Ramleela Feelin’ Pressha
About a couple weeks ago I blogged my own opinion that if money were poured into Ram Leela and Divali, it could become a major money earner for Trinidad. However, not everyone shares my enthusiasm for it. Reading the Guardian today I came across this story whose author was uncredited:
Ramleela council peeved at Govt
The National Ramleela Council is peeved at Government’s decision to blank its annual cash grant to Ramleela groups taking part in Carifesta IX.
Deosaran Sankar, vice-president of the NRC, said in an interview yesterday that he was informed by a senior official of the Ministry of Culture that the ten groups participating in Carifesta IX would not be getting their annual grant to stage celebrations in their village.
Sankar said the organization received $28,500 from the Carifesta IX committee to stage celebrations for Carifesta.
But, he said, the production staged by the group has already crossed the budget and is now in the $30,000 bracket.
What madness is that? How can they decide to just cut the funding because the groups were already funded for Carifesta? When I tell you sometimes that we can be backward when it comes to development, iz no joke. and you have to wonder sometimes if Government ministers are playing with a full deck. Once again it’s tall buildings, smelters and useless stadia, yes; and culture, no. Culture must once again take a kick in the teeth. And you can understand why people accuse the Government of being high-handed and aloof.
7 Responses to “Ramleela Feelin’ Pressha”
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 26, 2006 | Reply
Manicou, this is a prime example of political bad mind. Ramleelah is East Indian in origin. The PNM, Syri…er, sorry, Afro Trini. What does that mean? Well, that means that the government has systematically shown that culture is not high on their political agenda, especially the culture that can be associated with the Opposition. It’s called ‘keeping them in their place’ and they practise it well.
By Mani on Sep 26, 2006 | Reply
Gyul, this get me so vex this morning eh. Just because they get money for Carifesta, they can’t get the regular set of money? Especially when the government spending money like it going out of style?
By the way, check out the comment someone left on the “Sampson Nanton Retport” post I made.
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 26, 2006 | Reply
I checked it out. And I left a response. Some people should never stop they medication yes.
By Anonymous on Sep 26, 2006 | Reply
As an imported half breed, I must say I was previously impressed at how much the state supports all forms of culture. Its serious stuff when partisan politics tries to stymie a national resource.
As for ‘useless stadia’ .. whats the latest on the Toruba bacchanal? I saw tickets on sale on ICC website and I pass and see only dirt and grass..
Loving your blog Mani.
By Hottie Hottie on Sep 26, 2006 | Reply
Mani, you ever read Walcott’s Nobel lecture? It touches on Ramleela and is one of the most poetic of his writings, even though it is prose. I’ll send you the link.
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1992/walcott-lecture.html
By Mani on Sep 27, 2006 | Reply
spice - well I wish they would see the goldmine that it could be and stop trying to give everyone a ration. I believe Toruba is still going ahead as planned. I haven’t heard very much about it in the past few months or so.
hottie - lol, well i’m glad you told him/her off. I’ve never read the Walcott lecture, but I will now. Thanks for sending it to me.
By Mani on Sep 27, 2006 | Reply
Spice I almost forgot, thanks for your compliment! I am very susceptible to flattery.