T&T folk musical group on cultural tour of India By Dr. Kumar Mahabir On February 2, 2005 history was made as the first Indo-Caribbean/West Indian folk musical group from Trinidad and Tobago traveled to New Delhi to begin what promises to be a monumental tour. On the invitation of Dr. Shubha Chaudhuri, Director at the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology of American Institute, the Mere Desh Committee, led by Mr. Ajeet Praimsingh left the island for a cultural tour of India. Overseeing the group of local performers is Dr. Helen Myers of the USA. Dr. Meyers is an expert in the field of Indian music in Trinidad having written two books on the subject: Music of Hindu Wedding and Music of Trinidad: Songs from the Indian Diaspora. Her research is based in Felicity, Chaguanas, which she proudly refers to as her home whenever she is in Trinidad. Dr. Myers has been responsible for taking the tapes of Indo-Trinidadian music to India, but now she proclaims in an interview with Caldeo Sookram of the Express, “The idea is to bring people to reconnect.” This trip is not only important because it is a first of its kind, but also because it is recognizing survivors of the Indian Diaspora, accepting them not only as a by-product but as a part of Indian culture. The group called D’Bhuyaa Saaj, which means sitting on the floor to entertain, includes singers Rakesh Yankaran, Rasika ‘Rani’ Dindail, Devanand Nagassar, Lily Ramcharan and Molly Ramcharan. The musicians consist of Surendra Ramoutar, Rishi Ragbur and Jagdeo Deeberam. The lone dancer is Priya Kelly. They will be touring India with River of Babylon, a Jewish Indian group, and Sidi Goma, an African Indian group. Their month-long seven-city tour will include stops at Delhi, Bombay, Pune, Bangalore, Madras, Hyderabad, and Calcutta. After each performance their will be a question and answer period where students, and others in attendance, can interact with the artistes, and gain a better knowledge of their craft. This trip promises to be very ground-breaking and the artistes are excited to be part of history. Dressed in the colors of Trinidad and Tobago, they will be taking with them homegrown instruments such as Dhaantal, Steel pan, Tassa, Shak Shak, and the Dholak. Local rhythms such as chutney soca will be exported as well. It is interesting to anticipate how the performers might be received in India. How will Indians react to this cultural off shoot? Would they find it as authentic as Indo-Trinidadians maintain? For so many years, Indo-Trinidadians have looked vto India as a source of cultural inspiration from which to construct an ethnic identity. But perhaps for the first time, the tables might be turned.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 21:50:12 +0000
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