Sydney Symmonds the host of the CBC Talk Yuh Talk show had an interesting discussion on Thursday morning regarding the adoption of low pants and cornrow hairstyle by young people in Barbados. The argument posited to explain the low pants style which has been popularized by the American hip hop and prison culture was – it is just a matter of style. Interesting is the fact some states in the USA have instituted laws to ban the low pant style.
We have those who say a person should have the right to style as they please. There is the other camp who is concerned about the future of our Black youth given their willy nilly acceptance of American and other foreign cultures. How can any intelligent being who understands the meaning of pride and industry retreat to a position that our society should surrender to the culture of the USA or Jamaica?
A strength of the Bajan society historically has been our willingness to deal with issues in a Bajan way. The challenges which have started to emerge given the nature of a pluralistic society which Barbados is transitioning to must take centre place as concerned Bajans question the type of society we want to become. This is a difficult discussion which must be taken out of the realm of economic mumbo jumbo. The emphasis must be to raise the discussion to appreciate that a society in our view which is socially cohesive will naturally create economic wealth.
We find it ironic the CNN documentary Blacks In America would be provoking discussion on the airwaves in Barbados regarding the status of our Blacks and specifically our Black young men. Barbados is said to be a well educated society and the void which is being filled by the popular CNN documentary is a sad reflection on our educated Black Barbadians to leverage knowledge to perpetuate the success which has made Barbados great.
Here is a quote from the Press Go published 24 July 2009, a UK website with a focus on issues relevant to journalism:
The best description for the Barbados Nation and Advocate? Stodgy, boring, dull. They make the Bedworth Advertiser look interesting. Boring headlines and even duller stories. It is like reading a parish newsletter for a nation.
The ‘news’ is based on government news conferences and other press conferences by NGOs and the like. On such sexy subjects like polyclinics, insurance and diabetes. Again, writing is prolix and not of great quality.
Barbados is a very polite and ordered society (the murder rate is a fraction of Trinidad’s) and that shows in its press. The hacks need to get themselves some more balls. The TV news is not much better.
Our forefathers and leaders of the past would have laid the platform. Our leaders of the day who seem willing to capitulate to foreign direction will soon relegate Barbados to nothing more than a satellite. The interconnectivity of the world is understood and the consequential influence on national policy but it does not mean our Bajanness should have to be 100% sacrificed in the process.
We find it interesting that many Barbadian parents have allowed their children to mimic the ghetto, hip hop culture of the USA and Jamaica to a lesser degree. On the flipside the fantastic work ethic which sees many Americans working two or three jobs to maintain a satisfactory lifestyle is shunned if we are to accept the reports from our National Productivity Council. The difference in cultures are miles apart. The starkness of our two cultures was further exposed when the BU household viewed the following video:
The American have their culture and Barbados should battle tooth and nail to keep ours.
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