– even in the absence of the known and expected fertile platforms

THE most incredible story-time that gripped the attention of a generation, narrated by one man, was that of the incredible announcer James Sydney executing Edgar Mittelholzer’s ‘My Bones and my Flute’. School children would source the novel and attempt to imitate Mr. Sydney to classmates, much to the severe criticism of peers. In the end, they had much to learn. In the end, James Sydney retained his crown. Radio however did produce numerous local dramas, ‘Tides of Susanburg’, Stuff by Bumper Harris among others, it would take an institutional talent like Margaret Lawrence to accurately chronicle this critical era for posterity. My interest is triggered by a little more than a few people who have over the past decade, have memories of the first edition of Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree, before it became a play, the second edition was not published (I intend to do it as a graphic novel. But that’s not what the interest folks were coming at me with, they wanted a replication of a radio personality they choose Franklin Longhorn to narrate ‘Legend of The Silk Cotton Tree’, Franklin is a significant talent.

The fact is that people presume that if you’re in the arts, you can cover every area. not true, the man in radio today can present to your innovations of sound effects that were not active yesterday, some music might be needed, because sound-effects might be part of the current software. I said what I’m writing now, but it seemed like I was making excuses back then. The same with print media, local comic strip stories were a part of every newspaper, In the earlies it was Rudy Seymour, before me it was Tyrone Doris, Tyrone was an inspiration, some research would have to be done to identify other names, Nicky Porter among others. The absence of the aesthetics has resulted in a crude political definition, eliminating young readers. No longer can a child read and find balance in an adventure story, to which he or she has a special space in a newspaper. The collective political dynamic has replaced that world. All are guilty, all are consumed, from what was an organised process overseen by professionals with knowledge of beginnings, that are crucial to the enlightenment of those who must know now, to answer questions and inform the youth who eagerly stop and question on the numerous cultural and folk items, that were part of the original ‘Town Ships’ – New Amsterdam- Georgetown and Bartica Grove.

For some time, Masquerade groups have deteriorated from what they used to be. Even including a lewd female character unknown before, this persisted for some years. Until the appearance of a masquerade presence in the Christmas mood of 2021, along old water Street up to Stabroek Market, it was the movement, the choreography of these dancers that commanded our attention and caused me to throw far more than usual into their cups, I don’t know who initiated this crew. Still, they had captured the spirit of the time, I know masquerade professionals as a boy, these guys were it. Baie Sage and Billy Pilgrim are gone, but these guys are alive. From stage to street, to illustrators, all alive, I can recall a hectic ministry of tourism get together on that pulled together, there were a variety of talents, and professionals were there, who had serious contributions to make. I suggested that some level of remuneration be involved. The Ministry representatives seemed surprised. Every group is rewarded, why not us? There is much, much more to the masquerade genre than is discussed. Much of what we knew would have been enhanced, but the ministry people dropped the ball and we all moved on.

But ‘INSPIRATION’ is a profound movement that when dealing with a human collective that have branches and memories regardless of how vague due to even a considerable decline will spark into activation the essence of what was once grand, because it is always there, merely subject to a flicker of the brain that reshapes it in concept and ‘Being’