Balancing act

It’s that time again, as the spirit of Carnival begins to build, and for mas players and fete-goers alike, the excitement and joy is palpable. There are, of course, the non-participants who use the time to retreat into another kind of joy at beach or river limes, other facets of God’s creation.

In his homily at Soca artist Ricardo Drue’s funeral, Fr Athanasius George Williams shared an insightful viewpoint on the relationship between Protestant Christianity and culture. He suggested that in the Protestant tradition, the world is seen as predominantly fallen and tainted by sin. As such, some Christians feel they must protect themselves from cultural elements involving creativity, love, pleasure, sexuality, food, and drink.

By extension, artists who celebrate these aspects of life in their music are sometimes labelled or perceived as agents of the Devil. Such a belief risks a person becoming overly rigid and joyless.

Fr Williams also quoted early Church father St Irenaeus who proclaimed, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” God created a world suffused with goodness, beauty and blessings meant to be appreciated. Those gifted in the arts play an invaluable role in revealing the splendour of creation through their work. Their talents are God-given, not satanic.

Of course, artistic expression has its potential pitfalls. Lyrics can sometimes promote harmful messages and values. Along with the God-given talent comes great responsibility.

President of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation Ainsley King indicated as such while speaking to the Trinidad & Tobago Newsday last Tuesday, in response to Inshan Ishmael’s successful lawsuit against calypsonian Winston ‘Cro Cro’ Rawlins.

Calypsonians, he said, must maintain a level of respect and order. “We cannot just do anything, say anything to people,” he continued. “I think calypsonians need to be careful because we have a beautiful art form, a real nice art form, and we shouldn’t use it as a weapon against people.”

We should thoughtfully examine the impact of our cultural diet. But the arts need not be avoided altogether to lead a life of faith. Scripture speaks again and again of music and dance used to worship God. Striking the right balance is key. Artists would do well to consider how their content impacts audiences and society.

People of faith should recognise that the arts can reveal truth and bring us closer to our Creator, even as they provide moments of simple joy and respite.

There is a reason why Mical Teja’s ‘DNA’ remains one of the most popular Soca songs this Carnival season, even with new fare being released. It has resonated with the masses.

There is an unbridled joy and patriotism in his lyrics; there is no smut, no divisiveness, no negativity. Instead, he calls to the soul of the nation we often forget still exists: “When every hand raise/we become one race….Look where we are, greatest Carnival/So magical, is a blessing sent from above.”

We can acknowledge the overarching hope, beauty and creativity that is Carnival, even while seeing the areas in need of change and improvement.

With wisdom and discernment, we can appreciate artistic gifts in a way that honours both faith and culture.

Rigidly rejecting all pleasure or celebration creates an arid existence. But indulging every desire with no control destroys self. As we navigate this tension, may we rediscover the refreshment and inspiration the arts can provide when oriented toward the good