Secrets and the Caribbean Aesthetic.

There is an emerging idea within me that is becoming a bit difficult to ignore.Another haunting. I am starting to fall in love with the idea of film. Tying in to my experimentation with magical surealism and dreamscape writing, I started thinking that perhaps my ideas would look so much better on film. It helps that I have a friend willing to venture into this with me. Combined I think the two of us would be unstoppable. Talking to her yesterday a few issues came up but we both agreed that the purpose would be to explore the truth and forget about the possibility of offence. Sat Nam. There is no denying it, it is the responsibility of the artist to tell the truth and present the truth as we see it.

Lately I have been reading the newly emerging Caribbean Aesthetic arguments about embracing the past and the possibility of creation within that realm. Not surprisingly I don't agree with the idea of going back to go forward. The idea of pain, slavery, black skin and colonialism on a whole has gotten stale. I admit it is part of the Caribbean story that deserved a voice from the colonized perspective. The development of Caribbean specific literature is new (no more than perhaps 80 years of creating)and so has so much room for exploration and expansion, from the perspective of creating and the claiming of a Caribbean identity. As a young writer it is an exciting thought. With so many "respected" writers the past is the "Mother" of their writing, the mother of their tongue if we look at Kamau Brathwaite's view. I am not saying no, I am saying there is so much more.

My friend that I mentioned before, Mandisa Pantin, premieres her film in the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival today. "Caribbean Skin: African Identity". As we were expecting she was not received with open arms for her insight on the issue. Not surprising to me some of the responses I thought lacked simple common sense. The concept is simple. Claim your African roots if you so wish and that does have some importance, but also understand the need to claim an identity as a Caribbean person. Simple enough right? Made me wonder how many of the Naipaul angered academics realized a level of truth in what he said about creation in the Caribbean.

Anyway the good news is that within the Caribbean we have so many secrets that are either forgotten or deliberately suppressed within our art and literature that does contribute to the forming Caribbean aesthetic. I have a habit of exploring these topics, though I admit shyly. I intend to delve deeper now and tell it as it is in the truest way imaginable. Yes it may mean my work pisses off quite a few people, showing the Caribbean in a negative light, but there are truths to be told and I have a responsibility to do just that. Of course there are some positive as well(BEYOND CARNIVAL, which personally I think it is time Trinidad and Tobago realize is not the end all of CULTURE).

Combining Film and literature is exciting me. I have something more to work at and I'm looking forward to the challenge.