-Humanity, History – and Hinds
From Bourda… to Lords!? That was my reaction of muted outrage when I read Ian Mc Donald’s column, this past Sunday.
He painted the most grim word-picture which offended the sensibilities I’m sure, of those of us who still tend to be sporting purists and traditionalists. Dr Ian “reported” on the imminent transformation of the hallowed halls and turf of cricket’s cradle, Lords, from historic cricket venue to a site for a circus and “ultimate fighting tournaments”.
I immediately recalled the Mighty Sparrow’s “London Bridge is falling down”, the Kaiso in which Sparrow was outlining the rapid decline in British institutions and values. I decided immediately, too that I would pen this lament as my humble, if even inconsequential, contribution protesting the seemingly inevitable destruction of good tradition, historic institutions and treasured heritage.
Then, thankfully, I read Ian’s retraction and clarification two days later. Lords was not about to be so “desecrated”, but his Sunday column of fake/contrived alarm was just his manner, his “device” of drawing attention to the “serious proposal” to convert our own historic Bourda to an all-purpose sporting arena which would totally exclude any cricket. I am relieved.
But then I decided I would still proceed to pen these few lines anyhow; to contemplate the very real shift in human values and sustenance of tradition, in favour of finance, commerce and to modernity, with little place for memories of time, place and performance, which, after all, constitute the creation and, hopefully, the preservation, of legacy. There seems to be no accommodating compromise these days. Why care about a monument if the site is now needed for a factory or new road? Money-makers, private or government types, have little room for sentiments. The traditions and monuments are considered after the new infrastructure and daily necessities are budgeted for and built. The soul of a nation is relegated to the bottom rung of history’s ladder.
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Pragmatic Ministry,
National Trust
One element of Ian’s Sunday piece which fooled me powerfully was the following, which he credited to the British “Ministry of Sport”;
However, a statement from the Ministry of Sport makes clear that government will not intervene in a private deal. “It must be recognized,” the statement says, that in this day and age sentimental attachment to old tradition and historical values cannot be the prime consideration. Especially in the very difficult economic circumstances in which Britain finds itself decisions must be made on hard commercial and financial grounds. It will be gratifying to the nation that with this decision Lords will be fulfilling in a very pragmatic way its true and maximum value.”
“And, after all,” the statement goes on, “cricket will not die. There are plenty of perfectly good grounds at which the game can be played both at country and international level. Was it not our very own Bard of Avon who wrote “a rose by any other name still smells as sweet?” Lords is just a name for a valuable piece of real estate which will now be put to better use”.
Though I now realize that that quote was a vital part of Ian’s fictional creation, frankly speaking, it typifies the decisions many in authority make to justify commerce over tradition. Mind you I know that even when a minister or his ministry is forced to compromise history, reverence and culture in favour of daily “betterment” they are not always uncultured philistines but pragmatists forced to treat history purely on the practical bearing or benefits it brings to society.
Closer to home, consideration of what is to be done with the Bourda Cemetery, Bourda Cricket Ground, improvements needed at the 1763 monument and countless village-based historical sites must take into account the powerful role of all Guyana’s traditional institutions.
Yes we do have a National Trust of Guyana. Its latest publication reminds us that…”Monuments express the collective goals, joys or sorrows of a nation. They are architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combination of features. They may be groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings or they can be the site of works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are respectively of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view.”
And that…”The National Trust of Guyana is charged with ensuring the identification, protection, conservation and presentation of all monuments and sites for the presence and for future generations. The government of Guyana, on the other hand, is obliged to do all it can, to the utmost of its own resources and , where appropriate, with any international assistance and co-operation, in particular, financial, artistic, scientific and technical, which it may be able to obtain to assist the trust to efficiently discharge its functions.
Also, we are reminded that “our monuments are historical indications of the life we have lived and, as such, are exceedingly important learning aids in the ongoing process of national identification”.
I hope I am wrong, but try telling that to a new generation of track athletes cyclists and footballers who want a new Bourda synthetic track or velodrome. Discuss…
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Humanity, History, Hinds…
It is Dr David Hinds I mean – the Buxtonian – American historian/political-science activist-caught him on TV on Sunday expounding on issues relevant to Emancipation and its consequences.
I’ll contribute cautious comments during this month as well. I appreciated Hinds’ explanations and exposition regarding slavery’s degradation of a people’s very humanity. Let no indentureship system and its travails on immigrants be compared to the savagery of slavery.
I even heard shades of Allan Fenty when the doctor spoke of confidence, leverage and pride which needs to be restored in their villages and way of life being effectively dispossessed. Because he also explained how the Diaspora can lend social and intellectual capital to the physical and material infrastructure and commerce needed to make village folk independent and inspired once again.
I’ll support what seems to be a resurgence of Diaspora–assisted hope and initiative. This was evident at Victoria yesterday. (How do Indo Guyanese do it?) Stay tuned!
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Ponder…
Erosion, compromise of pride in place of practical life? Will our T/20 champs get contracts with foreign cricket clubs? Or play only for the Guyana team which propelled them to international recognition? Or both?
If mixed Obama is “black”, then mixed Jonathon Foo is Chinese”
Coming next Friday: “ A doc and a cop in court”
’Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty @yahoo.com)
