Dear Editior,
Jamaica Festival celebrations this year missed the mark. The organisers are leaving out the main ingredient from the combination package. The obsevances now lack the traditional fever and national "jollification".
The times have changed significantly, people are worried and depressed, no work, many are mourning the death of their loved ones to crime and violence and it remains a strong, raging, fiery-furnace seeking to devour or consume.
Of all the radio stations I listened to, they did not seem to know the need to play Festival songs. They seldom played Festival music, the way it used to be decades ago, and need to be prompted. And if they do play a song, they just cut it short and put on another, or sometimes they just keep on talking while the music plays.
So, in order for us to have that genuine, collective feeling of the Festival season, you must ignite the celebration with the music, and give it an even balance.
You must not transform the celebration to a modern one so much so that the traditions are forgotten or left out. Let the traditional pattern continue. Let everything come together for a glamorous and fulfilling display.
Tinga Stewart said in one of his winning Festival songs: ...play di music, play di music, play di music sweet, sweet ... nuh matta wat yuh do yuh caan get tru unless yuh play di music..." Festival is no festival unless yuh play de music sweet, sweet.
You have a whole season to light up the atmosphere with the Festival songs, so please do not mash it down.
Donald J Mckoy
donaldmckoy2010@yahoo.com
Play the Festival music, too
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Jamaica Festival celebrations this year missed the mark. The organisers are leaving out the main ingredient from the combination package. The obsevances now lack the traditional fever and national "jollification".
The times have changed significantly, people are worried and depressed, no work, many are mourning the death of their loved ones to crime and violence and it remains a strong, raging, fiery-furnace seeking to devour or consume.
Of all the radio stations I listened to, they did not seem to know the need to play Festival songs. They seldom played Festival music, the way it used to be decades ago, and need to be prompted. And if they do play a song, they just cut it short and put on another, or sometimes they just keep on talking while the music plays.
So, in order for us to have that genuine, collective feeling of the Festival season, you must ignite the celebration with the music, and give it an even balance.
You must not transform the celebration to a modern one so much so that the traditions are forgotten or left out. Let the traditional pattern continue. Let everything come together for a glamorous and fulfilling display.
Tinga Stewart said in one of his winning Festival songs: ...play di music, play di music, play di music sweet, sweet ... nuh matta wat yuh do yuh caan get tru unless yuh play di music..." Festival is no festival unless yuh play de music sweet, sweet.
You have a whole season to light up the atmosphere with the Festival songs, so please do not mash it down.
Donald J Mckoy
donaldmckoy2010@yahoo.com
Play the Festival music, too
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