J’Ouvert rivals send strong global message

Any piece of authentic artwork is imbued with meaning—culled from the collective unconscious.
This explains why artists, despite stylistic differences are somehow simultaneously inspired by like concepts. And it is this sea of autonomic consciousness that has fashioned two 2011 J’Ouvert bands—Roy Pierre and Associates, and Phagwah. It is a testament to the wonderment of art.
Roy Pierre and Phagwah’s founder, Ricardo Pacific, are starkly different.

Pierre is a veteran, having bagged a staggering 14 J’Ouvert titles. He can be garrulous with a swagger that piques your attention. Not that Pacific is unassertive. His manner though is starkly different. He is a young man, laconic, even self-deprecating at times. Yet, there is that steely will with which you must contend. Unlike the lone ranger, tradition-bent, Roy Pierre, Pacific’s Phagwah is a well-heeled and Web-enhanced organisation backed with a consulting and marketing department. In its fourth year, it had the honour of opening Labour Day celebrations on Eastern Parkway, the first for a J’Ouvert band. Its stock has since risen, no doubt.

Head strong and determined, both men are subtly dismissive of each other. Pierre’s boast: “You think mas, you think Roy Pierre, end of story.” And Pacific’s “We have never looked at results. We are here for a much higher calling,” speak volumes. They are different, but remarkably this year, their message is hardly distinguishable. In fact, their message is inextricably bound. Pierre has reaffirmed his disinterest in politics, but his work is nothing short of a socio-political commentary of global proportions. His portrayal of the Governor’s Ball, which he calls “a take off from the Mighty Sparrow ‘60s calypso,” theatrically depicts the fracture of societies based on class. It’s a riveting exposition of what Pierre refers to as “a capitalist world built on greed now falling apart.” He articulated with the insight of a sociologist. “You see, the Governor’s Ball is invaded by this mad woman who invites her insane colleagues to crash the party. Chaos ensues. This is what is happening right now. People are mad...the little they have is taken away from them.”

He spoke of the London riots and the breakdown of the centuries-old tribal system in Libya and neighbouring regions, which he attributed to “capitalist designs.” He moved his attention to the US where he has seen, “well-dressed brothers collecting bottles in recycling bins.” He was philosophical too. “The Governor’s Ball represents the yin and the yang concept,” he said. While Pierre portrays social dissonance, three miles away on Nostrand Avenue, Phagwah’s One Blood appeals to the “monad,” that divine spark in us that has dimmed overtime, only to be replaced with something sinister.  Pacific is unabashedly political. “I am into international politics,” he said. “We are one family living on one earth—this is our message, and what better way to do so than appealing to our blood ties. We all bleed the same colour—red.”

He went on to comment on the mystical properties of the colour “red,” concurring that it was left to one’s interpretation. “However,” he said, “our statement is overwhelming and bold.” He also mentioned the global discord and believed that the artist was obligated to respond. He reiterated: “This is not about competition. It’s about delivering the strong message of light, love and life.” Roy Pierre and Richard Pacific. Two men—different paths—different methods. But, their message of social justice and reclamation of our humanity beckons us to be still, and reflect, if only for a moment.

Dr Glenville Ashby
New York correspondent
Guardian Media Limited