fbpx
  • Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Columns
  • Letters
  • Features
  • Editorials
cro-cro

Nobody wanted world’s best Trinidad calypso record collection

November 1, 2020
Dool Hanomansingh

Indo Caribbean community and its vulnerability

July 5, 2022
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Commentary on Sea Results in Trinidad

July 4, 2022
Dool Hanomansingh

Are Hindu organizations relevant to the community?

July 5, 2022
Jai Lall

A TEAR FOR ONE SO DEAR SOMEWHERE

July 3, 2022
Jai Lall

HUM FOR MUM

July 3, 2022
Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

July 4, 2022
Capil Bissoon

THE TRUTH ABOUT PIARCO (Part 2)

July 3, 2022
Harry Hergash, Writer of Books on Indian Guyanese

PPP not effectively Protecting Indian Guyanese

July 2, 2022
Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News

Indo Caribbean community and its vulnerability

July 2, 2022
Photo: Mr. Devon Liburd, Chief Executive Officer, Nevis Tourism Authority

New CEO for Nevis Tourism

July 1, 2022
A Judgment fled to British beasts relating to Trinidad ?

A Judgment fled to British beasts relating to Trinidad ?

July 2, 2022
Indian Company wins Contract to oversee Road Construction

Indian Company wins Contract to oversee Road Construction

July 1, 2022
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
  • Login
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
  • Home
  • Columns
    Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

    Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

    Indian Company wins Contract to oversee Road Construction

    Indian Company wins Contract to oversee Road Construction

    Queens Indo Caribbeans Honor Courageous Police Officers

    Queens Indo Caribbeans Honor Courageous Police Officers

    Indians beaten & Robbed by Blacks in Guyana

    Indians beaten & Robbed by Blacks in Guyana

    Vishnu Bisram

    PNC Should emulate PPP & other Parties in accepting Outcomes of democratic Elections

    Steve Alvarez

    Embrace our good people

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Guyana Court Should raise bar on libel and slander

    Mrs. Chantelle Richardson

    Anguilla has new Dep. Tourism Director

    Kamla-Persad-Bissessar

    Kamla calls for Resignation of AG in Trinidad

    NY Indo Caribbean Mandir provides Accommodations to a fire victim’s family

    NY Indo Caribbean Mandir provides Accommodations to a fire victim’s family

  • Letters
    Harry Hergash, Writer of Books on Indian Guyanese

    PPP not effectively Protecting Indian Guyanese

    Phillip Edward Alexander

    Letter to Kamla of Trinidad by PEP Leader Phillip Alexander

    Vassan Ramracha

    Unite Against Conversions

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    No (Rain) Water No (Wheat) Flour

    Harry Hergash, Writer of Books on Indian Guyanese

    Response to Malcolm Harripaul on Guyana Sun Chapman 

    Steve Alvarez

    WHY THE PNM AND UNC MUST NOT BE THE OPTION

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    Immortalising Mama Mia

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    The PhD Obsession & its Relevance

    Ramdath-Jagessar

    African-Indian Relations in Guyana & Trinidad

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    MUCH TIME AND MONEY ARE WASTED IN Guyana COURT; widespread land fraud

  • Community News
    NY Indo-Carib Tulsi Mandir Commemorates Anniversary

    NY Indo-Carib Tulsi Mandir Commemorates Anniversary

    Indo Caribbean Celebrates Birthday at Gurukula

    Indo Caribbean Celebrates Birthday at Gurukula

    Jessica of Richmond Hill Weds

    Jessica of Richmond Hill Weds

    Fantastic Wedding Reception for Kevin & Aruna

    Fantastic Wedding Reception for Kevin & Aruna

    Father’s Day at Indo Caribbean Trimurthi Mandir

    Father’s Day at Indo Caribbean Trimurthi Mandir

    Kevin Bisram Weds Aruna

    Kevin Bisram Weds Aruna

    Indian Arrival Day Celebrated in New York on Sunday

    Indian Arrival Day Celebrated in New York on Sunday

    Berbician Hosts Jag (Yag) at N.Y Gopal Sundar Mandir

    Berbician Hosts Jag (Yag) at N.Y Gopal Sundar Mandir

    Guyanese Diasporan, Ebony Narpatty Brijbassi, Gives Back

    Guyanese Diasporan, Ebony Narpatty Brijbassi, Gives Back

    Indian Embassy in Guyana Observes International Day of Yoga with Police Force

    Indian Embassy in Guyana Observes International Day of Yoga with Police Force

  • Editorials
    A Judgment fled to British beasts relating to Trinidad ?

    A Judgment fled to British beasts relating to Trinidad ?

    Left to right: Nicole Catherine Linton, Julie Fletcher, Alice Bigland, Lesley Gosling, Grace Fryer, Tiagan Dealey, Hannah Young, Cara Meikle, Leanne Schembri, Jenna Hurst, Suzanne Wright, Ewa Katarzyna Zachmac, Shenika Ramsay - JTB

    Jamaica Tourist Board Release

    Steve Alvarez

    THE UNPLEASANT TRUTH (of opposition coalition)

    GAWU and President public spat in Guyana

    GAWU and President public spat in Guyana

    Vice-President-Hon-Bharrat-Jagdeo

    Allegations against Guyana VP: It’s Vice and not Virtue!

    Dr. Gopaul

    Gopaul— Jagdeo served with Integrity

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    Deja vu is in this Camille/Kamla Crossfire

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    MUCH TIME AND MONEY ARE WASTED IN Guyana COURT; widespread land fraud

    Vassan Ramracha

    It is an issue of Black Bureaucracy not one on Economy

    Dr Paloma Mohamed

    Positive Remarks on UG Indian Arrival Seminar

  • Opinions
    Dool Hanomansingh

    Indo Caribbean community and its vulnerability

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Are Hindu organizations relevant to the community?

    Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News

    Indo Caribbean community and its vulnerability

    Steve Alvarez

    Hard Luck Trinidad & Tobago

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    MY TWO CENTS WORTH OF INDIANNESS

    kamla-persad-bissessar

    Why do politicians reach out to supporters only for votes?

    Hariji and devotees of the Shiv Jyothi Mnadir of Las Lomas

    Weekly Satsangh honors Hariji

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    THE  FAILURE  OF  INDEPENDENCE

    Ramdath-Jagessar

    Home and family Indian Arrival Day off to a great start

    Paras Ramoutar

    Outgoing Indian diplomat hails relations between both countries

  • Videos
    Dool-Hanomansingh-003

    US Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard condemns the ongoing genocide of Hindus and other minorities

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the  Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the social significance of Ganga Dhara Festival.

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the Hindu view of the environment.

    swami-brahmadeo

    Swami Brahmadeo – Hindus are top CEOs and Medics in North America and Europe

    Gowtam-Maharaj

    Gowtam Maharaj, a farmer of Barrackpore, South Trinidad, shares his challenges being a farmer.

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    NATIONAL-LOTUS-THEATRE

    NATIONAL LOTUS THEATRE – Performance of Niyantran

    radica-jairam

    Story of RADICA JAIRAM from Orange Valley

    fisherman-trinidad

    Families of Orange Valley felt neglected by PNM Government

    Dr Subramanian Swamy

    Dr Subramanian Swamy – Dharma Rising London April 2015

  • Features
    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Commentary on Sea Results in Trinidad

    Jai Lall

    A TEAR FOR ONE SO DEAR SOMEWHERE

    Jai Lall

    HUM FOR MUM

    Capil Bissoon

    THE TRUTH ABOUT PIARCO (Part 2)

    Photo: Mr. Devon Liburd, Chief Executive Officer, Nevis Tourism Authority

    New CEO for Nevis Tourism

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Guyana Opposition Figures Upbraided for Silence on Racial Violence

    Lester Siddhartha Orie

    Ousting a Leader in Absentia

    Capil Bissoon

    THE TRUTH ABOUT PIARCO (Part 1)…

    Nalanda: India’s ancient university rising from the ashes

    Nalanda: India’s ancient university rising from the ashes

    Capil Bissoon

    Now that the time has come to review the workings of this Anti-Gang legislation…

No Result
View All Result
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
No Result
View All Result

Nobody wanted world’s best Trinidad calypso record collection

Calypso is dead

by Ramdath Jagessar
November 1, 2020
in Opinions
0
cro-cro

Photo : calypsonian Cro Cro

0
SHARES
5.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The noted calypso historian George Maharaj of Toronto, Canada shocked the entire calypso world in the middle of this October Calypso History Month in Trinidad and Tobago.

George announced on Facebook that he was giving away his entire 5,000 calypso record collection, the best in the world, to a tiny, unknown company in South Africa.

Since 1986 he had been trying to sell his collection internationally and in Trinidad and when he found no takers, trying to give it away. But even in Trinidad the proud home of calypso the list of people who were approached and wanted no part of George’s priceless collection included the PNM, UNC, COP, NAR, NALIS, TUCO, UWI, UTT, Carib, Maritime Life, British Gas, NP and plenty more.

He had even given press releases in the Trinidad newspapers offering to give his calypso collection from 1912 to 1989 for free to anyone who would take it, and not a single person responded.

So in total frustration he was giving it away to the only group that would take the records, digitize and preserve them for history, Alter Concepts of South Africa.

Turns out, George’s collection wasn’t priceless. It was worthless.

So if his calypso record collection was seen as having no value internationally and in Trinidad as well, what did that say about calypso itself?

I asked some Trinidad friends to be as objective as possible on the topic and they all said the same thing.

Internationally, Trinidad calypso has no audience other than the few West Indian immigrants and it is essentially dead in the water. In Trinidad itself calypso is out of gas, barely moving, bankrupt of ideas and finances, with nowhere to go.

Ramdath-jagessar
Photo : Ramdath Jagessar

They said internationally in big markets that count like Canada, USA and Europe, Trinidad calypso has no profile at all. Records are not selling, calypso tunes are not hitting the music charts, no big stars are singing calypso, Trinidad calypsonians are not filling up big concert halls, and people think the top calypso singer is the 90 year-old Jamaican Harry Belafonte! On a scale of zero to ten, Trinidad calypso would not even make a 1 in international markets. That was the reason why nobody in the international world wanted to buy or take for free a collection of a musical form that was roadkill.

But why didn’t any organization or individual from Trinidad want to take George’s collection off his hands and preserve it for those who claim to love calypso?

My people replied that Trinidad calypso in Trinidad was no better off than Trinidad calypso abroad in the international markets. The calypso tents were dead or dying, talentless calypsonians were struggling to produce a handful of decent songs each year, sales of calypso records were poor to dismal. There were hardly any calypsos with appeal for international audiences, but plenty of junk party songs, rude and crude sex songs instead of love songs, hardly anything that could be called humorous or spicy but mostly gross and cringe worthy rubbish. Calypso had gone from a poor reflection of lower class black people’s values to a no-class bacchanal song without good meaning.

But wasn’t this an unfair judgment on the national song of Trinidad, part of the national culture of the land? They contended that calypso had never been the national song or the national culture of Trinidad but only the product of black people who were less than 40% of the population. How could it be the national song when Indians, the larger ethnic group, were never more than 1% of the calypsonians? How could it be national if calypso reflected mostly the values of lower class black people and not the cultural or social values of Indians? Something posing as national culture could never succeed if a large section of the nation did not support it as their own.

There was even more to the Decline and Fall of Calypso that related to the reason why nobody in Trinidad wanted to take George Maharaj’s collection even for free.

Trinidad calypso or black people’s calypso, same thing, had made the catastrophic blunder of declaring its support for the PNM political party in a situation where party politics was racial politics.

By choosing the PNM which made no secret that they saw the Indian party and Indians as the enemy, calypso had stated for the record they too saw the Indian party and Indians as their enemy. Indians took note and quietly decided they would regard calypso and calypsonians as a hostile racist entity as long as the PNM existed.

Worse was to come. Black calypsonians went further in using their songs to attack the Indian political parties, and in effect using the not so national song as a whip to beat Indians for their PNM masters.

Black calypsonians continued an old pattern of making songs about black men having sex with Indian women, even though they knew quite well most Indians didn’t like it. Who can forget Maharajin, Indrani and other songs of the genre Come let we go Sooky?

Who can forget Cro Cro and Sugar Aloes and others attacking Indians as racists? Indians couldn’t do anything about such scumbags but they sure could refrain from buying calypso records, going to calypso tents to be insulted, or treasuring calypso as their national song.

After Cro Cro’s racist song Corruption in Common Entrance in 1988 provoked a storm of protest, Indians stopped going to calypso tents to pay for insults, and surprise surprise. The nation discovered that Indians had been the mainstay of the tents all along, buying tickets and sponsoring calypsonians busy abusing and insulting them every year. All the calypso tents crashed and went bankrupt and have remained so to this day. They can’t pay calypsonians to perform in the tents every calypso season, so calypso and calypsonians joined the tents on the junk heap. Indians moved over to supporting chutney their own thing which is apparently doing better than black people’s calypso roadkill.

So if calypso is not national and not performing well, why would anybody or any group international or local want a massive collection of valueless calypso records?

George Maharaj’s failed 30-year search shows the answer is nobody. No man or dog anywhere wanted his collection.

People should shut up and let the South African group Alter Concepts and their two employees do what they want with the records. (Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/ALTERwithUS/ and see their 377 followers.)

I don’t have a problem with that. I didn’t want George Maharaj’s 5,000 record collection either. Calypso is not my culture and I don’t listen to it. I don’t mess with the dead!

Tags: Cro CroRamdath JagessarTrinidad calypsoTrinidad calypso record collection
ShareTweetShare
Ramdath Jagessar

Ramdath Jagessar

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Indians beaten & Robbed by Blacks in Guyana

Indians beaten & Robbed by Blacks in Guyana

June 30, 2022
Queens Indo Caribbeans Honor Courageous Police Officers

Queens Indo Caribbeans Honor Courageous Police Officers

June 30, 2022
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Guyana Opposition Figures Upbraided for Silence on Racial Violence

June 30, 2022
Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

Indo Caribbean wins Worldwide Pageant

July 4, 2022
Jai Lall

A TEAR FOR ONE SO DEAR SOMEWHERE

0
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Commentary on Sea Results in Trinidad

0
Dool Hanomansingh

Indo Caribbean community and its vulnerability

July 5, 2022
Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

Commentary on Sea Results in Trinidad

July 4, 2022
Dool Hanomansingh

Are Hindu organizations relevant to the community?

July 5, 2022
Jai Lall

A TEAR FOR ONE SO DEAR SOMEWHERE

July 3, 2022

The most important world news and events of the day.

Get ICDN daily newsletter on your inbox.

Indo Caribbean Diaspora News

© 2020 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Donate

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Columns
  • Letters
  • Community News
  • Opinions
  • Videos
  • Features
  • Editorials

© 2020 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz