https://www.hudsongeorge.blog

The topic about culture is popular in Grenada media again with the recently elected National Democratic Party into Government to govern the country. During the period of the Grenada revolution the same topic about culture was popular but it was all wrapped up in Socialist-Marxist discourse, instead of creative citizen’s freedom of expression.

After the demised of the revolutionary government, the traditional form of governance multi-party politics was restored, and former Prime Minister Nicholas Braithwaite told Grenadian youths to go back to their culture.

In the early post revolutionary period Grenada experience a revival in the art form of calypso and soca music culture to a higher level.

Some new calypsonians and soca singers made their name know in the music world on the stage where Caribbean carnival celebration is held annually.  For example, popular calypsonians such as  Ajamu, Inspector and  Black Wizards are the most active historical names to mention as artistes and also legends.

For the last four decades there is a large increase in visitors coming to Grenada for the annual August Carnival celebration that has its own unique of the popular Jab Jab Masquerades culture that attracts visitors global.

The Jab Jab masquerades culture attracts carnival lovers, historians and others who have an interest in African cultures in the Diaspora.

Now with this new NDC government in office, and the country needs for tourism dollars as part of the growth in the economy, it seems as though the administration is trying to revive various cultural activities to the fullest.

However, I can see some challenges ahead in the restoration and modification of culture and the cultural industry, knowing that Grenada is always politically divide, even when it is not general elections time.

The new cultural industry will faced multiple problems based on who will be managing the industry.  What kinds of cultural production will be favoured by the influential class, knowing that persons who are involved in Grenada’s culture are not united as citizens on the sister islands of Carriacou & Petit Martinique, where the differences of classes and locations are not a major social issue in terms of showing any kinds of artificial prejudice.

On mainland Grenada there are so many different kinds of social and political prejudice, I am wondering how and what kind of methods the government will introduce to bridge the social divides for a creative industry to succeed as part of the economy.

I am wondering how long again it will take for Spice Mas’ Corporations (SMC), to respect traditional masquerades that they continue to exploit in advertisements to promote Grenada carnival as the most unique in the Caribbean.

By Hudson George

In a small underdeveloped country like Grenada where job resources are scare, citizens look to the government to create employment, while politicians used their political campaign skills to entice voters to elect them to office.

In return, voters expect the party that wins the general elections to fulfil its promise that attracts the majority of voters. So the big question is: How will the new government fulfil its promise to deliver what voters are expecting?

After the new government parliamentarians are sworn in and the prime minister appointed ministers to serve in the different ministries, this is when most citizens within the general population start making political comments based on which political party they are aliened to.

Grenada system of government is modelled on the British Westminster parliament standards and the prime minster has all the power to govern the country from the centre. Such a kind of power makes the prime minister a five years term dictator.

Due to the fact that Grenada is not industrialised and there is not a high growth evolution in the local cottage industries, Grenadians who are a living abroad in those highly industrialised countries are sending money and foodstuff in barrels to their love ones back home. Remittances money is important based on the old traditions of family ties that keep people together,

Now that Grenada has a new government, the ruling party has to create jobs for some the party supporters and political activists.   Politicians’ across the board in general are aware of the importance of foot-soldiers as the driving force to mobilise and convert voters in order to win the election.

Foot-soldiers are very important small islands state politics and they are now a necessity in Caribbean politics. The fact is that Caribbean people are mostly tied to an oral tradition cultural society.   Village gossip and rum-shop are more influential than libraries and national news report.

It took this present ruling New National Party (NDC) more than thirty years to understand and accept the cultural pattern of Grenadian voters, while the present opposition New National Party (NNP) were able capitalised on that cultural pattern to win the most general elections, until they got a shocking defeat earlier in this year’s June 23, 2022 elections results.

Now, it seems as though this present ruling NDC government is focusing on keeping a strong voting base as their main opposition rival.  They are getting rid of some government workers who were most likely hired with political string attached, rather than through the right channels and they are giving their party supporters the job space.

Presently Grenada is experiencing a “teeth for tat” political change within the public service and other institutions such as boards of directors, while the opposition political activists are crying out loud about victimisation.

In other for the present government to hold on to power, it is very important that the politicians keep the party supporters happy.  In addition, they must diversify development and erase the old mentality of centralising all major institutions in the south of mainland Grenada.

In conclusion, although Grenada’s politics is a model of British Westminster democracy, culturally Grenadians are a not British people. Grenada is a former slave society country and it citizens are culturally based on the legacy of slavery and colonialism.  It is not expected that the political culture will change easily as long as there is a lack of employment for the youthful population. Therefore, it is very important for political parties to secure a strong loyal base support.

By  Hudson George

Everything has a beginning.

Most of the things we are involved in.

We don’t know the beginning

We were introduced within

And we joined in.

It is what we were told

And what we were taught make us believe.

In how and what we believe

And beliefs are faith.

Faith is the substance

Of things that we believe.

Our beliefs give us faith and confidence.

Our confidence gives us courage

And peace of mind.

Nothing else to worry about

It is like religion to us

Most of the things we love

We don’t know their source

It is like bathing, fishing, swimming and washing in the river

But we never been to the source of the river

It is like religion

We were not in existence

When the religion we attended were formed

We look up in the heavens

We see blue skies

We look down at the ocean We see the sea

But we don’t know their beginning.

By Hudson George

The recent spread of COVID-19 virus in Grenada exposes the lack of democracy and the failure among intelligent people to engage in open round table discussions. The culture of political and religious leader’s selfish interest in guarding their respectful organisations is creating more divisions and ignorance than embracing unity.

Even though Grenadians today are more educated in terms of academic achievement than their parents and grandparents, they failed to be opened-minded with the ability to hold healthy discussions with good reasoning and critical thinking skills, without holding animosity against each other.

It is unfortunate, in this present day and age to see educated people so selfish and divided when it comes to politics and personal interest.   Those who know better keep are instigating divisions instead of working together. Such behavior is very common among political activists on both sides of the political fence.

The so-called bright intelligent politicians from the various different political parties are avoiding each other. They prefer to make the COVID pandemic crisis a political issue in order to gain popularity among eligible voters.

On the other hand, religious leaders are not making an effort to work together with the Ministry of Health to deal with pandemic crisis. They are not encouraging their church members to get vaccinated. They prefer to remain silent, as if they are waiting for some kind of divine miracle interventions from God to cure the disease.

Now, that COVID-19 is spreading within the general population as expected, with the influx of visitors coming to enjoy themselves in the nice a beautiful tropical weather, since the government opened up the ports of entry, commonsense alone is enough to know that such an invitation opened the door for COVID-19 virus.

Nevertheless, some people chose to play the blame game. Pro government supporters and sections of the Christian religious communities are blaming the Jab Jab masqueraders protest for the spread of the pandemic even though the most new cases of the virus presently are in the south of the island where there were no large jab jab masquerader’s gatherings but an influx of new visitors.

Others are saying that the government quarantine policy for visitors is too short. They are claiming that, quarantine visitors for only two days with a free negative test result is risky and can create a window for the disease to spread in the wider communities, if some of the visitors are healthy carriers allowed to mingle in the wider society.

As the blame game continues, it is not expected that the government will close its ports of entries for visitors.   The government is cash-strapped for money to keep the economy floating. They cannot close the airports and seaports.  Therefore, they are sacrificing the citizens for political survival, as it is the norms of all governments globally in this present pandemic crisis.

What is very alarming is that those same politicians and their loyal activists are very quick to blame social media when they are chastised by concern citizens who are using Facebook and Instagram to air views of discontentment  about what is going on in the country.

And even though some people are using social media as their outlet to spread conspiracy theories and fake news sometime, there are others who use social media to inform and educate. So, it is unfair to criticise all the news we are reading on social media because politicians and religious leaders also spread propaganda too, when it suits their interest.

In conclusion, the latest news from Grenada is that the country has recorded it first local death from COVID-19. According to reliable news report, the dead person is the wife of a local church pastor from and she was not vaccinated.

Now, the big question is:   Will the death of a pastor wife from COVID-19 open the door for religious leaders to cooperate with the Ministry of Heath to encourage citizens to be vaccinated to curb the virus, rather than remaining silent and waiting for a miracle from divine intervention?

It is time they stop the blame game, so that the people will put the hatred aside and get vaccinated to end this pandemic.

Hudson George

Grenada has three serious social problems to deal with in the new normal times.   COVID-19,  Jab Jab Masqueraders popular culture and  government response to the situation are conflicting factors.

Although the country has the lowest deaths from COVID-19 pandemic globally, there is still controversy over how the government is handling the crisis in terms of police versus civilian’s relationship and oppositions making strong critical complaint.

As we approaches the August month there is a conflict of interest brewing between traditional Jab Jab Masqueraders and the government, whenever the police make attempts to stop large crowd assemblies and Jab Jab lovers from creating a sort of mini carnival atmosphere.

Every weekend in some villages in the rural communities young people are defying the laws and protocols just to play Jab Jab and even though the conflict between the young people and the state authorities is not political per se, it tends to attract opposition groups that are fed up with the government because they want a political change.

Grenada has its own unique kind of internal political conflict that is home grown due to lack of civil communication between the government and opposition supporters.

Unfortunately, no one is willing to sit down and discuss the social problems. All because of politics and power to govern the country in a sort one party style rule, while the ordinary citizens are caught up in the melee one way or the other.

The sad thing is that Grenadians have a long history of political ignorance with the belief that their individual brand of politics is relevant and their favourite political party is infallible with a Godly figure type political leader.

As long as the pandemic continue to ravage the entire globe, people will always rebel against the status quo.   There are others who will never accept modern science based on religious values and their own independent beliefs and ideas.

In terms of culture and traditions some people are defiant when it comes to traditional culture. Pandemic or no pandemic they believe the entertainment must not be interrupted.

Well don’t mention politics!   Grenadians hate to accept political facts. They put their favourite political leaders and party loyalty first.  Therefore, politics is like religion.  So, don’t expect people who hold on to dogmas to accept critical reasoning.

By Hudson George

Governments around the world advise citizens to stay at home and don’t go out if it is not essential in order to stop the spread of the COVD-19 virus.

Some of us are obeying the laws and staying indoors even though we are getting frustrated and tired of state-imposed restrictions. We understand it is not a normal time.  We have to follow protocols based on health guidelines.

As humans, in this pandemic, we have to deal with so many different groups of doubters, such as people who are anti-big business corporations, religious fundamentalists, and skeptics who mistrust global establishments due to colonialism and racism-based on historical past.

Those different subgroupings of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine are creating more fear and doubt within the wider population causing some people to be reluctant to take the vaccine due to negative things that they were told by conspiracy theorists about pharmaceutical companies.      Others are skeptical about population control.

Unfortunately, the doubters don’t have any perfect answers or scientific medical solutions to curb this deadly pandemic disease.

Some people retreat to traditional medicine which is good to an extent but it is not effective enough to stop the contagious virus from spreading.

If the virus continues to linger longer in the atmosphere contaminating the air that we breathe, the only solution will be modern medical science.  Therefore, the best choice is the COVID-19 vaccine presently.

Conspiracy theories cannot save us from catching the disease. Religious beliefs cannot help us. We have to embrace medical science to end this pandemic.

By Hudson George

COVID-19 makes us into prisoners without a criminal charge. There is not much we can do to free ourselves from this dangerous virus. We cannot drop our guard from a COVID attack. Our only hope is a good immune system as a defense against a COVId-19 invasion.

The most advanced countries are feeling the brunt of the pandemic, while scientists are busy trying their best to find a vaccine to curb the disease. And even though they are claiming some kind of success, they are not too sure if the vaccine will be totally effective.

There are many different stories about the origins of the disease. Some people are trying the politicised the origins and the agents of it. However, they are just pointing fingers without concrete evidence.

On the other hand, religious people mainly Christian fundamentalists are saying the virus is a plague sent by God to punish mankind for their wicked deeds.

Other Christians are saying it is the beginning of the end time because God is coming soon, to redeem the earth from evil because we are living in the last days.

Now all these people are just saying things without any scientific evidence.    Some of them are claiming to be God’s messengers and how God reveals the truth to them in a vision.

However, the COVID-19 virus is not discriminating on whether or not it will infect people based on race, colour, class, and geographical location.

Even those so-called God chosen ones as well as medical scientists and medical workers are targeted by the dangerous pandemic.  The fact is that the disease affects human beings as it hosts.

On the other hand, human beings are political, religious, and spiritual beings. Therefore, with all the different variations of human beings’ moral and ideological values, it creates a vacuum space for controversy.

Some people believe the pandemic disease is a man-made problem for population control. Others are saying the disease is created for a one-world government system. And a new world order.

Now, it will be impossible for us as human beings to come together with one aim and one common belief to fight this deadly pandemic disease.  So, maybe in the near future, an effective vaccine is the only answer if Mother Nature cannot curb the virus naturally.

For the time being, I put my faith in medical science and human cooperation.

By Hudson George

Life is full of surprises as the older folks always say. Presently, wearing a mask is essential because human beings lives are being affected by a newly unknown deadly pandemic virus disease known as COVID 19 that does not discriminate whether a person is rich, poor or what race and ethnic background they belong to and where they come from.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) experts, the main defense against the pandemic disease is to wear a mask for protection. In some countries it is mandatory for citizens to wear mask or face legal consequences of the state law. In some countries police are given legal powers to flog disobedient citizens or to arrest and charged them.

In other countries where it is not mandatory for citizens to wear a mask in open public, all business organisations are given the rights to enforce mandatory wearing of mask in their work place for both employees and customers so that the disease will not spread from person to person in crowded pace.

On the other hand prior to COVID 19 wearing of mask was a controversial topic, even though the practice is an old custom from the beginning of human civilisation. And even though some powerful countries that colonised other people tried to disband the traditional practice of wearing mask among tribal groups they colonised, the tradition still remains for entertainment and spiritual rituals and it will never die.

Nevertheless, although the colonisers scorned at tribal people who wear masks, they too have been wearing masks for their own personal benefits when it is essential for their wants, needs and protection. For example, prior to COVID 19 doctors and nurses always wear masks whenever they are involved in medical operations to save patients’ lives. For example, when a surgeon general is performing an operation on a patients the entire medical team is mandatory to wear masks because it saved and protect them from catching diseases that are contagious transmitted.

In addition, it is a known fact that not all human beings think the same. There are some people who refused to wear mask for various reasons. Some of them I talked to told me that if they have to die for COVID 19, it is their destiny to die from the disease, so they will not wear a mask. Others told me that the disease does not exist. It is a hoax created by the wealthiest influential people to create a vaccine with a microchip to track all human being globally.
However, with all the conspiracy theories about COVID 19, basically it is a scientific a fact that the disease is a contagious virus that is killing people, even though the percentage of patients who died from the disease is low to compare with the high numbers affected and survived.
In terms of Caribbean and CARICOM countries, the citizens are lucky. After Caribbean countries governments closed their borders to the outside world they were able to control the spread of the disease brought to the region by visitors coming mostly as a tourists and returning nationals living in the North America and Europe.

But the most interesting and controversial issue about wearing masks for protection is that, presently fundamental Christians are forced to abide the government laws to wear masks and close their churches in order to prevent the virus from spreading because religious prayers alone cannot stop the virus from spreading and affecting people’s lives. The fact is that evil spirit do not hide behind mask but wearing a mask can save a person from catching COVID 19 disease.

Additionally, it must be really uncomfortably for these strict Christian fundamentalists who believe that evil spirits hide behind masks and people who wear mask on carnival day are inviting the devil spirit, while they are masquerading and having a good time in the carnival Celebrations.

Well basically, I can speak for myself. I must admit that I am seared of catching COVID 19, so I bought five non-disposable masks that I can wash and wear. Therefore, I make sure that I wear a mask whenever I am outside in the public. However, I believe that prevention is better than cure.

Therefore, I am taking extra precautions to save myself and other people whom I interact with on a daily basis. So encouraging everybody to wear a mask as the best defense against COVID 19. For example, just recently a Chinese man told me that everybody wear a mask COVID 19 will extinct. The virus cannot survive without a host and the main host is a human being to spread it because it is contagious.

By Hudson George

I am very much disappointed in some Grenadians, the way they are behaving as the Coronavirus spread globally. I just cannot understand why they are trying to make the pandemic disease a political issue in Grenada, even though in developed countries medical scientists are struggling to eradicate the virus in order save lives.

There is a possibility, it could be natural, politics or too much emotions that are the causes but it is sad to see how some educated Grenadians are trying their best to create an atmosphere of fear and hopelessness among the general population, even before Grenada recorded its first Coronavirus case on Mar 22, 2020 when a visitor from Britain was tested positive for the virus.
And the funny thing is that after the government reported the first case of the disease on Grenadian soil all the critics became silent.

They stop protest on social media about their great concern for the health and safety of Grenadians in Grenada because the infected person is a British citizen who arrived on the island with the disease.

I can only assume that some of them were hoping for the virus to affect local citizens on Grenadian soil in order to create an atmosphere of fear among the general population to trigger anti government sentiment.

However, I just cannot understand their intention is to mix politics with a newly unknown dangerous disease.

I can remember when the disease started to spread in the Caribbean, some Grenadians were phoning me and asking me, if the disease have already hit Grenada. Some of them were even giving fake news about how many people they heard about who were infected by the virus and the government is covering up the medical results as a secret.

However, when I told them that it is impossible for the government to cover up a pandemic disease in a small country as Grenada without anybody else knowing.

Unfortunately, most of them became upset with me and accused me of supporting the government because deep inside them they wanted to hear bad news coming from Grenada saying coronavirus is killing Grenadians because the government was not prepared to deal with such a major disaster.

Most of them had the belief that because they are living in North America and Europe they were safe and protected from the virus. They really thought America and Europe were fully prepared and well equipped to curb the disease, until they release that in reality their chances of becoming infected with the disease is at a higher risk than people in the Caribbean islands, as we can see presently the number deaths in America and Europe.

Then again, I remember some of them who told me that the government should stopped Chinese nationals from coming to Grenada, even before the disease started affecting people in North America and Europe and the World Health Organisation (WHO) did not declare the virus pandemic. And when I told them that it was too early for the government to close the doors on Chinese visitors, they accused me of supporting the government.

In addition, as weeks gone by, some Grenadians back home were making demands, asking the government to discuss the situation with members of the National Democratic congress (NDC), which is the second largest political party in Grenada, even though the NDC does not have and elected member of parliament in the lower house. So it was more melee again, even though their idea had some good merits to it.

Now the latest political controversy is between Grenada’s Prime Dr. Keith Mitchell and St. Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves about inter-island shopping between Grenada Grenadines islands and St. Vincent Grenadines islands as both countries have their own different approach dealing with the pandemic virus, plus a little bit of envy and grudged trading competition.

And the funny thing is that, there are some Grenadians who are applauding Ralph Gonsalves wild card behavior. Therefore, one can say that there is never a dull moment in Grenada’s politics. All because Grenadians are too politically arrogant, emotional and still struggling to accept the democracy that is written within the constitution.

Grenada jab jab mas’ and music culture origin is West Africa

By Hudson George

I have done my research on African culture and found out that Grenada’s jab jab masquerade has its roots in West Africa. Therefore, as Grenadians, we should be very proud to know that we have some West African traditions as part of our culture and as long as we exist as a people and nation, the tradition must continue. As long as we protect and preserve it.

Basically, our jab jab mas’ and music highlight is always a major highlight in Grenada Carnival celebration. As a matter of fact, since the days of slavery on the plantation, when Grenada was under French rule. However, the tradition continued after the British took control from the French as our last colonizer up to 1974, when Grenada became an independent country.

The jab jab mas’ and music always attract the majority of citizens to come out on the street during carnival celebration. The build up to carnival starts when jab jab mas’ players organised themselves throughout the different villages and practice to dance and compose songs for the two days carnival celebration on the streets. For example, skinny Banton song, “Soak it” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pEXRwbTAhY shows how organised the jab jab culture is. His lyrics in the dong tell a story about the jab jab culture.

Based on my research looking at video documents on West African cultural festivals and the various traditions they portray. I saw the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mryIfuVej2k from Cameron. It is very similar to jab jab mas’culture. Therefore, I come to the conclusion that our jab jab mas’ culture definitely has its origins in West Africa and it as remain as it is , on the street of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique during our carnival celebration. There is nothing else that can change in the jab jab culture because it is historical.

In addition, in my research, I came to realise that Africans on Cape Verde Islands carnival and their version of masquerade is very similar to Grenada jab jab. This video of Cape Verde Carnival. For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD3DCNluLBI&feature=youtu.bethis tells it all.

Additionally, I was in Grenada for the entire year 2007 and I used to travel from my village Hermitage and go to Sauteurs town, which is about four miles inside the northern parish, St. Patrick, on a regular basis. I travelled to just go sit down on the incomplete jetty and look at the activities on the sea water, where the fishermen anchor their boats. The environment on the jetty was peaceful and the breeze coming from the sea was an enjoyment to me.

Most of the time I visited the jetty, there was an elderly man from Prospect village, who used to come on the jetty to catch fish as a form of recreation. One day the elderly man told me some stories about jab jab culture and how Grenadian drummers made a fusion from different style of drumming during nation dance celebrations to create a new version of jab jab music that we enjoy today. Based on the story he told me, it is evidential proof of the fusion of jab jab music.

As a matter of fact the elderly man told me he is a Spiritual Baptists priest. He told me that some of the biggest nation dance festivals used to take place on Isle de Ronde, which is a small island outside Sauteurs town, where people do farming and fishing for their livelihood.

The reason why I wrote this article is make Grenadians aware that we must not divert from our culture and follow what is popular in the other Caribbean countries that have bigger populations than us. We must preserve our culture.

The roots of jab jab culture in the rural communities is very important as the La Fillette jab jab band portrays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuo11F51UOk

However, I end this article with this video of jab jab masqueraders dancing street theatre during the carnival. Indeed, they beat traditional jab jab drum that can move the soul of Grenadians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzEXNbqWV3c And I know they are the Tivoli Drummers moving the biggest jab jab band in St. George’s. Therefore, it is very important to keep the jab jab culture deep in the roots that lies in West Africa.

So, let us continue to play a wicked jab, Tallpree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0bg1Mgxbjk

By Hudson George

It is becoming blatantly clear that organised religions are prejudice against us black people in third world countries where the majority of the population. For example in Grenada priests and pastors of Christian churches are behaving as though they are government elected the people.

Due to the fact that our ancestors dehumanized, enslaved and forced to accept Christianity by the French and British colonisers, the various Christian denominations think that they still have authority over our lives as citizens of this beautiful tri island state of Grenada.

Just recently a Roman Catholic priest and a local pastor of another Christian church criticised carnival celebrations and soca music as vulgar and agents of sinful deviant behaviours in society.

The local pastor goes as far as assuming that particular types of sexy costumes female masqueraders are wearing in the street parade and on stage, are encouraging rape in society.

Now I don’t know or even understand how the pastor could make such a bold wide sweeping generalisation linking carnival to rape. I can only assume that the pastor has lost connection with his own race, although he is a black Grenada. However, as for the Roman Catholic priest I can forgive him for his ignorance about black people spirituality because he is a European.

Basically, I can speak from life experience living most my life than I lived in Grenada and what I observe different between the two countries social and political cultures.

For example, Canadian government accept and protect different groups of people in terms of subculture groups rights. Church and state are separate and religious leaders have no rights to influence the government.

Just recently on January 12, 2020 Canadian who are living in big cities with underground subway transportation system celebrated “No Pants Subway Ride Day”, whereby commenters had the freedom to ride the trains without pants, so some passengers had the privilege and choice to wear only their underpants and panties.

In addition, every year there one day in the month of May, when Canadians celebrate a similar event called “No Pants Day” and some people chose to walk around going about their business without wearing pants.
I remember the first time I saw the “No Pant Day” in month in May I was shocked. I saw some young white women walking the streets wearing panties with full confidence.

So my question is: Why these Christian preachers only seem to be pretending that they care so much about the afterlife for black people but them never one day critcise deviant behaviours happening in the highly developed countries where white people are the majority?

If they are claiming that Grenada supposed to be a Christian country, therefore the only legal Christian religion in Grenada is the Anglican Church organisation because the Queen of England is the official Head of Grenada.

And I am positively sure that Queen Elizabeth is not a hater of Nothing Hill Carnival were soca music dominates the carnival parade as young beautiful British female masqueraders whine, grind, ramajay and dingolay to the sweet rhythm of soca music.

I am still wonder why they want to control our everyday living existence but they are not advocating for us the African children of slaves to be compensated for slavery.

By Hudson George

You standing at the top of the mountain

Watching the water as it flows through the fountain

You feeling the breeze coming from the sea

And shaking the leaves of the trees

You watching the river running down the valley

You see the village

You hate civilisation

You hate society

You dressed like the first human beings

You admire creation

You consider society as corruption

You standing at the top of the mountain

Looking towards society with pity

Saying it should not be a world of selfishness and vanity

Not knowing you are selfish too

You running away from the struggle which is life

You standing at the top of the mountain

Looking at life, the world uncertain

You don’t want to struggle any longer

You think tomorrow it will be all over

But you don’t know the fountain is a positive water

It springs life which is normal

(C) 1988

By Hudson George

Tivoli is a village in St. Andrew, Grenada, bordering St. Patrick. It has a Roman Catholic Church and a Roman Catholic School. However, decades ago there was a conflict in Tivoli between the Roman Catholic priests and Orisha worshippers better known as a Shango worshippers during the last week in lent known as Holy Week.

The religious conflict had it roots in colonialism. The French had already established their version of colonisation with Roman Catholicism as the new religion for more than a century before the British took control of Grenada.

Therefore, the majority of Grenadians were Roman Catholic but deep inside the heart and soul of most Grenadians they are still tied to their African spirituality, that creates religious duality within the population and Tivoli became the centre of religious duality conflict during the last week in lent, known as Holy Week.

Basically, I remember as a small boy walking from Hermitage, St. Patrick to Tivoli R. C. School with exercise book, a textbook and no shoes on my feet, crossing the border that separate St. Patrick from St. Andrew over the Palm Bridge that creates the divides.

However, as a small boy those days I find the distance was very far to travel but I had no other choice but to pound the road barefooted morning and evening, even when the sun was very hot and I could have felt the heat at the bottom of my feet coming from the hot asphalt road.

I remember there were two Orisha shrines in the community. One of the shrines was controlled by well-known worldwide Orisha leader Norman Paul and the other shine was controlled by Tan Po Po. The two shines were not far apart from each other. They were walking distance apart, about seven minutes for the most, even though Norman Paul shrine was situated in Conference village.

On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Church is not far away from the two shrines either. The walking distance from Norman Paul shine to the Catholic Church is about less than fifteen minutes. And from Tan Po Po shrine to the Catholic Church is about six minutes.

The parish priest in Tivoli had strong influence on the people who attended church service. On the other hand, The Shango leaders had great influence on their followers too. And what makes the conflict even more complicated some Grenadians who are Roman Catholic are Orisha worshippers too

I remember during that time Father Pyke was the parish priest at Tivoli R.C. Church. His influence spread beyond the village. He served as parishioner for Catholics in other villages in St. Andrew and even in some villages in St. Patrick, including Hermitage, Mt. Rose, Pointzfield and Observatory.

Father Pyke used to ride a motorbike scooter. Those days some people were scared of him. He had once physically abused an old lady called Ms. Anne Mumu from Tivoli by slapping her in her face. During those days it was common for priests to physically assault church members.

Not too long after I started school at Tivoli R. C. School, Father Pyke had left. He was replaced by Father Bowen and the church members were happy. However, after Father Pyke left, he died a couple months later and the people within the Catholic community did not mourn over his passing, they said he was a wicked priest.

Father Bowen was a better community priest. I remember hearing those faithful Catholic saying he was a nice priest. I remember he was a good draught board player and he used to visit the Handicraft Centre at Tivoli R.C. School to play the game draught with Mr. Valentine Viechweg who was head of the Handicraft Centre and then later on became principal of the Tivoli R.C. School.

In addition, during Holy Week lent time, Tivoli junction used to be a lively hot spot, as those wooden colourful buses such as Study Your Head, Leader G, Easy Going and Welcome loaded with Shango worshippers dressed in beautiful bright colours clothing with their heads rapped, passed through the junction heading to Norman Paul’s shrine and Tan Po Po Shrine, ringing bells, singing and chanting.

And while the drums are beating we could hear the rhythm of the different drums, while we were in the classrooms in the school. On the other hand, the Catholic priest was not happy with the Shango activities. I heard stories about some Catholic priests who confronted the Shango leaders about their religious activities, but they ignored those priests and there was nothing else those priests could have done to stop the Yoruba rituals.

During our lunch break as students, we used to take a walk past Ramdhanny shop to go see the religious activities at Tan Po Po shrine. Some students used to go past Tan Po Po shrine and walk towards Mr. Rengear shop and then walk through the side road towards Norman Paul’s shrine to see the activities.

But part of the religious conflict is that, while the Shango people were doing their rituals, the priest makes it mandatory for all students who are Roman Catholic by faith, must attend one hour from 11:00 AM to 12:00 Mid-Day, inside to church to participate in the Station of the Cross rituals. However, I was lucky not to be included in the service because I am not a Roman Catholic.

Those of us students who were not Roman Catholic were told to remain in our class and do some reading, while all the teachers are in the church with the Catholic students. During that time all teachers at the school were Roman Catholic, so they had no other choice but to follow the rules of the church.

Even though those of us who were not Roman Catholic were happy to be free from the religious activities at the Church, we had to be vigilant that the school Principal Mr. Braveboy “Bravey” don’t sneak up on us and see us doing anything that is not educational. If he catches us idling, we getting some real leather belt blows. Those days “Bravey” was more interested in going to get his drinks at Mr. Lyons shop after school.

In addition, some of us students who were not Roman Catholic had an option if we want to participate in the Station of the Cross rituals. I participated a few times when Father Bowen was the parish priest just to see what was going because he was a people’s person.

After Father Bowen left Tivoli, then came Father Zed who was much younger. Father Zed was originally from Czechoslovakia. It is said that he ran away when the Russians invaded Czechoslovakia to stabilize and installed a new socialist’s regime.

One day I saw Father Zed boxed a student for talking inside the church, so I never went back. The student was originally from La. Poterie. I can never forget that day. However, I find the service was long and boring because I never really like going to church. I find the one hour service was like five hours.

Now that I am older and I understand that Roman Catholic rituals are similar the Orisha rituals and this is the reason the African slaves were able to use the Catholic saints in disguise, in order to practice their African spirituality and rituals.

Therefore, Norman Paul, Tan Po Po and the Roman Catholic priests were all worshipping the Almighty Creator, but colonialism was the only difference.

By Hudson George

The contents of Grenada Carnival is a package of cultural entertainment and those of us who love the activities should have all the rights to participate and enjoy every aspect of it without no apology.

However.  those who are not interested in the celebration activities should go and find their own niche and stop complaining.  Grenada is supposed to be a secular society, whereby citizens have the right to participate in events and activities that suit their taste and desire.   

Nothing is wrong when people and communities come together to have a good time in a carnival atmosphere, once the environment is safe and there is no major threat towards individuals safety and well being.  Therefore, there is no need to promote and advocate conservative moral values as an excuse to distract carnival lovers.

We must remember that our carnival package is not only isolated inside Grenada for visitors to  enjoy. Our soca artistes and calypsonians have a long history of selling the package in the various Caribbean carnival celebration events  in North America and Britain, within the Caribbean Diaspora communities.

In addition, we must always remember that every  society contribute to culture because all cultures are tied to the history of society.  However, due to the fact that we are living in a global village, we cannot isolate ourselves from the wider world.  We are part of the global village family.

The world population census information  shows that we are a majority black people whose origins are mostly  sub-Saharan African people. Therefore, it is impossible for us to reverse society to the past centuries that set the course for  this present era of time.

We are already visible  in the modern world of science and technology, where news spread very fast by electronic media, such as Facebook, Instagram, messenger,  twitter and telephone calls.

On the other hand, we love to boast and say, “Grenada to the world”.  So, if we want to promote Grenada to the world as a place of beauty, peace, harmony and historical sites, we must be able to showcase and sell our natural homegrown talent on the international market.

For example, when visitors come to Grenada they want to see and enjoy things that are unknown to them. They want to experience  things that are unique to Grenada. If we cannot create such an attraction, the visitors will not come to Grenada.

We cannot expect to sell Grenada to the world as a place to visit, if we decide to take a conservative approach in almost everything that we are doing.   We must focus on creativity to survive. Our creative is our homegrown talent in terms of what we produce locally.

Presently, our soca artiste Mr. Killa song “Pick Up Something” is having a big impact globally,  the lyrics in his song makes its way into the NBA finals between Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors as well known Canadian rapper Drake upload the song in a video to celebrate the Raptors achievement.

By Hudson George

Eating the flesh of your brother

And protecting the skin of your neighbour

Eating the flesh of your brother 

Eating it raw

While he is screaming in pain 

Never know you are a savage

A human flesh eater 

Eating the flesh of your brother 

And digesting it into your stomach

And you never vomit

Wonder how the hell you chew it

With your teeth

Eating the flesh of your brother 

And smiling before your friends

Without any guilty conscience

How long will you continue

To eat your brother’s flesh

His blood will fill your chest

You are an animal

You are a cannibal

Dressed in jacket and tie

But before you die 

You would be dead a long time 

Because of your deeds

You sit down with your neighbour

And plan to eat your brother

You said he should be dead 

Long, long, time ago

And you did it 

You eat your brother’s flesh

Your belly is a graveyard

You consume human flesh 

Inside your chest 

You eat the flesh of your brother

And you tell your neighbour

How nice it is

(c) 1988

I shoot the photo in Detroit and I decide to share it with a poem.

   
This Car Reminds Me of Antique political Activists

By Hudson George

If this car was a human being

It will be very old

And it will be walking around with a walking stick

But sadly, it has no brain and mindset

It has an engine that needs a  mechanic to repair it

When it is not working properly.

This car is old.  

I don’t know the brand or the model

Or what year it was made

And the company that manufactured  it

All I know it is an old car

It is an antique model

This car looks conservative

In the days when it was classy

It was a conservative car

Rich people and  celebrities

Were its lovers, while the poor people

Could only  look at it with envy eyes

Hoping one day,  they can enjoy its comfort

So I shoot this photo of it

Because it reminds me of some people

Who have various versions of conservative mindset

And they are getting of age now

But they always find themselves in the scheme of things

Still trying to influence society with their conservative thoughts

In order to make it society norms

So, if this car was a human being today

It will play the role of a vintage politician

Who lost touch with the many decades of global changes

And the youths of today

The artificial intelligence that becomes the new revolution

Now this car has become historical

But if it was a human being with some old vintage political ideas

I am sure it will end up in the scrap yard, sooner or later

This car reminds me of the same old time leftists and rightists

I am still hearing  talking as a activists

With their old time political mindset that is now outdated

But unfortunately, they sound like the engine in this car

Same kind of noise pollution and black smoke coming from the muffler

(Copyrights) May 14, 2019

By Hudson George

When the European slave ships left West Africa coast with captive Africans on board as human cargo, under the control of European slave traders sailing across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Americas, there were spirituality on board.

The slave traders were Roman Catholic Christians but they were thieves and the Africans had their spirituality but they were held in bondage at the bottom of slave ships.  This is the original story of black people in the Americas

However, from that day on the Africans were labelled as primitive, ungodly and lazy people.  And up this present era there is no solution to bring closure to that unfortunate period of history.

Furthermore, it explains why we love to dance, sing and create different genres of music and body movements to the beat of musical sounds. So, we can easily say: “It is, as it is”

So, whenever we as black people come together to have a good time or to decide what is best for our future, there must be some critics who will make negative comments to degrade our needs and wants.

Now, within our Grenadian population as a people, we have elements of cross cultures that need to coexist in our secular society based on the Westminster version of British democracy but it appears as though some people of influence within the subcultures seem to want a society that function within their own personal moral values.

But then again, within the various subcultures there is a commonality among the conservative elements, regardless of their political and religious beliefs and affiliations.  They tend to create an alliance to discredit activities and events that are not inclined with their social class.   Therefore, the main function of conservative minded people is to label activities that they do not like as public vulgarity and nuisance to society.

On the other hand, the vast majority of Grenadians believe in the existence of a supreme being, while there is a small percentage who are atheists.  However, sometimes Christian believers and atheists share the same social values and opinion about what is considered to be appropriate for society and what is vulgar in society based on their class socialisation.

In addition, in our present house of parliament there are elected and selected parliamentarians, who do not share the same religious moral beliefs but their role as parliamentarians is to make sure that the society is stable. Therefore, in order for the society to be stable, people must learn to respect secularism but the conservative elements will never accept openness as the norms.

So, as Spicemas Corporation launched the carnival May 4^th, 2019, it is expected that the conservative elements within society will protest as usual, throughout the carnival season about loud music noise pollution, abuse of alcohol and indecent dressing by masqueraders. And this is where the conflict of secularism ends up in public melee.

Therefore, I personally believe that if the conservative elements are not participating in carnival culture, they should not condemn others who chose to play mas for entertainment and enjoyment.

However, it is expected that the show will go on and foreign visitors will be coming to Grenada to enjoy themselves in the carnival activities, and as usual our African spirituality will be the highlights. And as long as the African spirituality is present in our culture, the conservative forces will continue to criticise.

But the big question is: How can we as black people “de-Africanised” ourselves, when we were born with our African spirituality? We were not born conservative.

By Hudson George

As society constantly keep on changing, some people change too because human beings create behavioural patterns that affect society.  Now we are hearing some people in Grenada complaining against kite flying in their neighbourhood community. They are saying that kite flying noise pollution is affecting their health pattern of sleeping.

Well if what these anti kite flying noise pollution activists are saying is true, a lot of us who are grown up men today, who had once enjoyed our boyhood days flying kite in the dry season during the lent period, must have caused many injuries and deaths among older folks within our villages and we were not aware of it.

So, maybe we must have innocently killed our grandparents, grandaunts, grand uncles, elderly cousins and other old men and women in the villages whom we had loved and they had loved us too, due to our ignorance about Kite flying noise pollution that affect vulnerable people’s health.

On the other hand, if kite flying is creating noise pollution that is affecting some people’s health, I am now wondering why so many rich people chose to spend their monies buying land property and building large luxurious homes and guest houses close to Maurice Bishop international airport, where the modern sophisticated hi-tech noisy jumbo jets make arrivals and departures flight every day of the week throughout the year.

Furthermore, the issue about noise pollution could trigger other subgroups within society to raise more complaints. For example, if some villagers start complaining about jumbo jets noise pollution is disturbing them, will the government close down the international airport and stop large aircraft from coming to Grenada?

The noise coming from the jumbo jets is so much louder than the kite’s “marvel” voice that creates excitement for kite flyers and kite lovers, who enjoin hearing kite singing as the wind blows.

I am sure that these anti kite noise pollution activists are very much aware, about the big jumbo jets that keep on flying very low over the residential areas in the southern parts of the country with the sound of noise coming from the engines vibrating through the roof top ceiling of houses as the pilots approach the landing strip at the international airport.

In addition, I am not living in Grenada presently, so I am wondering if the complains about kite flying as a nuisance to citizens health is not an imported cultural moral value imposed on the Grenadian local population, because there some Grenadian returnees who lived most of their productive working for many years abroad who have different cultural values from the majority of local citizens.

The vast majority of these returnees by choice are sort of wealthy or upper class by social status and most likely there is a possibility that they want to enforced North American and European cultural values on the majority of citizens who never travel beyond the shore of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.  Some of these returnees believe that the traditional ways of living in Grenada is outdated and primitive.

Now, this is just my opinion on the issue because I was born and raised in Grenada, where kite flying was a seasonal activity during the dry season that coexists with Christian values for the preparation to celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday as holidays for Christian worshippers, based on the  crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

I can remember parents telling their boy children, that they are allowed to fly kite but if the kite fall on a tall tree, do not climb the tree to retreat the kite because Good Friday is not a good day for climbing tall object structures and swimming in the river and the sea. We were warned that if we disobey these rules something bad will happen to us. So, I am wondering if this new complaint about kite flying noise pollution is not a copycat imported culture brought to Grenada by returnees and other wealthy new citizens who want to set their own rules and moral values with an excuse.

By Hudson George

It is not a big surprise why some of my critics are very quick to make personal at me, for saying boldly in my last article, “Eric Gairy led Grenada’s only successful revolution.” However, I am challenging them to prove me wrong with historical constructive written scholarly proof and facts.

Basically, while my critics are wasting their time attacking me for my opinion, pertaining to the former PRG regime, the political “Sore Foot” burst again between Maurice Bishop supporters and RMC/OREL political faction during March month 2019 celebration activities. The two groups are quarrelling for ownership of the 40 years anniversary celebration of Grenada March 13, revolution.

Their attitude of showing some kind of entitlement behavioural pattern, looks as though they really think the Grenadian people will believe that God sent a telephone message from heaven saying, Grenada belongs to them.  On the other hand, some of the less diplomatic and ill-discipline arrogant ones within their fold, are roaming the internet Facebook trying to pick fights with opponents of the celebration.

While they wasting their time making negative comments about my opinion, they are not making an effort to write a paragraph on the topic to support their political values, but they foolishly keep on exposing how ignorant they are about Grenada’s history. They prefer to act like “bad-johns” and “Lawah” citizens who are always living with anger and arrogance.  However, I have a good message advice for them.

I am advising them to purchase some scholarly books written about Grenada by Grenadian scholars, with information from the period of slavery during the French and British colonial era unto the Eric Gairy GULP political era, so that they will be able to get a better understanding about our present political culture.

In addition, if their intention is to educate younger generation of Grenadians about our history, they supposed make it their duty, to  explain the Julian Fedon rebellion as a conflict, whereby  two European colonial powers fought against  each other to exploit free labour from captive African slaves.  They supposed to explain the role and status of mulattoes, who were fighting to gain superiority status over the African slaves within the slave society system.

They supposed go into details and explain what  were the causes that led to the Fedon rebellion and why the vast majority of African slaves support Fedon’s rebellion, while another French Creole mulatto named Louis La Grenade joined alliance  with the British to crushed the rebellion. Unfortunately, they are using our history as political tools to achieve their political goals.

Therefore, I am advising them to read these three historical scholarly book written by Grenadian intellectuals.   The books are as follows:  (The role of the Free Coloreds in the Slave Societies of St. Kitts and Grenada, 1763-1833. by Edward L. Cox).   (The Gairy Movement, A History of Grenada 1947-1997, by George Griffith).   (Belvidere Estate Fedon House, by Herman G. Hall).

I hope that after they read these books, they will be inspired to search for more historical knowledge about Grenada’s political conflicts and stop relying on political propaganda from educated folks, who have personal interest and ambition to create another recycle revolution, with people who have strong family ties to the old oppressive class.

Additionally, as a black person myself, I think it is unfair, when black and brown Grenadian scholars keep on trying to paint Eric Gairy as Grenada’s worse  political  ruler, by trying to highlight the mongoose gang as the  only vigilante group in our political history.  I think it is time that young Grenadians should know that the  free coloureds in St. George parish had their own vigilante militia groups to protect their mulatto status over black slaves and to track down runaway slaves and punished them.

I think it is time for young Grenadians to know that Louis La Grenada Sr. and his son Louis La. Grenade Jr. were compensated by the British for their role in suppressing slave rebellions  and by so doing, they were compensated with money   and honours titles by the  British. They were able to purchase large acreage of agriculture estates. However, up to this present era of our time, their offspring’s are enjoying the fruits of our ancestors labour.   Therefore, I think it is my rights as a Grenadian to give my opinion on the issue and negative comments cannot scare me.

Grenada’s ruling New National Party (NNP) government deducted money from striking public workers salary. The vast majority of these workers are black Grenadian women and some them are single mothers, plus they have extended families to support based on our society family structure inherited from our African fore-parents. So, when will the oppression end from slavery to this present time?  

Basically, this form of oppression is not new to the vast majority of  Grenadians. It started when the French colonists committed genocide against the native population of Caribs and after that, the French political writers wrote fake history and tell us that the native people jumped to their death during the last battle with the French army in Sauteurs because they did not want to surrender.  Now, today Sauteurs town is known for its historical site Leapers Hill.

After the native population was extinct, the French colonialists brought captive Africans bound in chains and shackles to work on the tobacco and sugar plantations as slaves, in the most inhuman conditions that lasted for more than two centuries.

During the period of slavery, there were many rebellions but the most popular rebellion was Fedon Rebellion that took place in the latter part of the 18th century.  The majority of black slaves rebelled against the British after the French gave up Grenada to the British in the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and the French planters were not happy with the British authorities.  

So, the big question is:  Why did the slaves put their trust in the French planters, and they despised the British as their new coloniser?  

One can only suggest that the French planters must have promised the slaves some kind of freedom, or maybe the British slave system was more brutal than the French.

The conflict between the French and British planters escalated and the black African slaves joined the French planters in the rebellion against the British.  The rebellion lasted for almost two years and the rebel fighters captured almost the entire island, except the capital city today known as St. George’s

In the battle, the British Governor Hume was captured and executed by the rebel fighters.  After the British launched a successful counterattack under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby,  his troops recaptured Grenada with the help of some urban opposition fighters under the command of a French Creole man named Louis La Grenade.

Louis La Grenade who was also a slave master was compensated by the British for his loyalty. He was allowed to have his own militia in St. George’s and he became the first local creole to own a shipping company. In addition, there is a possibility that he was involved in the slave trade within the island with his merchant ship too.  In addition, he had many black African slave women as his concubines. His favourite slave women named Iris, whom he made sure that the British declared her a freed black woman.

Grenada remained a post slave colony until February 7, 1974, when the country got its independence from the British, under the leadership of Eric Matthew Gairy who was a descendant of black African slaves. Gairy was never liked and accepted by the mulattoes and local white ruling class even though he defeated them in the Sky Red Revolution in 1951. Gairy’s revolution was against the plantocracy.

One can argue that Gairy completed the Fedon revolution in 1951 because the British colonialists had no other choice but to recognised him as a black politician fighting in the interest of his people.

After Gairy championed the working class struggle for almost three decades, there was a vacuum for change because his ideas were no longer accepted by a younger generation who wanted a political change.  The new generation created a new movement for change in rural communities.

The movement was a rural base grassroots political organisation called the Jewel Movement that was very popular. The Jewel Movement popularity attracted urban intellectuals and they formed an alliance.  The urban-based intellectual organisations were MAP and OREL.

The leaders of the smaller urban movement were intellectuals. They merged with Jewel Movement and created the New Jewel Movement. The grassroots rural youths were comfortable with the inclusion of the urban intellectuals.  They accepted the intellectuals as their guardians but unfortunately, those intellectuals were thinking bigger than Grenada. Their ideas were not inclined with the historical and traditional culture of the masses.

However, on March 13, 1979, the New Jewel Movement over-throned Eric Gairy’s government but things did not work out as most rural supporters expected.  The intellectuals abandoned the New Jewel Movement manifesto and set up a socialist-communists style government with a Central Committee as the highest decision-making body and they brought some of their intellectual comrades from the other Caribbean islands as experts to help them create the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG).

They suspended the constitution and create new laws that citizens were scared to challenge. One of the new law was the Pension  Plan Act of 1983.

Again, one can only presuppose that the PRG wanted to take full control of the public sector, with the aim of destroying civil servants as a petty bourgeoisie class, in order to hire new workers in the future, who are indoctrinated within the PRG socialist-communist ideology.

In terms of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) the PRG created, it was a very good safety net for workers who are employed in the private sector industries. So, it is very difficult for those of us who are not covering up the PRG political intention, to say openly that we are very suspicious about the regime future plans.

On the other hand, it is very easy for all Grenadians who are not playing politics with this present industrial strike by public workers, to say it loud and clear, that the government should give the workers their money that they are asking for and they are entitled to get.

The simple fact is that the PRG regime is no longer in power. Westminster style democracy has been restored in 1985. Therefore,  both the New National Party (NNP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some Trade Union Leaders are guilty of robbing public servants.

So, I personally think that there is a vacuum for a new political party to fill in the void and do the right thing in the interest of the public servants and to get rid of tribal politics, and all those political opportunists who feel that they are entitled to govern the Tri-Island State of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.