Culture is an integral part of every society.It is a learned pattern of behavior in which a person lives his or her life. Culture is essential for the existence of a society, because it binds people together. In the explicit sense of the term, culture constitutes the music, food, art and literature of a society. The chutney soca monarch competition is (supposed to be) a representation of the East Indian Culture of Trinidad and Tobago.
So I guess by Rikki Jai winning this very cultural competition and further being rewarded $2 million dollars by the Prime Minister herself an East Indian, either is a true portrayal of the East Indian people of Trinidad and Tobago or it is not and that song like so many others was and is composed and sung, only to entice the listener to partake off the alcoholic beverages mentioned in such compositions. Most of these chutney songs are like lengthy jingles disguised as a song of culture and marketed as such.
The East Indian culture should not be portrayed as alcoholics and the PM herself an East Indian should not have rewarded such a composition with $2 million of tax payers money. I am East Indian and very ashamed that these "rum songs" are marketed as part of the East Indian culture in Trinidad and Tobago. Madame Prime Minister aren't you also aware that these songs represent you as well? After all you're East Indian and these songs are marketed to the world as the East Indian culture of Trinidad and Tobago.
J Smith
via email