.
He said there were several other schools he was considering working with.
Fourteen students entered the competition which was won by Destiny Dezi Lynch who sang Dun Wid De Violence, and 13 teachers and one parent wrote the songs.
“This [calypso competition] will become an annual thing with this school and I’m seriously considering St George Primary to be one of the schools to work with. We will also be working with secondary schools because all of this is what is expected of us [Anthony Gabby Carter and Alison Hinds] in terms of working with children in the area of culture. This is just the start and I’m looking forward to working with quite a few schools in terms of developing the arts here in Barbados,” he said.
While Blackman and Gollop Primary School has an annual calypso competition, RBP said the ambassadors were aiming to get primary school children “connected to who they are culturally”.
“One of the things that I would like to see happen as well is for them to get into what costume making is all about. That would help connect them in a very solid way to the arts. So, you’re going to see a lot of programmes going on that we would try to coordinate, everything is not going to be calypso.
“ . . . . Any school that is interested in doing some work at their school . . . . I can come to the schools and see what programmes they have in place and how I can help them develop what they already have,” he said excitedly.
About the Hindsbury Primary contestants, Red Plastic Bag said the hope was that they would get involved in that the Junior Calypso Monarch programme.
“I’m excited about it and when you listen to the children you will hear and see that there’s still a bit of talent around Barbados. You just need to harness and promote it and make sure that we give the highest levels of support to these children who are excited about getting involved in the arts,” stated the ambassador. (GBM)
