With recent Carnival band launches the question has once again imposed itself upon us: Is the direction of Carnival bands and party band launches something we want the future generation to be a part of? It has been said that culture is comprised of those things that one generation would see fit to pass on to future generations. There are, however, some questionable parts of our culture that we have passed on, example placing rings in your lips, or wearing tiny shoes in order to prevent your feet from growing.
There are certain things that no one would deem fit to pass onto future generations, one of them being the devaluation of women. It is very obvious that in recent years our culture and perception of Carnival is changing rapidly. We have seen costumes go from beautiful pieces of art, where designers showcase talent and skill to barely-there pieces of dental floss that present women at face value as objects and nothing more. I know many women like and enjoy this attention but I believe this will change if they knew what was going through men's heads. I have first-hand experience seeing many young girls trying to enjoy Carnival but don't want to wear the costumes being offered. I have great memories of the days my parents use to take my sisters, brother and me to watch all the amazing, colourful costumes etc on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. But nowadays, many parents are skeptical about allowing their kids to see what takes place on those two days. Carnival has evolved in many positive ways but also negative ones. It is possible to enjoy this beautiful festival and to come together as a nation to appreciate our culture in a clean, respectful and fun way, as people used to long ago. Feminists should advocate for this as well; for women to be valued as people and not just bodies, for better costumes, better music that doesn't command women to bend down, jook, wine, and other lust-driven messages that are now associated with Carnival. Each year, Carnival bands have so much opportunity to set a standard and to raise the bar, yet each year the opposite happens.
It is extremely important to recognise that women have much more to offer than their physical qualities and are not mere objects for men to seek pleasure and this is why we must not seek or want these current practices to be passed down or continued. In fact, women have attributes which men need them to showcase in order for us to truly be reminded of their value on this earth; after all, women are the makers of men. Recent studies show that women are not only are needed to bring up the children at home but also uphold an important role in the workplace. Women display incredible signs of being caring, loving, nurturing, helpful, ethical, and hard-working. Many worldwide business owners also say that once women start a task they are very keen on getting it done properly, displaying incredible determination and commitment. All of these are attributes which businesses nationwide would and could take advantage of if we upheld and treated our women with greater respect. If women sell themselves short they not only bring down their self worth but they also bring down the men who rely deeply on women for the values they have.
We as the present generation must be aware of what is taking place in our amazing nation and do what we can to protect the future generations. You may read this and wonder how you as an individual can change Carnival and the answer is simple: we must all change ourselves before we see any real change in these issues. These things are not forced upon anyone, you only take part if you want to. The demand of the people changes the way things are manufactured and developed. I believe that Carnival bands would enjoy actually showcasing the talent of designers rather than wasting their hard work to create something damaging to their neighbours and friends.
Parents should teach kids good moral values. Men, teach your sons to respect women and women, teach men and kids that you deserve to be respected.
James Lanser
Catholic Voices T&T