Doug Wheatley calls for preservation of caroling in VI
The usual Speak out BVI show was more a Sing out BVI, with the one hour long show dedicated to the singing of the old time Christmas carols.
His remarks came following statements by an over 70 year old caroler, who admitted that she would gladly pass on the baton to a younger person who was interested.
“We need when you are going off the stage to have young people taking over and therefore we have to coach these people in order that they would do it because this is part of our tradition,” Wheatley said.
“Culture is very, very important, in the history of any people and I think we can’t just allow it to fade away. We know what it has been like; we have experienced it, but what about my grandchildren, your grandchildren, our great grandchildren they would never be blessed with what we were blessed with. So I think some way or the other we have to find a way to try to keep this tradition.”
Territory without a culture?
Mr Wheatley added that while the people want to become very modern “a country without a culture is no country at all. And this is the sort of thing that sustained us over the years and this is why I work so hard along with others to keep the thing going.”
The outspoken host promised that persons can expect to hear more caroling as Christmas draws nearer.
Meantime, a caller to the programme said “It seems like everything gone; the food, dance, culture. In the BVI every part of our culture gone, young people not in them kind of thing,” he lamented.
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7 Responses to “Doug Wheatley calls for preservation of caroling in VI”
Growth and development and associated social change contributed to the decline in this cultural event. To put in economic terms, when families were at similar economic levels communities were closer and embraced the culture of the village and of the VI. Residents waited eagerly to hear the joyful carols on Xmas and New Year. Today is a different story. Xmas and New Year are just another day. Many residents with a little snow on the roof long Xmas of olde but Cmas is just a dream. The VI diaspora abroad lament about the death of Xmas. Lack of Xmas celebrations of olde is deterring them from visiting at Xmas time. A dream that is in the rear view mirror. Like other culture, Caroling is heading for the cultural "dung heap".