Calypso Queens: A Song of Resistance
The origins of Calypso is a gendered one. Though it is oft researched, the true genesis of the genre is underdiscussed in the consciousness of pedantic society. Calypso, birthed in Trinidad was formed from the communion of traditional African music, chiefly in its rhythm and the rejection of European society and norms by the bottom class of Trinidadian society. Herein, this social group gathered around stick-fighting (a practice itself steeped in African tradition) wherein the men fought while the women or jammettes sang. These songs were vulgar, violent and accompanied by wukking up and nudity (Noel 2010). These songs would eventually become calypso and soca, yet these genres in the present day are male dominated in the Caribbean, and even more so in Barbados, so much so that it was not until 1988 that Barbados would see its first female Soca Monarch. This blog will therefore explore the importance of female calypsonians and soca artists in the genre and the impact they have on society.
Calypso finds it origins in the topics that interest the common working class population. Red Plastic Bag’s ‘Issues of the Day’ contemplates on the missteps of the Barbadian government, The Mighty Gabby’s song ‘Jack’ is a rebellion against the attempt to privatise Barbadian beaches, and Classic’s ‘In Bed Together’ speaking on the collusion of the elite at the expense of the working class. However, songs that cater to the male experience itself often serve to perpetuate the gender dichotomy through its lyrics, seen chiefly in their attitude towards women and sex. Male calypsonians generally view sex as a competition which can and must be won by the man, and wukkin up is often viewed as the first avenue into sex. Edwin Yearwood’s ‘Hunting’ is one of many songs that portray wukking up and the boxcy as a conquest wherein the man is the hunter and the woman the prey, this could also be seen in Lil Rick’s ‘De Bumpa Inspector’ (Springer 2008). It could be said that the amplified and exaggerated masculinity that permeates the lyrics of male soca and calypso artists is a symptom of the injured masculinity that black men suffered under the white man during slavery and colonialism, leaving them with the desire to be able to dominate something, more often than not women (Frank, 2007).
This hyperfocus and objectification of the Afro-Caribbean body in soca and calypso lyrics is an addition to the colonial narrative of hyper-sexualisation of Afro-Caribbean women (Springer 2008). The anti-thesis of the ‘European lady’ is the black Caribbean woman. This could be seen through the desexualisation of white women (hailed as pure, virginal) and the hyper sexualisation (decried as whores, lecherous) and policing of black women and their body through various laws and punishments (Springer 2008). Caribbean men, regardless of race were and still are influenced by these colonial ideations and therefore are socialised to view black women in particular as sexual conquests, leading to the creation of such vulgar songs by Afro-Caribbean men.
In addition, European values dictate a woman should be pious, pure, modest and submissive, something black Caribbean women do not traditionally value because of a mixture of African tradition and the extremely harsh circumstances they lived and continue to live through. It is in this way Afro-Caribbean women are excluded from feminist thought, shamed for their bodies and ‘attitude’ by white women (and men) as they do not fit into the traditional category of womanhood as described by white hegemonic feminism, itself a repackaging of colonial thought. Bell Hooks explains that those marginalized by colonialism are uniquely aware of the differences between a simple gaze looking to document and an oppositional gaze, resistance therefore comes about by politicizing this ‘looking’, mainly by learning to look a certain way to resist (Hooks 1992). This idea is further supported by the feathered backpack masquerade often worn during Cropover. This masquerade initially came about due to the realization by women that their bodies, due to the ‘looking’ and policing have become political statements and therefore by taking ownership of their bodies and their sexuality become rebels against colonial and patriarchal notion of covering up one’s body to be ‘modest’ (Noel, 2010).
Bruce Trail Hiker. Alison Hinds. Photgraph. Digital Photography Review. August 1, 2015. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56242537?image=0
There is no better example of this than Alison Hinds. One of the most famous soca and calypso singers in the world, her discography is laced with resistance through the reclamation of her body. With the desired body of a Caribbean woman (big legs and behind and a small waist) and her prowess in wukkin up, she is often accused of objectifying herself on stage. This could not be further from the truth, in fact her lyrics often challenge the status quo of party culture. The song ‘Bumper Killer’ directly opposes the aforementioned Hunting, complaining rather that wukkin up is an act of self expression which a woman performs for herself and does not need or want a man to come behind her. The song ‘Confidence’ urges women to find exhilaration in the practice, while ‘Get Ready to Whine’ serves to provide a vehicle to which one’s wining skills can be showcased. Even songs such as ‘Aye Aye Aye’ , which mimics the traditionally competitive nature of gender roles in calypso and soca, purposefully maintains that this is strictly about dancing. In all of these songs, she shifts the focus from the male gaze, turning women into sexual subjects in charge of themselves rather than sexual objects dancing to receive male attention and arousal (Springer 2008)
Terancia Coward performing her song Iron Lady.
Trident10 TV. T.C. Photograph. Youtube. June 30, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ae39qEYP8LI
While it is true that calypsonians represent the working class, it would be more accurate to say that calypsonians represent and sing about problems affecting their group. A group in this instance would include their race, class, gender and religion. As such, female calypsonians sing about female issues. ‘Sisters of the Caribbean’ by Terencia T.C. Coward is a tribute to Caribbean women suffering from crime, AIDS and cancer, her song ‘Answer to Kim’ deals with being cheated on. Barbados’ first female Calypso Monarch Queen Rita performed ‘I Cant Do That’ which comments on the encroachment of female consent via male pressure. As Springer notes, calypso commentary done by women potentially fills the gap left undiscussed by men and provides a more whole view of the psyche of the society (Springer 2008). That is not to say that female calypsonians exclusively sing about issues that affect women, the song ‘Whats Left For We’ by Carol Roberts is a powerful tune investigating the rise of the tourism industry and increased privatisation and monopolisation at the cost of the regular Barbadian and Kareen Clarke’s ‘United in the Caribbean’ is a celebration of the region and its people.
There is much more to be said about the impact of women in calypso and soca and how their simple act of existence is a celebration and reclamation of their role that had been their’s hundreds of years ago. As well as the constant contradictions in Barbadian society due to the battling African and colonial traditions, such as wukkin up being frowned upon by members of society, yet the inability to dance being seen as a cultural failure. How only certain types of calypso sung by women are deemed respectable while others are not. And even the commodification of the female body during Cropover to sell tourism in a society which does not readily accept women exhibiting these behaviours. That being said, the impact of artists like Alison Hinds reclaiming her body as a sexual subject and the woman focused social commentary by T.C. and others have done wonders to inspire women in Barbados today.
Bibliography
Frank, Kevin. “Female Agency and Oppression in Caribbean Bacchanalian Culture: Soca, Carnival, and Dancehall.” Women's Studies Quarterly 35 (2007): 172–90.
Hooks, Bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston, MA: South End Press, 1992.
Noel, Samantha A. “De Jamette in We: Redefining Performance in Contemporary Trinidad Carnival.” Small Axe: A Caribbean Journal of Criticism, vol. 14, no. 1, 2010, pp. 60–78., doi:10.1215/07990537-2009-044.
Springer, Jennifer Thorington. “‘Roll It Gal’: Alison Hinds, Female Empowerment, and Calypso.” Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism 8, no. 1 (2008): 93–129. https://doi.org/10.2979/mer.2007.8.1.93.