Culture Matters
Dara E Healy
Mesopotamia
Creation of the world
Water and fire
Children of the Big Bang
Addis Ababa, Egypt through Jerusalem
Nations and nations
Children of a one great love
– André Tanker, Creation of the World
PEACE IS more than the absence of war. For nations, peace is a reflection of the levels of equity and equality in society. To achieve equity, there should be a conscious effort to distribute power, resources and justice to empower everyone in the social space. Equality recognises that all people have rights and should have equal access to the same opportunities. For countries and individuals, when there is misalignment, there is no peace. We already know that the arts, culture and social traditions are crucial for nation building. Can we see their value in creating a peaceful society?
Over the past weeks, I spent considerable time delving into the Christmas traditions and rituals of diverse families across our nation. In every instance, food, music and children were essential to the celebrations. Crucially, in every family there was a concept of community. Not as separate families that came together for an occasion, but as a neighbourhood that functioned like an extended family.
Certainly, the past should not be idealised, but our traditions provide context and a rationale for our cultural practices today. Probing the past helps to create a road map for discovering our future and laying a foundation for peaceful coexistence.
Across time, artists instinctively understood the connection between music, the arts and peace. For instance, there are countless calypsoes on the world wars. Commenting on World War II, calypsonian Atilla sang The World Needs Peace and The Horrors of War, where he questioned, “…why the deuce should I go to war/When I don’t know what I fighting for.” André Tanker created music in the 1970s, a time of war and almost constant jostling between political superpowers.
Artists and social activists were at the forefront of persistent calls for peace. At the same time, the quest for self-determination by former colonised nations intensified, as writers, dancers, mas designers and other creatives sought to articulate what true freedom should look like.
The global struggle for African identity was also part of this reality. At home, this culminated in the Black Power Movement that advocated for ethnic unity, equity and true equality. Tanker and others contributed to the conversation through their work. As he sang praises to Yahweh, he called on Obatala, Yemoja and Sango. He collaborated with Mungal Patasar and artists from different genres to create an inclusive sound.
Once again, there are major forces sparking chaos in our world. Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but the voices warning against uncontrolled usage are growing. A key issue in the recent strike by writers in the US was protection from losing jobs to artificial intelligence (AI). This month the European Parliament agreed on AI regulations. Meanwhile, WhatsApp is now au
