Dear Editor,
Interestingly enough it was my longtime Hindu friend who alerted, and eventually transported me, in excited expectation, to hear Hearing Slaves Speak at the Umana Yana on Wednesday, March 2, 2011.
As it turned out we soon learnt that there should have been a sub-title which would have indicated ‘As recorded by the Fiscal.’
The programme involved remarks by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports; an ‘introduction’ to the titled book by Dr James Rose; and two readings each by four female clerical staff of the ministry. The sample of evaluation carried out by the writer, reinforced the personal view that overall the exposition was an exercise in mediocrity. Dr Rose’s erudition should have informed advice to the relevant authorities that the capacity for effectively achieving the programme’s objectives was not discernible within the ministry, particularly as it could have been legitimately anticipated that the audience would have been better read than the hapless ‘readers’ on display. The sterility of the respective presentations was palpable, and failed totally to impact positively on one’s sensibilities, as it was painfully obvious that the presenters felt no relationship whatever with the history they so inarticulately attempted to evoke.
This level of performance results from operating within a constricted and manipulative environment which inbreeds superficiality, while actively excluding more authentic capabilities for expressing the experiences claimed to be so significant to the uniquely African psyche, even of today.
In the ultimate analysis the evening concluded largely as an affront to those more relevant groups who are known (to the very ministry) to espouse the cause of representing that spiritual experience of the African enslavement in much more substantive ways. It is inconceivable that such sensibilities can be ‘directed’ by an institution of newcomers to particular aspects of our history.
Despite his expressed frustration my Indian Guyanese friend and colleague made me a present of a copy of Hearing Slaves Speak, and kept one for himself.
Yours faithfully,
E B John
