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Squeezing The Culture Out Of Crop Over

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BU has stepped out of our comfort area a few times to comment on our premier festival, Crop Over. It is a festival which has morphed from a cultural expression of a people to a wukup, mash up, drink up party. The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) appears to have lost control of the festival.

The music produced at Crop Over time appears to be the catalyst which fires the festival. It can be stated the success of the festival is symbiotically linked to the quality of the music produced. Is Crop Over meant to reflect the attitudes and expressions of all* Barbadians? How do we want the festival to reflect how we dance, what foods we consume and the music which mirrors our soul? Are we satisfied with the standard of the festival 40+ years on? Are we detecting a feeling of disillusionment emanating from the 45+ Barbadian?

The video above encapsulates the kind of entertainment to be found at popular liming spots during the Crop Over season. The BU household to be frank is embarrassed to view the YouTube video. LIME the sponsor of this event owes the country an apology if they regard themselves as a good corporate citizen. What can we opine about the values of the young people on show?

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82 responses to “Squeezing The Culture Out Of Crop Over”

  1. Green Monkey King Avatar
    Green Monkey King

    Hi I had a response for Hants please?

  2. David Avatar
    David

    The 9 through to the Calyso Finals from memory, Blood, Gabby, John King, Sheldon Hope, Tassa, TC, Cyrstal Cummins, Adrian Clarke and Colin Spencer

    Reserve: Kid Site

  3. EyeSpy Avatar
    EyeSpy

    In the 50’s & 60’s the word “wuk up” was associated with dancing a certain way and it was frowned upon then. Over the years nothing has changed in that type of dancing other than the inclusion of additional moves. The video with Sparrow is an example.

    Many are making it seem that this type of dancing we refer to as wukking up is new and is a shock to our eyes. Why so much hypocrisy?

    If an individual is not embarrass to let others see him or her wukkin up, I don’t see why others should be concerned. It is that individual who has to answer to the beat of his or her drum. Having said that, if people feel that Crop over, a once a year festival, it is the only time they can get the chance to do dixxie, let it be; if wukking up is their choice of entertainment, so be it. It’s not every day these people piss-parade.

    Everyone should enjoy the festival the way s/he wants to. Have fun while helping to make it safe.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Green Monkey King,
    “Sparrow is telling a story and while he lifted his leg”
    Yes the story is about havin an “opportunity” with two sisters for a double header

    I wasn’t focussed on Sparrow. I was watchin the girls wukkin up.

    Both videos are dominated by the same thing. Simulated sexual activity.

    I old so I still prefer Sparrow and Kitchener to the new performers.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Eye Spy

    What you witnessed on the video has nothing to do with Bajan culture. It is a mimicking of dry sex straight out of the N.American culture. You can do a search of YouTube to confirm. Barbadians have allowed its identity to be eroded. We have a generation of people who can’t appreciate anything unless it is Jamaican and North America, usually the part of the culture which belongs in the pit.

  6. David Avatar
    David

  7. whistling frog Avatar
    whistling frog

    Regards Crop Over ,,,,,,,
    I was at the airport on Friday awaiting an arrival for some two hours….needless to say there was recorded music playing something called music….it was a repetetive thumping of a cacophony of some sorts that all merged easily frome what one could ascertain was supposed to be distinctive from the previous track……now I have a teensy little bit of something called musical ear,having lead and played in a band for quite awhile.After two hours of that My whole state and frame of mind was degenerating and my usual acceptance to almost all forms of musicality had vanished….I could not take another repetitive thump,chord,note,beat,or any mono syllable pumped out by those reverberating rectangular discordant emitters of such absolute thrash,garbage perpetuating the joy of what is normally reffered to as MUSIC.

  8. whistling frog Avatar
    whistling frog

    If you want lyrics,music,composition,fluidity,style,god knows but it sounds good,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,GO LISTEN TO SPARROW,CHALKDUST,BLACK STALLION,OUR OWN GABBY,RPB,JOHN KING,ETC.,ETC.,,,,,,,TEACHER PERCY SAY IF YOU TELL A LIE,YOU GOING TO HEAVEN AS SOON AS YOU DIE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,CHECK IT OUT……………………

  9. David Avatar
    David

    VOB sacks Lil Ric and today we get a PR job in the Nation Newspaper. Around and around we go …

    Congrats to Kaymar Jordan who has been appointed Editor in Chief. Her first task should be to surround herself with competent lieutenants.

  10. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David,
    I doan kno how ole you is but you evah went to a Bram at de drill hall in de 60s or 70s?

  11. kiki Avatar
    kiki

    Every generation acts like they invented sex for the first time and elders always get uptight preaching and passing laws. Music and sex always have been good partners. Some find rudeness amusing others act stuck up. Then it passes until the next shock / craze / trend comes out

    Madoo & General Echo – Hotel Fee/Tribute To Hotel Staff

  12. Bosun Avatar
    Bosun

    In relation to the Sparrow and the Bajan wuk- up- in- ya- face videos. As our friend BAFBFP from the East, would put it, ‘Two wongs no make it wight”

  13. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Bosun,

    correct is right but the current generation is a product of previous generations.

    Carnival and crop over has always been about “letting go”. nuff wukking up, getting “drunk and disorderly”, songs about dah chinee fellow foo ping.

    The only ting dat change is dat the youngsters are becoming more explicit in their gyrations.

    Its the price we pay for freedom and freedom of expression.

    Only a Castro and some socialism can reverse the trend. Capitalist sponsors mekkin nuff money from de wukkin up seasons.

  14. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Bosun
    But it is only ‘wong’ if perceived so by de individual. Dem young uns just wanna have fun, so it is all dat matters ta dem. (Anyway, I am leaving you in two days time n heading to NY for a lil holiday, so be good n take good care of you for me til my return my Hunny-suckle)

    Off topic, I hear Minister Jones today condemning de Wadadah ‘Back to school fete”. Man he could really relax and stop blowing tings outta proportion. stupseeeeeeee. Doan mek a mountain outta a mole hill man.
    I dun school sa long now and my school is now defunct or I woulda don at leas de ‘tie’ if a coulda put ma han pun um. or even my games-wear, cause my games-skirt did real short n had lil pleats too. Chawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
    Bosun, I woulda mash up de place wid dah games skirt boy. murdahhhhhhhhhhh.

  15. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @whistling frog ‘ // July 24, 2010 at 8:46 PM’

    Accurate and fair comment, nicely phrased.

  16. Bosun Avatar
    Bosun

    Wait! Bonny you mean you deserting Bim for Crop Over?The wuk-up police like they banish you. Enjoy your stay in NY.

  17. KISSMYA Avatar
    KISSMYA

    The idea of school fetes with people in uniforms should stop now or I will ban them permanently. I will outlaw the wearing of uniforms after a certain time of day without prior approval ad make people impersonating school children a crime———much like the defence Force or Police

    I have the power (hint)

  18. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Bosun
    You’re such a smartie. You chose your words very carefully when you asked if I’m deserting de Crop. Yes but only for this year. However, I’m not deserting YOU. For I will never leave you nor forsake you my Bubble-bath. (wink,wink)

    KISSMYA
    Ya still blowin ‘hot-air’ like before. Man hush up do, ya instigata. LOLLL

  19. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    My intelligent agent has informed me that the Wadadah ‘Back to school fete generate a very lot of business for retailer of school uniforms. Our best information is that new business for this event rival that of back to school business..no? Manufacturer and retailer really very pleasing…your Government minions…ministers (forgive the English) mus’ be happy to. Comrade Jones out of turn talking.. no?

  20. me Avatar
    me

    if you are impersonating a chinese, please do it with knowledge, the use of ‘no’ at the end of every 2 sentences is becoming so boring and silly. please change it. i don’t even read you anymore for that reason. others maybe doing the same too. obviously you are some bajan that wants to be seen an someone else but if you need to do this, do it with knowledge

  21. Fair Play Avatar
    Fair Play

    Why are some of you so uptight? Relax yourself me; you are giving yourself unnecessary stress. Have a laugh. This is a blog not a law court. Most of us are writing under some other name.
    I read everything BAFBFP says and gets a good laugh but some serious points are made in this new style

  22. JC Avatar
    JC

    Don’t mind them BAFBFP

    I love it!

    LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!

  23. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Me
    You asthole……………….no? We love BAFBFP bad. All a we, so doan get tie-up. BAF real sweet, be he Chinee, Japanee or Kungfu-Lee. So kah yaself. You idjit……………. no?

    BAF
    I luv ya badddddddddddddddd. Mwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

    Dis is my las post til I get back from Amurka, so behave yaself and stay nawty. (wink)

  24. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    A blonde was on holiday and driving through Darwin. She desperately wanted to take home a pair of genuine crocodile shoes but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking. After becoming very frustrated with the “no haggle on prices” attitude of one of the shopkeepers, the blonde shouted, “Well then, maybe I’ll just go out and catch my own crocodile, so I can get a pair of shoes for free”.

    The shopkeeper said with a sly, knowing smile, “Little lady, just go and give it a try”! The blonde headed out toward the river, determined to catch a crocodile!

    Later in the day, as the shopkeeper is driving home, he pulls over to the side of the bank where he spots the same young woman standing waist deep in the murky water, shotgun in hand.

    Just then, he spots a huge 3 metre croc swimming rapidly toward her. With lightning speed, she takes aim, kills the creature and hauls it onto the slimey banks of the river. Lying nearby were 7 more of the dead creatures, all lying on their backs.

    The shopkeeper stood on the bank, watching in silent amazement.

    The blonde struggled and flipped the croc onto its back. Rolling her eyes heavenward and screaming in great frustration, she shouts out……..

    ” SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, THIS ONE’S BAREFOOT, TOO

  25. greedisgood Avatar
    greedisgood

    Someone stated that this is not Barbados culture this is north American and Jamaican culture. As someone from the Caribbean living in NY, popular culture is dominated by black American culture and heavily influenced by Caribbean not only Jamaican culture. MY point is Barbados will not be able influence the young people if it fails to recognize that the Caribbean, American, African, and black culture in general is a (part) of Bajan culture. They are attracted to popular culture because they can relate to it. All kids know is they sound like me look like me dance like me and the music is similar enough to my music. while you are busy thumbing your nose up at others.

    The dancing wasn’t that bad to me and I consider myself conservative, but the girls do look a little young to be dancing like that

  26. David Avatar
    David

    NCF’s response to TC not participating in the Soca Royale is she forfeited the car. Bear in mind according to the NCF TC signed a contract which would have caused all parties to assume that by her participation she agreed to the face off. The fact she felt that her security was threatened maybe a valid position and she in the moment would have taken the decision in her best interest. However the NCF invoking a penalty of no show in the face off and promoting the second place finisher would have been in order. It would have eliminated a nasty precedent which has been set.

    What we have here is a classic PR job being done to save face for TC after all her withdrawal from the finals on Friday and subsequent participation would be a wet blanket for the NCF and others.

    What do you think Dennis J? Thanks for the shoutout yesterday from you and Ronnie. Keep on keeping it real. We only need your news people to follow!

  27. Chindaipan Avatar
    Chindaipan

    Anon! // July 26, 2010 at 3:09 PM.

    Moral of story, never argue with a blonde if she wants your croc.

  28. whistling frog Avatar
    whistling frog

    Culture……………….
    I cringe sometimes when I hear what it is supposed to relate to,,,,,
    Today ( being 29th July 2010) as I sometimes listen to where Barbados Festival NOW CALLED CROP OVER music is being spouted out on the air waves I Regress and allow my fickle thoughts to retract sounds of previous stimulating,hilarious,social perspective inuendo but most or all of the time I am jolted back to the reality of PLAIN UNHIDDEN SMUTTY,VULGAR,IN YOUR FACE LYRICS trying to hide within the UNCREATIVE,BRUGGADUNG,BRUGGADUNG,BRUGGADUNG,pulsating MONOTONOUS beat of the creature called SOCA………..

  29. whistling frog Avatar
    whistling frog

    MAY TRUE CALYPSO LIKE THE PHOENIX RESSURECT AND SAVE US FROM THIS IMMINENT DOOM !!!!!!!!!!

  30. Annonymous Avatar
    Annonymous

    I dont think that one could read a more elegant description of wukking up by this one from Lowdown in today’s Nation

    “The rear section, bedecked with only a thong-like string and rippling with muscle and fat that alternate with contractions of upward circulatory and spinning motion, uncoils itself in spectacular convulsions. There is a gyroscopic movement that accompanies the halcyon parade. One swears that she is in another world.”

  31. ac Avatar
    ac

    Leave me bajan culture alone .de wuk up is part of we culture we shpuld not be ashamed but must learn to embrace it . de dialect too and we accent . from timein our history de people have sought to change everything about us ,now what little we have left from our ancestor part of which is dance de want to tek dat away too everbody can’t be a ballerina BTW leave me afro alone too and me dreadlocks. wunna too facety!

  32. harry Avatar
    harry

    who is this chink.
    i say all Chinese out of Barbados.
    wing sock.

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