Culture

One of the most important things any great civilization does is to create a repository of its culture. Throughout history some of these institutions themselves have become famous. But why is culture important, why should it matter?  It matters because it is the invisible bond of humanity that binds individuals together and ties and shapes them into a community. It is the outward expression of their shared identity. It embodies art, literature, music, language, religion, food, and recreation. Its ceremonies can be elaborate and planned, or they can be spontaneous, but always it is manifested in the lifestyles of the people within that community. It imparts a unique identity and character not only to the community, but also to the individuals of that community, and reveals itself with fierce loyalty. It is the very essence of who we are. When you say I am from Trinidad and Tobago you are identifying the geographical place from whence you came. It is not the same as saying I am Trinbagoian which is indentifying the cultural human essence that makes you who you are.  

I wanted to mention this because it has occurred to me that we need a place to house our culture as complex and as diverse as it is. Where can I go to see our monument to the rich history of the greatest show on earth? Where do I go to see our monument to our history of Pan, limbo, calypso, or Pierrot Grenades, Minstrels, Midnight Robbers, and the artists who have given their lives so that these things can live? Where can I go to pay tribute to them? When with each passing year the list grows longer even while the names of those who were once foremost in our grand parent’s minds fade from our collective memories. Where do I go to honor my countrymen who have dedicated their lives to the creation and advancement of that art-form we call mas?  Where do I go to pay homage to and be inspired by the likes of George Bailey, Steven Lee Heung, Edmond Hart, Wayne Barkley, Peter Minshall, Folette Eustace, Ray Morris, Neville Hinds, Harold Saldenha, and the list goes on.

When will we have a national arts endowment trust that will be able to establish a national art gallery of the major works of Jean Michel Cazabon, Leroy Clarke, Boscoe Holder and the many others whose names should be listed here?  And what of our poets, playwrights, and authors when will we have a national library to house all of their original manuscripts? To preserve the art these sons and daughters of Trinibago have made is to preserve for all time the unique identity that resides in each and every one of us.