Calypso and Chutney: Parallel Development and Integration

Abstract

After the 1998 Calypso Monarch competition, a furious debate took place about whether some of the calypsos sung at the show were racist, and many people offered various opinions as to whether this was so or not. It appeared that the consensus was that the artform was abused, and several editorials and columnists expressed that opionion. Although a lot of people felt that we were on the brink of racial war, the author felt that this was not the case, and expressed the opinion that in the main, Trinbagonians were not really racial. He felt that racism existed amongst a minority of the population, and we had allowed a marginal group of calypsonians to influence public opinion on the race issue.