Abstract
The theme of this issue was inspired by fiery debate in a carnival-themed public forum. Louis Regis’ words were once at the heart of it. On February 12, 2009, Regis provoked an audience in the “Is Calypso Dying?” forum hosted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. Alongside him on the panel was calypsonian, Francine “Singing Francine” Edwards, General Secretary of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO), Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba and the Director of the iconic soca band and production company Xtatik, Elizabeth Montano What bacchanal did Regis bring to the academic forum that carnival? Regis pointed out that calypso in the 20th century Trinidad and Tobago had produced thought-provoking and creative songs on the history of the nation but he lamented the state in which the art form had found itself in the face of calypso tent closures, declining numbers of attendees at Dimanche Gras an the replacement of calypso with soca as the definitive sound of the carnival parade. Further, he stated that soca artistes had failed to produce the lyrical quality and political consciousness as a previous generation of calypsonians had done. He acknowledged the potential of ragga soca by Maximus Dan and Bunji Garlin to deliver social commentary to young audiences but he viewed them as minor exceptions in the large field of soca performers.