BARBUDA'S FIRST CARIBANA - Antigua & Barbuda

68
continued from p67
Answer: Truth is a very powerful
point of view. It lasts forever. If you
are honest and your objectives are
noble, it will outlive you. Style and
a desire to be unique, a quest to be
better, to be original, to be different;
to never settle for mediocrity,
enhances and make for a work of
art, beauty and longevity. I always
strived to do more and more than I
did before. To create a stock recipe
and keep using it because it worked
once was not me. Taking chances
that the listener may not get it, or
like it, is what I do, even though
I very well knew how to write
something they would instantly
love, I refrained from doing so in
favor of extending their sense of
appreciation and learning. It often
takes my listeners a while to grasp
my work, even if it’s ecstatically
pleasing. And, as time passes they
become more adept at being able
to comprehend the fullness. That’s
art. I love it.
Question: How does it make you
feel to know that your name is a
household name, indelibly etched
into our cultural history book?
Answer: I didn’t ask for this. I
did not begin writing to achieve
this. Nothing I have ever done
have been predicated on being
acknowledged, or iconize. I
simply wanted to write better,
more articulate, intelligent songs
about the society in which I lived.
I wanted to raise the standard of
the art form to one of respectability
(from where it was, then), and
legitimacy. I wanted to get people
of affluence, class (much as I hate
that word – it exists), and religious
persuasion involved in Benna and
Calypso, the music I love. Calypso
was not a popular genre then. It
was the music of the underclass,
the wretched and desolate. Along
with Steelband, it was their war cry.
A way of saying I am somebody, I
mattered. Those voices needed to
be heard. That’s what I tried to do.
If I succeeded I am happy.
Mas
Music
F a n t a s y
Question: Where did the motivation
to write come from? Love of
the art form? Love of country?
Combination? Something else?
Answer: I have a vivid recollection
of a very passionate confrontation
with Mr. Marcus Christopher – one
of the great writers and cultural
icons of Antigua. He wrote a lot
of songs back then, still do to this
day I believe. I went to a calypso
show he produced and I believed
he wrote many of the songs at that
show. I thought they were horrible!
I hated them! I was cussing mad!
After the show I went backstage to
see him.
I said, “Did you write all dis
(cussword, cussword) calypsos.
They are awful!”
He said, “Do you think you can do
better?”
I said, “I can, and I will.”
….and the rest is history.
My father always wanted me to be
a writer. That’s why he called me
Shelly. He had this book of poetry
by Percy B. C. Shelley, which he
loved. When I was born he wrote
my birth date in it and nicknamed
me “Shelly”. I grew up reading and
writing poetry. Writing calypsos
became a natural pursuit. I began
experimenting and exploring the
excellence of the art of songwriting.
Before long I was good at it.
Question: Did you have any other
community involvement?
Answer: On the street where I
was born, lower Bishopgate Street
by the bakery, we had several
community groups that I got
involved with. One of significance
gave birth to Outlet, which started
out as a black cultural magazine
(Black Power), and the ACLM
– Afro Caribbean Liberation
Movement. The early organizers
and participants were Barry
Stevens, Lesroy Merchant, and
Henderson Bass (who played the
guitar while I sang my songs).
Jeffers and I, and a few others
(please forgive me for forgetting
names), encouraged me and they
were my co-conspirators in the
early days of my writings. Later, Tim
Hector also became involved. The
Outlet magazine was just that, an
outlet for our talents, short stories,
poetry, recipes, and other cultural
tidbits. A period of oppressive
politics and corrupt practices led
to the politicizing of the Outlet as
a newspaper, and the mouthpiece
for ACLM, now renamed Antigua
Caribbean Liberation Movement.
A few years later I wrote a musical
for Christmas at the request of Rev.
Hodge called “The Nativity”. It was
put to a production by Dorbrene
O’Marde, and performed by
Harambi.
I spent a year teaching at Pares
Secondary School, and after
agreeing to a transfer request
by the Director of Culture, Mr.
Reginald Knight, I spent the next 14
years at the Cultural Department.
As Musical Officer in the
Department of Culture, I directed
many cultural projects.
Listing a few;
I worked with the
Department of Education and
Mrs. Rosetta Ettinuff producing
“Songs of our land” (I worked on
many projects with Mrs. Ettinuff)
I worked with several Schools on
their school songs and national
projects.
I worked with the National Choir
teaching sight singing.
I directed the Junior Calypso
program in Schools.
I worked with the Antigua and
Barbuda Police Band to produce
music for the Junior Calypsos and
some special functions.
I arranged and directed the PMS
Steel Orchestra in Independence
Celebrations performance.
I taught several after school classes
in musical theory.
I held several community classes in
musical theory.
I held several community classes
in singing, compositions, and
arrangements.
I worked with local music studios to
improve local recordings.
I produced several Cultural Shows
for the Cultural Department cultural
celebrations.
continuedon p70