A government senator is suggesting that the Afro-centric principles of Kwanzaa should be taught in Barbados’ primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions.
Special Advisor on Culture and Cultural Heritage in the Division of Culture, Senator John King, made that call while delivering the feature address during Kwanzaa celebrations at the Ngozi Farm and Cultural Sanctuary in Turners Hall, St Andrew, Saturday evening.
He said Kwanzaa has too many important principles not to be passed on to the youth.
“I believe that the principles of Kwanzaa should be taught in primary schools, secondary schools, and universities so that it becomes part of who we are as a people,” he said to loud applause.
Senator King also called for school-aged children to show greater respect to their parents and grandparents.
“Too many of you are too disrespectful and it seems to me that often when we talk about parenting we have thrown away too many of the values that we had or the ones that made us into the adults that we are and we pick up things that other people say that you should do or not do,” he pointed out.
The senator also threw out a challenge to the young and the old in the space.
“If there is one thing that I would like to challenge each of you to do is to live your life in such a manner that persons coming in contact with you would want to emulate you and feel that love that I talk about — that Barbadiana that we had growing up. We should treat each other the way that we want to be treated,” he added.
Meanwhile, Director of Ngozi Farm and Cultural Sanctuary Ireka Jelani said Kwanzaa is growing from strength to strength with improved interest from the local communities.
She said: “It is a work in progress … it is a community event and we are in the countryside not near to Bridgetown but it is growing and those who want to be here will come, no matter the challenge. I think the interest would grow as Barbadians gain a greater awareness because we still have that element of ‘anti-Africaness’ and the negative distance from who we are but you have to be true to yourself,” she said.
Jelani said the Kwanzaa celebrations are an important pillar of the Barbadian economy.
“We are encouraging our young people to build their empires — not to go to school and look for a job or to work for others. We don’t mind that but we are encouraging you to become self-employed, take your hand and make fashion. Use your brain and come up with something creative and innovative so that we would have our products and utilize the limited resources that we have.”
Parliamentary Representative for St Andrew and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources Dr Romel Springer called for more to be done in protecting the Bajan dialect.
He said that with the multiplicity of influences from North America, Barbadian children are now speaking with what he called “TikTok” accents.
“We are losing our accent and people may not realize that we are losing it because sometimes it may take 30 years, a whole generation … for language [death] to occur. so every day we may hear things that sound Bajan to us but 30 years from now it may sound completely different to those future generations,” he said.
The linguistic academic added that a lot of Bajan sayings are being lost and he said that language preservation must occur.
“We must ensure that aspects of our language must be taught to our children for generations to come.”
This year’s Kwanzaa celebrations were held under the theme: Reflecting to the past, understanding the present, igniting purpose to shape the future.
(MR)
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