April 2016
Issue 36
Nengi Omuku…artist Richard Rampersad…my art is a true mirror of my mind. Looking Back to Look Forward Professor Selwyn R. Cudjoe
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Spring is here and all around us there are
Contents Huntley Conference
p.3
Ageing‌in search for eternal youth
p.4
Beer profits brewing in Africa
p.5
5p charge on bag, coffee cups next
p.7
Nengi Omuku
p.8
Fuel your Brain
p.10
Caribbean Briefs
p.11
Rejection
p.14
Looking Back to Look Forward
p.17
Youth Unemployment
p.21
Richard Rampersad
p.22
Africa Rising
p.25
The Arts versus Business
p.26
blossoms of hope and anticipation. It is a time when many of us forge new aspirations, a time when we shed the burdens of winter and welcome the new dawn that brings golden light to dispel those dark long days that seem to hang around forever. Let this new light shine around you and help you to glow and grow. Let this new light nourish you and feed your intellect and guide you on your every journey bringing success in every endeavour. May the strength your garner favour you to assist others as they too pursue their own challenges and, spare a thought for the fallen; they too have played their part in the cycles of our civilisation.
D.Kalloo Editor
Production and concept: D.T. Kalloo
Front and back cover by Richard Rampersad
Culturepulse contributors: Nasser Khan Ansel Wong, Amos Armstrong, Soshina Stephen, Akilah Holder-Stewart, Rhianna Kalloo, Chris Boothman, David Wears, Michael LaRose, Ron Ramdin, Dr Michelle Yaa, Juanita Cox-Wesmass, Jimmy Kainja, Tessa Robinson, Malaika Crichlow, Angelique Antonio, Mas Assassin, Dorothy Scott, David Rudder, D.A-Kalloo and Selwyn R. Cudjoe.
Culturepulse is designed and produced by cashewmedia and published through the www.issuu.com platform Copyright 2014 Views and comments expressed by contributors are not necessary those of Culturepulse but of the author/s
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The 11th Huntley Conference presentation that had the audience in stitches but contemplating his very serious message about the importance of representation. Well known for portraits of black lives, especially during the 1960s in areas like Notting Hill, Charlie expressed gratitude at being given a platform to showcase his work which is now receiving well deserved, if belated, acclaim. The audience were treated to beautiful Jazz formation led by flautist Keith Waithe and double bassist Gary Crosby to Charlie Phillips close the conference. Whilst grateful for the generous financial support of the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA), FHALMA, Chaired by Dr Margaret Andrews acknowledges that it cannot continue in its current format. The future for the conference and its objective of promoting the Huntley Collections will be met by new partnerships and contributions by the Next Generation of young people. In this, the support of the community is vital.
Trudy Mensah
The 11th Huntley Conference, held on Saturday 27th February was hailed by some as one of the best. Its theme ‘Animating Black Archives: the next ten years’ saw the collaboration between Friends of the Huntley Archives at LMA (FHALMA) and three other Black heritage organisations: Black Cultural Archives (BCA), George Padmore Institute (GPI) and the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). This year’s conference considered the future of Black Archives and was chaired by Shani Crawford of the Next Generation of archivists and volunteers in these respective organisations. Excellent presentations by members of the organisations included from the GPI ‘More than Sepia’ which focused on the life of writer and activist John La Rose; from the IRR ‘Black History and Black Struggle – the past and the present’ which looked at ways to use archives of Black settlement and activism to inspire movements in Britain today. Speakers from the BCA questioned ‘where are the black monuments’ and the future of sites like the Olive Morris house. They also considered methods for archiving as they relate to use of technology and social media platforms. FHALMA was represented by Trudy Mensah who gave a passionate presentation on the importance of sharing stories, experiences and material that can lead to what we now see reflected at the London Metropolitan Archives at their Annual Conference. Jamaican born photographer Charlie Phillips gave a lively
Michelle Asantewa Photographs courtesy Dr Asantewa and Eddie Osei
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Ageing…in search for eternal youth. D.T. Kalloo skin seem to be winding down.’ The Journal of Investigating Dermatology said; ‘it would be possible to find a molecule that could ginger up’ the enzyme that would keep the cells in a youthful state.
Man have been on the constant trail to find a cure for ageing or, to put it aptly – the youthful look. For decades the false hopes of anti-ageing treatments such as creams, oils and even surgery have failed to stem ageing and provide us with life-long youth. All the tried and tested methods and socalled anti-ageing remedies have not lived up to its manufacturers promise.
Mark Birch-Machin leading the research at Newcastle university said, “Our research means that we now have a specific biomarker, or target, for developing and screening anti-ageing treatments.” The discovery means that now there can be a genuine anti-ageing treatment. According to scientists there is a possibility of finding anti-ageing treatments that can be tailored to people of different age groups and skin pigmentation and, possibly ‘addressing the ageing process elsewhere in our bodies.’ Photo courtesy ibtimes.com
It appears at last, new hope may be on the horizon for those on the quest for lasting youthful look. Scientists at Newcastle university in England have discovered how to recharge the batteries of skin cells to keep them youthful.
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Over time, the batteries in skin cells run down and struggle to ‘proliferate or repair themselves’ however, scientist say these batteries can be kept fully charged with a chemical treatment to keep skin looking younger.
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To date there has been very few products with proven ability to slow down the decline on a cellular level ‘when applied in creams.’ The Newcastle Scientists are now convinced they have discovered the tool for doing so. Using skin samples from at least ‘27 volunteers aged 6 to 72 they found that the mitochondria, tiny peripheral structures that generate the cells energy were spluttering because an enzyme that powers the lower level of the
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Beer profits brewing in Africa suggest that there is a beer drought on the African continent, the reality is, it is served by home brews. The importation of traditional beer making products such as Hops, Barley and Malt are often expensive and are replaced by home-grown crops such as cassava to produce their fermented beverages. In Uganda, people enjoy a home brew called malwa, drunk with long straws from clay pots.
Beer has always been the favoured tipple for workers to celebrate the weekend after a week-long toil. Ice cold Budweiser is the preferred drink in the US while, Carlsberg and Stella Artois satiate the Europe market. West Indians are more relaxed with Banks, Red Stripe and Carib lager in the region while in African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana Star lager is the brew of choice.
Africa’s growing population has caught the eyes of international brewers SabMiller and InBev. The two companies have recently merged to create the world’s largest brewers and now has its sights on the world’s largest growing population, Africa. Africa now has a working population with over 45 per cent being between the ages of 15- 45 and the figure is on the increase. It has a majority of drinkers coming of legal age within the next decade and, a growing middle class population that will become thirsty. AB InBev are poised to capitalise on this cash pot on the African continent.
The African continent is an untapped market for international bottled beers, this is primarily because of cost. On average a bottle of beer in South Africa cost around $3.20 in a bar while in Liverpool, England a Liverpudlian would pay $4.13 for the same beer. In contrast, it may seem that in Britain it is more expensive to drink compared to the Africans. However, the average wage of an office worker in SA is $4,800 per annum while an office administrator in Britain works for $23, 500 annually. Indulging in beer drinking then becomes a luxury for many South Africans. Despite this, beer is the preferred choice of alcohol for South Africans with 48 percent of drinkers opting for beer.
Presently, AB InBev are directly involved with over 15 African countries and 21 other partnerships with international brewers including the French drinks company, Castel. Beer earnings from international companies on the African continent amounts to 1.96bn compared to 0.7bn in Europe and 0.85bn in North American market (source SABMiller). According to research experts, the African beer drinking population is expected to grow by at least 5 percent between 20132017. In comparison, the US and Europe markets have seen a decline of almost 20
While beer may seem expensive in SA it is relatively cheaper in Sub-Saharan Africa where in some places a bottle of imported beer can retail for around $1.44. However, most people in Uganda for example earn less than $1.00 a day. Suddenly, the idea of splashing out on imported beer becomes an expensive luxury. This by no means 5
per cent over the last decade (Gallup), despite the population growth.
to drinkers and suppliers in the region. The spread of Islam on the continent also poses a threat of market restriction as well.
Research shows that the young and nonwhite drinkers across the US and Europe are turning their backs beer at an ‘alarming rate.’ Another factor that is harming large breweries are the rise of microbreweries. In the UK alone there has been a 73% rise independently owned craft beer manufacturers who now have their products sold in local pubs, liquor stores and supermarkets. In some vague way SABMiller has snapped up Greenwich, the London micro brewery, brewers of Meantime and InBev acquired the Los Angeles craft beer brewers Golden Age Brewery. These acquisitions have done little to stem the drought in sales in the western markets. If anything it seems to have created more micro brewers in the UK.
Despite these worrying issues in Africa there are major investments across the continent. Ghana are currently investing over $100m in brewery expansion to double its capacity. Nigeria and Zambia are also making similar investments to ensure a share in the predicted market. A forecasted 5 per cent volume of sales is centred around the designs of the improving economies of Africa. Brewers are stabling beer prices in an effort to win over customers from local home brews. The scheme is to win over the new emerging middle class market before maximising profits in the long term. Presently, the illegal brews still outstrip the legal market in Africa. However, with inflation falling and population growth the new emerging middle class in Africa may just be the vehicle that’s needed to propel the bottled beer market on the continent.
By all accounts, it doesn’t appear that international breweries are keen at this moment to flood the African market with foreign bottled beers. They are keen to respond to local needs for localisation with products specific to the local markets, brands such as Star, Hero Club and Impala. This effort has steered the world’s biggest brewers to increase its share of the beer market on the African continent by almost 20 per cent since 2010.
David Kalloo
In a 2014 survey, it emerged that SA consumes on average 66.5 litres of beer per person, Cameroon 31.9, Kenya 13.5, Nigeria 12.5, Uganda 11, Mozambique 10, Tanzania 10 and Zambia 11 (source SABMiller). Whilst there is high potential in the targeted middle class market, international brewers are also cautious of the risks too, especially in Kenya and Nigeria where militant groups such as Al Shahab and Boko Haram. Both groups, religiously oppose alcohol consumption and are known to have carried out threats 6
5p charge on bag, coffee cups next… Since 5th of October 2015 shoppers in the UK must fork out 5p for a single-use plastic carrier bag when they go shopping. The move was introduced by the government to cut the number of bags handed out to consumers by retailers. On average almost 140 bags per person were handed out annually, in 2014 a total of 7.6 billion plastic carrier bags were handed out, often ending up in landfill sites and causing a litter nuisance.
The success of the levy on single-use plastic bag sparked another idea of having a levy placed on paper coffee cups. The environment minister suggested the idea after a report claimed that only ‘one in 400 takeaway cups’ are being recycled. Over seven million coffee paper cups are used on a daily basis in the UK. A Times article called the coffee cup recycling ‘A lot of froth’ after it was found that High Street coffee chains use the recycling logo on their paper cup sleeves, giving the impression that the cups are recycled.
While many people welcome the idea of having to pay for a carrier bag when they go to the supermarket, many of us are disgruntled by having to pay for a bag when we shop for items such as clothes and household goods. To add insult to having to pay for a bag, consumers are in real terms having to pay retailers for advertising their companies. Something else was brought to my attention recently, Cooperative supermarket at one point were selling single-use carrier bags for 6p and Lidl would normally give you a 10p bag when you requested a bag.
The paper cups themselves are technically a recycling nightmare. The cups are lined with a plastic film which is difficult to separate from the paper for the recycling process. Currently, there isn’t a great demand or enthusiasm for recycling paper cups. There is just one paper cup recycling service in the UK and they are forecasting to recycle over six million cups by the end of 2016. The figure may seem substantial, however with the UK’s thirst for coffee, it is estimated that over 2.5 billion cups will be thrown away each year.
It is clear that the government makes no money from this venture, however it is not transparent what percentage of this money is kept by retailers. The government expects retailers to donate the money made from the sale of the plastic carrier bags to good causes, however, it will take at least another 18 months for any published figures to actually show how this extra income is distributed to helping charities or even going towards protecting the environment.
Recycling technology is being developed for facilities to recycle paper cups. However, until then it may not be long before your favourite Cappuccino, Americano or Latte would be costing you an extra 5p in the morning.
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Nengi Omuku
Untitled 2016
Nigerian born artist, Nengi Omuku is currently making waves on the London circuit with her work forming part of a private exhibition featuring several young artists at Denton’s, one of the world’s largest corporate law firms.
Swiss Cottage Gallery, London, and the Lloyd Gill Gallery in Bristol. This was followed by two other exhibitions in 2011 at the Stephen Lawrence Gallery in Greenwich and the Slade Research Centre in London. In 2012 her work was part of a group exhibition at Jerwood Gallery London and in 2014 at the Omenka Gallery Lagos, in her native Nigeria. She had two major solo exhibitions, the first in
Nengi graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London with a BA and MA in fine art. Her Roadside Dump 2016 artistic expressions won her accolades and several awards including, the British Council CHOGM art award in 2003 which was presented by Queen Elizabeth II. She was also presented with the Prankerd Jones Memorial Prize and the Nancy Balfour Art Scholarship, both awarded by University College London. Since her graduation in 2010 Nengi’s work has formed part of many selected group exhibitions across the UK and Nigeria. In 2010 her work was displayed at the
Fleeing Horizontally 2010
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London back in 2011 and the other at the Omenka Gallery, Nigeria 2015. Nengi’s work is described as both ‘metaphorical and satirical’ as she explores and questions the subject of insanity through ‘geographical and cultural environments’ from her encounters with the topic in varying parts of Nigeria. Her work depicts ‘earthy scapes’ with floating objects either appearing to wanting to become part of the landscape or can be viewed as leaving it. Her use of light and textures to convey her message through these expressions can also evoke fear and displacement, yet conjure warmth. Her powerful abstract pieces at the Omenka Gallery titled, State of Mind lends to the interpretation of metaphorical and satirical yet embracing cultural differences as she interacts with her surroundings. Art blogger Bukola Oyebode describes Nengi as an ‘emerging female artist form Nigeria with skills to express herself freely away from all academic influences’ this allows her to engage the viewer and become part of that ‘metaphysical journey’ of her work.
What the Children Said 2015
Nengi Omuku lives and works in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Her work is currently on display at Denton’s UK, London. Her work will also be on display at the Armory Show, New York this year. www.nengiomuku.com Photos courtesy: www.nengiomuko.com cashewmedia (London)
Threshing Floor 2015
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Fuel your Brain What fuels your brain to energise you and, to make you more efficient in your work environment? For most of us, we look for quick rushes of energy to give ourselves that much needed boost when we are feeling lethargic and the day drags on with a mountain of tasks before us.
known to contain twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans. Scientists have warned against consuming sugary foods when our sugar level wanes. While your brain is a mere 2 per cent of your body weight, it consumes 25 per cent of your body’s energy. It is crucial to keep it adequately fuelled. When sugary foods are consumed, it hits the blood stream quickly creating a surge of insulin. When this drops, our bodies crash and lack of concentration steps in and often tiredness. Nutritionists suggest that you ‘graze slowly’ throughout the day on complex carbohydrates in order to regulate glucose levels in your body. Foods such as nuts, pulses, seeds and beans which offer slow release energy that will feed your brain with the right energy.
Corporations have now taken to providing or encouraging fads in which to boost productivity in the office environment. Some install breakout areas with games to stimulate activity, sleeping pods and sophisticated coffee brewing machines to hack up productivity. Whether these methods work to its required capacity may be debatable. Recent studies at Birmingham University and Stanford University found that listening to music allowed staff to complete task faster than if they toiled in quiet settings. It found that listening music improved the mood and creates positivity, when you’re in a positive mood, researchers found that you are most likely to accomplish more. Not all types of music can effect productivity, listening to music without lyrics are more likely to give that extra boost.
Sitting for long periods and working in polluted environments can also disrupt productivity and hamper you from working effectively. Harvard University scientists found that those working in offices with high levels of pollution have ‘decreased decision making abilities’ and recommend getting up at regular intervals to prevent your brain from going into sleep mode. So the next time you reach for that espresso or can of Red Bull to enhance your energy, it may well worth getting up for a stretch and a short stroll and keeping a packet of nuts and seeds handy at your desk.
You may think that reaching for that cup of coffee as the afternoon wears on will counter the drag. Well, there’s news for you. That pick-me-up that you crave from that cup of caffeine laced blend will have no immediate effect on you whatsoever. Your desperate caffeine rocket will not kick in until a further 20 minutes after drinking it. Drinking coffee first thing in the morning is now suggested as a no, no as it does nothing for giving you a morning boost. Scientists have revealed that when we wake there is still high levels of stress hormone, cortisol in our bodies that prevents the caffeine from taking full effect. It is worth checking too, the blend of coffee you consume. Robusta beans are
D.Kalloo
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Caribbean Briefs… The government of St Kitts and Nevis are working diligently to improve the water situation that the country is currently facing. According to the Minister for Infrastructure, Post, Urban Development and Transport “A $200,000 water improvement project brought relief to residents in Saddlers who suffered during the drought period without any running water.” Other areas also benefited from the project aimed at system improvements to alleviate the drought crisis in the country. It is part of a $500,000 scheme to ensure that citizens have an adequate supply of running water to meet their needs.
location that are currently without piped water supply. By doing so, it can roll out its commitment of providing water in accordance with the universal access to water project.
Haiti’s interim president has named a new prime minister after the last one was essentially rejected by parliament in the latest chapter of the poor country’s chronic political instability. The new prime minister is Enex JeanCharles, a civil servant and professor of administrative law. He has also served as an adviser to several presidents. His appointment was announced by acting President Jocelerme Privert on Twitter. Haiti has been mired in political crisis since a runoff presidential election in January was suspended amid allegations of fraud on the part of the government. Privert was named acting president to replace the outgoing Michel Martelly and appointed a prime minister in late February – former central bank governor FritzAlphonse Jean. But on Sunday, parliament rejected his programme to form a government, so Jean was basically fired. Privert, whose mandate began February 14 and is to last 120 days, went back to the drawing board and has now turned to JeanCharles.
The government has procured the services of Ocean Earth Technologies to conduct surveys and drill wells to provide a capacity of over one million gallons of water a day. There are plans to carry out similar projects across other areas to facilitate an improve water distribution system. In some instance excess water from some areas can be pumped to communities where supply is dire. There are plans for recommissioning of the desalination plant as a source of potable water. According to the water services, the ’machinery has lying idle at the La Vallee Project for almost ten years’ the plant has the capability to produce nearly one million gallons of water a day to satiate the needs of the people of St Kitts and Nevis. The people of St Kitts and Nevis have been assured that the government is pursuing an island wide survey that will determine the number of households and
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Jean-Charles needs to form a government and get his government programme approved by parliament. The acting president has said he will wait for this to happen before naming members of the electoral commission so the delayed president runoff can finally be held. This is his main task as acting president.
regional airline represents within its 18 destinations across the Caribbean. However, for those who want to participate in the competition, please see details below. The Logo should be creative, original and not previously published; It must not include any material (photographic, icon, symbols etc.) that is copyright protected; must reproduce well in electronic and print media, must remain legible when the size is reduced; and must be visually effective in both colour and greyscale.
Photo and article courtesy Caribbean News Service (CNS
Why is the Head of Corporate Communications at LIAT, Desmond Brown launching a competition giving employees and customers the opportunity to design the company’s 60th anniversary logo?
Participants must reside in any of the 18 destinations served by LIAT and be 18 years or over to enter the competition. Send entries via email up until April 12 2016
Instead, shouldn’t he be more concerned of putting right, the 60 years of terrible service that LIAT has dealt its customers over the decades? LIAT has survived in an environment where they have the monopoly and in true Caribbean style, shown a lackadaisical approach to the manner in which they treat their customers. Lengthy hours of delays, staff deplorable treatment towards customers when information is demanded. The ever increasing nuisance of you arriving and not your bag.
corporatecommunications@liat.com marketing@liat.com
The winning entry will receive four weekend getaways inclusive of flights for two to St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino; the St. James Club Morgan in St. Lucia; the Fairmount Royal Pavilion in Barbados; and Kapok Hotel in Trinidad.
Mr Brown should concentrate on developing a company with impeccable customer service that is legible and transparent with all its customers, regional and international. When this can be achieved I have no qualms about LIAT sourcing from its trusted and loyal staff and customers their ideas and designs for a logo that will truly convey what the
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Every Cook Can Govern: the life, works and impact of CLR James CLR James Film Screening The first in a feature-length documentary to explore the life, writings and politics of one of the Trinidadian-born CLR James will be screened at the Rich Mix in Shoreditch. The film will reveal never before seen footage of CLR James with those he knew and interviews with the world’s most eminent scholars of James’ life, work and politics. Ceri Dingle, the director explores some of James’ best known and, most celebrated works The Black Jacobins (1938) and Beyond A Boundary (1963). The Black Jacobins debunked the myth that aristocratic do-gooders were responsible for the abolition of slavery and tells in gripping fashion from the true story of the successful slave revolution in Haiti. Beyond A Boundary is greatly admired for its celebration of cricket and indictment of colonialism. The film gives a challenging overview of James’ life and an understanding of what it meant to be an uncompromising revolutionary in the 20th Century. The film marks a culmination of a three-year multimedia project arranged by the education charity Worldwrite and its Citizen TV station Worldbytes. The project includes an online knowledge portal featuring filmed lectures, a timeline of James’ life, summaries of his work and recommended reading. The documentary was filmed in Britain, Trinidad and the USA and was aided by over 200 volunteer researchers, transcribers, presenters and filmmakers as well as the expertise of contributors. It was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Trust for London and Esmee Fairbain Foundation and developed in partnership with the British Library, Museum of London, George Padmore Institute, People’s History Museum, Nelson Library, Banyan archives and the University of the West Indies. (Extract from promotional text) Every Cook Can Govern: the life, works and impact of CLR James Saturday 23rd April @12pm Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green road, London, E1 6LA Please book via Eventbrite For further details, visit: www.clrjames.uk Email: world.write@btconnect.com 13
Is Rejection a Destroyer? Rejection can be experienced anywhere along the spectrum of life: from as early as conception to the last breath that we take. But it is the hold that the spirit of rejection has on us that can take root within us. Its stronghold can become so established, that we begin to believe that our situationsurely brought on by the spirit of rejectionshould be pitied. If we don't receive pity or not shown mercy because of our devastating situation, the feeling of rejection can morph into a smorgasbord of emotions such as; anger, defensiveness, despondency, detachment, fear, fatigue and anxiety.
Negativity, another stronghold, prevented the same young man from reaching out to his wife, from fighting for his family when things got tough. He 'knew' that they would push him away. Communication about issues in their marriage would be taken as criticism. A normal back-andforth between them would easily erupt into him feeling attacked. Ultimately, he would become defensive. In situations of this nature, loved ones are left bemused and deeply hurt by this reactive communication.
What then, can drive a person to believe that they are marked for rejection? that it is the primal wound, rejection by a parent that led them to live in bondage. They feared that everyone would reject them. Their insecurity in platonic and romantic relationships ultimately ruined the relationship. Others report that the rejection by their first love crushed them. Every subsequent relationship was judged by the despondency they were left feeling after their first love rejected them.
A prideful and opinionated stance is the standard position of a rejected person. This stance is merely a facade with the sole purpose of deflecting what they perceive are others' thoughts about them: that they are intellectually weaker. Another man reports that he often found himself going head to-head with the apple of his eye, his eldest daughter. The atmosphere between them after discussing issues ranging from trivial to mega important was palpable. Both he and his daughter admit that their self-worth was largely based on their extensive general knowledge. They both always be to be right. It was some sort of attempt to dispel that niggling feeling of rejection. His daughter too, had succumbed to the spirit of rejection. This prideful and opinionated mindset creates divisions and diversion. The rejected begins to separate from loved ones and allow other things to take over their lives; work, socialising, meetings. These diversions lead to the rejected person becoming detached. They fear that they may appear to be less educated than others.
Take the story of a young man. At 19 he fell in love after overcoming shyness. The object of his affection, he reports, was and still is, the love of his life. They had a wonderful relationship and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. There was a misunderstanding one evening, he hit her and knew in that instant that it was over for them. He begged her to take him back, to agree to being his for the rest of her life but she wouldn't. He said, "I knew the moment I hit her that that was it. It hurt and after that, I didn't have a serious relationship for 5 years." He closed his heart for those 5 years, became detached so that he would not be rejected again. He did go on to marry someone he let his guard down for but the strongholds of rejection had become entrenched.
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Rejection creates broken-heartedness. Deep-seated negative emotions can take over the life of a rejected person. One of these emotions is over-sensitivity. Comedians are said to be over sensitive and have to develop strategies to avoid displaying signs of rejection in front of an audience.
A young woman who was repeatedly told by her mother from an early age, that she was not wanted, herself developed these strongholds. Her mother's words were not born of malice but more tragically, out of emotional immaturity. Her mother felt the need to recount over and over how she turned away from the young woman in disgust at how ugly she was when the midwife handed her as a newborn to her mother. Although the young woman did not realise it, this deep-seated spirit of rejection would go on to impel her to speak her own rejection by her husband. After 30 years of him being told to leave and hearing how she expected him to leave her because she knew she wasn't good enough, her fear, ultimately became a reality.
There is the story of a man who was naturally gifted with the ability to make people laugh. In fact, it was one of the things that made his wife fall in love with him and stay in love with him. She admired his quick-witted personality and often boasted to others that her husband's wit was comparable to that her two of her favourite comedy heroes. He could summon up a witty remark about anything and anyone effortlessly. Yet his feelings would be easily hurt if he perceived that he was the brunt of a joke made by his loved ones. There would be feelings of a subtle attack on him in their comedic utterances.
This dark emotion leads to wounding loved ones with harsh words and unfair treatment. We push them away with the seven strongholds of rejection. We make them feel surplus to requirements by our independence. We are oblivious to their gestures of love because of our insecurity. We control situations, especially the ones where they 'want to talk'. We just 'know' that we are going to hear how bad we are. We get easily offended. This dark emotion leads us to feelings of alienation, resentment and guilt. We go on to feel condemned, constantly tormented by our negative emotions and hurt-whispering. The stronghold is established. We see ourselves as a failure, inadequate, unloveable, earmarked for rejection. There is no light at the end of the tunnel so there is no visible point ahead to progress to.
Rejection is not choosy. It can strike anyone of any appearance, any intellect, any time. The depths that we plummet to, can develop into houses of thoughts. These strongholds can stagnate the development of living a rewarding and fulfilling life. Guilt, fear, anxiety manifest as a result of rejection. These weapons are formed in the battlefield of the mind against our soul. Accusation and deception deep inside of us are from the wounds of rejection. It has been proven that bullies were themselves bullied, abused persons often go on to abuse others. In the same way, the rejected go on to reject others. They reject love, sometimes unwittingly, others' opinions and even people themselves.
However, hope is the thing that anchors our soul. It stops us from bobbing about like a boat on turbulent waters. So in the grips of the strongholds, false hope is what we clutch on to. We hope that by alienating ourselves, the problem will get better. We hope that we will stop hurting. We hope that those we rejected will, in 15
time, stop hurting too. After all, time is a great healer isn't it?
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But the chains of the stronghold are broken not just with time but when we deal with the fact that we are in bondage, holding on to emotions that are, however real, also wrong. They are broken when we allow our will, the gentle voice within to tell us that those emotions are wrong. More importantly, we obey that voice and set about crossing the bridge of surrender, making a U-turn.
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When we allow negative emotions to propagate actions, formulate things we speak and enable thoughts to take root and cause us to reject others, it is the antithesis to a rewarding and fulfilling life. We must put the past in the past. We must tend to the bruises and brokenness and embrace loving and being loved, forgiving and forgiveness from the very people we have rejected and who have rejected us.
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Looking Back to Look Forward We are delighted to publish the lecture ‘Looking Back to Look Forward’ delivered by Professor Selwyn R. Cudjoe at SOAS, University of London at the launching of Narratives of Amerindians in Trinidad and Tobago,or Becoming Trinibagonian which took place on 17 March 2016
Intellectual Thought in the Nineteenth Century published by Calaloux Publications in 2003 and distributed by the University of Massachusetts Press. The impetus of Narratives began in the early 1990s. It happened in the following manner. As I researched the historical development of Trinidad and Tobago intellectual thought, I came across a lot of wonderful material on our literature that was buried in long-forgotten newspapers or hidden in various archives. For example, I discovered Lionel Bernard Tronchin’s Inez: The Last of the Aroucas at the Trinidad and Tobago Archives sometime in the 1990s only to be told recently by someone in the archive that she was unable to locate the only copy of the book that the archive had. It is entirely possible, therefore, that this is the only version of Inez: The Last of the Aroucas that is now available.
By Selwyn R. Cudjoe Over the past week I have been grappling with what I should say this evening, and I offer my apologies to Louisa and Josh, respondents to this paper, for not having provided them with any meaningful guidance about how they should have prepared to respond to my opening remarks. The truth is this: I didn’t even know what I wanted to say on this occasion or how to proceed. I hope that my presentation makes up for such uncertainty.
I picked up the other pieces for this collection as I went along.
On reflection, it seems appropriate to talk about the origin of this work, to offer some comments about its contents, and how it was produced.
The first challenge I faced was that many of the pieces in this collection were written in French (such as “Those Who Leapt in Grenada,” “The First Two Martyrs of Trinidad,” “The Misfortune of a Rabbit,” “Letters from the Marquis of Teano to his Daughter,” and “Carib Etymology of Certain Creole Words.”) Many of these pieces were translated by Jacqueline Morin of Sciences Po in Paris.
The events that led up to this work are almost accidental. Although I had been writing about Caribbean literature since the early 1970s when I completed my dissertation, Resistance and the Caribbean Novel, at Cornell University in 1976 (it was expanded to Resistance and Caribbean Literature and published by Ohio University Press in 1980) and V. S. Naipaul: A Materialist Reading (published in 1988 by the University of Massachusetts Press), it was not until the early 1990s that I began to pay special attention to the literature of Trinidad and Tobago and its intellectual origin. The first result of such an exploration was the publication of Beyond Boundaries: Trinidad and Tobago
Around the end of 1990, I was invited to give a lecture at Sciences Po, a rather famous school where most of the French leaders are trained, by Madame Morin who was a lecturer there. We became close friends. Quickly thereafter, I spent my sabbatical year (really a semester) in Paris trying to learn the language and getting to know the city. During that period Madame
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Morin sought to teach me French. She also translated most of these pieces. In some instances, she translated lines and sentences that seemed untranslatable, so bad were the copies of the original materials that I had copied.
ruled exclusively from the Equator to the Virgin Islands.” This is why it is necessary to look in the Carib language for the etymology of the names of places, mountains, rivers, etc., lands the Caribs occupied at the time of the discovery of the American continent.
There is a tragic note here. When the terrorist incident occurred in Paris in November last year, I wrote Madame Morin a letter, via FedEx, to express my sympathy for the tragedy that befell her people and her beautiful city. A week or so later I received a call from FedEx saying that they were unable to deliver the letter. Madame Morin had died. Should they destroy the letter or return it to me? I asked that they return it. I don’t think Madame Morin was a victim of that attack. I only mean to suggest that it was unfortunate that she was not alive to share in the happiness that this publication would have brought her. She would have been happy that I was able, after all these years, to publish this exciting work.
Such a description allows us to make sense of words such as gua-na, calalou, hammock, Guyayaguayare, Chacachacare, Tabago, and Guarajaro from which the French got the word Ortoire or Guarapouche from which the French got the word Oropouche. And how about this explanation for the origin of the name Trinidad itself? R. de M. says: According to the authors who have written about the primitive story of Trinidad, this island was called “Yere” or Cairi by the aborigines. But “Yere” is not Carib, as far as I can judge, and caire if it is Carib means the earth which boils, which is a rather plausible etymology given the numerous little volcanoes (mud volcanoes) which are in the South-West part of the island. The island could also be called “Land of the Hummingbirds” or “Yere” in Tamanac or in Aranguac, because the Tamanacs and the Aranguacs and other tribes lived then in Trinidad along with Caribs. But the language of these diverse tribes was more or less different from Carib.
“Carib Etymology of Certain Creole Words,” another exciting find, was translated by Adrian Bockian in 2008. Formerly a student at Wellesley, and now a schoolteacher in New Jersey, Adrian has gone on to become a translator of note. When I discovered “Carib Etymology of Certain Creole Words,” I was ecstatic. I wasn’t aware of any etymology of Carib words that was produced in Trinidad. After all, I had come from Tacarigua that was named after one of the many Carib groups that had settled in the island. In his introduction to this very insightful work, R. de M. notes: In his book entitled Essai Politique de la Nouvelle Espagne, the famous Alexandre de Humboldt says the following with regard to primitive inhabitants of Mexico and in addition inhabitants of the rest of America: “The Caribes or Caribs, after having wiped out the Cabres, conquered a considerable part of Southern America. They
Aricagua, Tacarigua are Carib names indicating the settling in these places of Carib tribes with the same name. The word “Caroni” means in Carib “our river.” It is probable that this race dominated alongside this great river. The Chaguanas (Chu-guana, eater18
lizard) would also seem to be, according to their name, Caribs.
Instinctively, he begins with the mixed-up (perhaps interracial is a better word) nature of the Trinidadian, a cosmopolitanism that keep us in check and which explains our tolerance for one another. Significantly, he embodies his search for his Trinidadianness his work of the same title. Valerio explains his interracial heritage:
Anyone who is interested in the history of Trinidad could not but be fascinated by the roots of so many words that have become so familiar and notable in the island. R. de M. premised his search of the roots of these Carib names by drawing on the work of Alexandre de Humboldt, the German scholar who, was one of the most famous men of the 19th century, the person responsible for revealing to Europeans the wonders of the Latin American world. Not only did he describe South America as a continent of unrivaled beauty, he also refuted the negative things that GeorgesLouis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, the French naturalist, said about Latin America especially since he had not been there to see for himself. According to Humboldt, the indigenous people of Latin America were anything but feeble: “One look at the Carib nation in Venezuela [from which the Amerindians from Trinidad came] rebutted the wild musings of the European scientists. He [Humboldt] had encountered the tribe on his way from the Orinoco to Cumana and thought they were the tallest, strongest, and most beautiful people he had ever seen—like bronze statues from Jupiter” (Andrea Wulf, The Invention of Nature (2015).
My father and mother were known respectively as Jose Tiburcio Valerio and Eleonore Valerio, both being natives of the island. From them I have inherited a natural legacy.…This legacy consists of a mixture of three strains in my blood: the Caucasian, the Indian, and the Negro. My father, a man of small stature, was born of white and Indian parents, and, in color and other external characteristics, would have had no difficulty in passing for a white man. My mother, a dark skinned woman, also of small size, and very kindly disposition, is descended from the Negro and the Carib Indian, the latter being now almost extinct on the island. Humboldt had written that the “restless activity of large communities of men gradually despoil the face of the earth” (The Invention of Nature, 288). He also said that the natural world was linked to the political and moral history of humanity “from imperial ambitions that exploited colonial crops to the migration of plants along the paths of ancient civilizations” (The Invention of Nature, 288). Like Humboldt, Valerio’s autobiography forces us to reflect on a world in which people seems to live in harmony with nature. As to their ways of life and perceived laziness, James Hamilton’s letter to Governor Lewis Grant offers an important corrective.
Humboldt also made an interesting observation about the Carib language. He said: “The Carib language was so sophisticated that it included abstract concepts such as future and eternity. There was no evidence of the poverty of language that previous explorers had remarked on, Humboldt said, because these languages brought together richness, grace, power and tenderness” (161). Eusebio Atanasio Valerio’s The Sieges and Fortunes of a Trinidadian in Search of a Doctor’s Diploma recounted the life of an Amerindian. It is one of the few autobiographies that we have about the life of this group of Trinidadians.
There are other compelling stories in Narratives. It begins with an early description of the island in 1803 if only to suggest that when the English arrived in 19
the past” from which she concludes, “By looking back, Marsh was looking forward” (297).
1797 there were still thriving Carib communities in places such as Toco and Cumana. It is a rather long extract but it captures the state of the island when the English encounter took place. Jean-Ch. De St Avit’s “The First Two Martyrs of Trinidad” records a turbulent part of our history when the missionary zeal of our Christian friends conflicted with the freedom-loving ways of our ancestors. In this context, the dramatist reminds us that he is dealing with fact rather than fiction even though he chooses to capture that historical moment in drama rather than in poetry or prose.
This is the case I want to make for Narratives of Amerindians in Trinidad and Tobago; or, Becoming Trinbagonian. As we move forward into the uncertainties of our world, we may tend to be timid and afraid. However, we can understand ourselves a little bit better when we try to envisage what our ancestors looked like, the hardships they endured, and how they managed to stay alive in spite of the many obstacles that they encountered. We owe it to ourselves to know a little bit more about that generation of heroes and how they confronted their world.
Readers will have to discover the other notable aspects of this text for themselves. Here is the intriguing story of Inez as told by Tronchin, a figure that any serious Trinidadian should know about and in whom we see the intellectual seeds of J. J. Thomas, Eric Williams, and C. L. R. James. There is also the drama of Lewis Osborne Inniss, Trinidad’s premier folklorist of the 19th century, a figure of whom we know precious little. I am almost sure that a reader would be fascinated by the poetry of Montgomerie E. Corbie, whose high-flown language is very much Trinidadian in that it reflects our penchant for displaying our knowledge and demonstrating that “no body better dan we.” I am grateful to Mary Lefkowitz, Professor Emerita of Classical Studies at Wellesley College, for proving an annotation for this wonderful poem. These narratives of Trinidadian life are compelling vistas into the lives of Trinidadians of the nineteenth century. These narratives offer lucent vantage points from which to view our social, political, and cultural development in a period that is usually hidden from our gaze; a people whom we sometimes place beyond the pale, and a civilization that continues to remain opaque in the national gaze. In her wonderful book on the life of Alexandre von Humboldt, Andrea Wulf quotes George Perkins Marsh, an American naturalist, as saying: “The future is more uncertain than
Professor Selwyn R. Cudjoe
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Youth unemployment in the Caribbean Youth unemployment is a global issue and, while statistics focus generally on developed countries, often, what is usually termed as ‘developing’ or ‘third world’ countries are simply left behind when sourcing a global solution.
internet penetration is less than 25 percent as many households don’t have home computers, making it difficult for the younger generation to engage proficiently with the digital age and as a source of enhancing their skills and technology in an ever changing employment environment.
The Caribbean is one such example with youth unemployment in some countries having rates of up to 40 per cent. According to Carib Journal, the unemployment rate in Jamaica, the region’s largest island there is a ‘frightening statics, almost two-thirds of its unemployed are in the 25-44 age group’ with a 40 per cent unemployment rate. According to Dr Marcia Forbes writing in Carib Journal, “Youth unemployment and underemployment are cancers that eat away at the psychological well-being of Caribbean youth.” Thus leaving many of the younger generation disillusioned and disappointed with future prospects.
A study carried out by the Caribbean Development Bank, found that while a lack of work ethic was a contributing element to underemployment, it also found; the state of the economy, structure of the labour market, lack of experience and knowledge of vacancies, plus constraints of opportunity due to stigma and discrimination owing to ‘social class or political affiliation’ contributed to rising unemployment among the young generation today. One major issue raised by Dr Warren Smith, president of the CDB was the need to tackle poverty. Dr Smith said, “Part of the solution requires that we identify new sources of economic growth.” Building diversified economies is key to development and log-term sustainability in the region, especially in countries that are solely dependent on tourism. It is time for CARICOM seek a solution to address this chronic state of unemployment among the region’s youth. Finding new, working strategies to reduce poverty and create opportunities for the future generation.
In the digital age, many employers are demanding digital skills in the work place. However, it has emerged that Caribbean youths don’t see the internet as a ‘place for finding jobs’ instead, they see the internet as a platform for entertainment. Here they can watch movies, play games, engage in pornography and according to Forbes, topping the list is ‘Facebooking, accounting for 59.5 per cent’ of online activity. In many of the smaller islands,
While there is a concentrated effort by Caribbean organisations to foster a solution to this growing unemployment crisis among the youth, world bodies such as the UN are seemingly distant from participating in alleviating the problem in the region.
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Richard Rampersad…my art is a true mirror of my mind. conviction, “I saw Visual Communication as a powerful tool of self-expression, problem solving and enquiry.” His works certainly convey a powerful message impelling the viewer to look deeper into the emotive works displayed before them. His figurative pieces, using the female form, garners a wide spectrum of emotions while his use of colour is both provocative and enquiring to varying depths.
Richard Rampersad belongs to that new generation of talented artists emerging out of Trinidad and Tobago. Richard was born in Valsyn, Trinidad in 1990 where he grew up and began his art education. He graduated from Vishnu Boys Hindu College then embarked on a Certificate in Visual Art, then pursued a degree programme at the University of the West Indies in Visual Arts graduating in 2013 with Fisrt Class Honors. Rampersad specialises in figurative painting and Ceramics and uses subjects from the fabric of the cosmopolitan and culturally rich diversity of his homeland to express his art. His artistic career and achievements have been extraordinary and, is hailed as one of the ‘most influential figurative painters in the Contemporary Caribbean Art’ realm.
In his first solo exhibition titled ‘Subjectivity, Ambivalence and the Contemporary Imagination at the Art Society in Port of Spain, Rampersad has
Art certainly wasn’t part of Richard’s upbringing. It was only after graduating from secondary school that he made the decision to follow an artistic path. He has gratitude for his mother who, he says has, “always been very influential and motivating” as he pursued his dreams. Asked why he choose art as a career path, he answered with admirable
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stamped his authority and established himself as one of the leading artists of his time. Many artists explore various subjects and, the human body has been one of the most expressive subjects for centuries. Rampersad explains why he has chosen to explore the female form. “I use of the female figure as an object for exploration. I present haunting concepts of alienation, isolation, ambivalence, disconnection and anticipation, conveying the idea of transient temporality that exists in most moments of our daily lives. My engagement with the figure, explores a variety of social, political and personal issues.� To the observer, it only takes a quick glimpse and instantly, these attributes are visible in his works. There is
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that lonely, awkward and lost portrayal in his subjects: each composition asserting a particular state of being, creating speculation and with the ability to speak directly to the observer. Rampersad embraces identities, cultures, struggles and achievements in his art. One of his murals chosen to form part of the City of Port of Spain’s 100th anniversary celebrations, depicts the invention of the steelpan and the arduous task of building the iconic Hindu Temple in the Sea. He appears to have such ease of merging struggles and achievements with effortless strokes to convey an extension of his thoughts. He says; “My imagery responds to the realistic and abstract nature of an idea or narrative. What I do informs me how I do it…as my art is a true mirror of my mind.”
Richard Rampersad can be contacted @ richardrampersad@hotmail.com Photos: 1 Richard Rampersad, 2 Desolation, Oscillation, Asphyxiation, 3 Inward Cry for everything but Nothing, 4 To Live Doesn’t mean You’re Alive, 5 Upside Down, 6 Strange Days. All photographs supplied by the artist.
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Africa Rising Agriculture in African seems on the verge of turning a corner and set to become a major player in food production of the continent. Drought has been the biggest stumbling block for African agriculture especially in areas such as northern Ethiopia where crops shrivel and livestock perish.
of food processing factories. One example is producing cocoa powder for export instead of cocoa beans. There is more profit to gain from processed cocoa than the unprocessed beans. There is a great demand for meat and processed foods as Africa’s cities continue to grow at a phenomenal rate. It is an opportunity for local farmers to meet this need. There is great investment needed to accomplish this as the cost of farmers getting their produce from one point to the other far outweigh the proceeds of the goods. Better rural roads and regulation of the cartels that control trucking would help to bring down the cost of transportation thus enabling farmers to deliver and reduce waste. Getting fertiliser to farms would also become cheaper. Infrastructure in land management is crucial and, making land collateral loans available to farmers could bring the much need boost to long term growth for farming in the region.
Today, Africa is improving. When the green revolution transformed Asia, it had bypassed Africa altogether with Asian farmers produced up to ‘three time more grain per hectare’ than their African counterparts. Between 2000 and 2014, African countries like Ethiopia, Zambia, Mali and Rwanda tripled their grain production. A number of factors are responsible for this dramatic change in African farming revolution. There had been an explosion of hybrid seeds resistant to drought and disease as well as farmers being able to trade in the open markets and not restricted by border tariffs and the region itself is said to be ‘more peaceful’ and better run.
Governments in the region are optimistic of the current developments of agriculture and are working to dismantle remaining ‘barriers to innovation into farming’ however, infrastructure for this is not expected to happen overnight. Africa are being urged into moving into the dynamics 25
The Arts versus Business: Are Oil Companies The Right Sponsors For Museums? By R.A.C. Kalloo Much like any other young adult, one of the first things I do of a morning is pick up my phone to see what I've missed overnight. Although I'll firstly check social apps that help me connect with my friends and university peers like YikYak and Facebook; I also check Flipboard and the 'trending news' section of Facebook. Usually the hot topics are celebrity based, a part of popular culture that I find it hard to engage with. But in my perusing this morning, the topic "the British Museum" was among those trending. Being a History undergraduate, a frequent visitor to the British Museum, and the British Museum being the topic of my dissertation; naturally it caught my interest.
believe that oil company logos represent a stain on our cultural institutions." Founded in 2004, their belief is that by institutions allowing these companies to provide sponsorship to them, it endorses the use of fossil fuels and is false altruism to compensate for environmental damage, such as the infamous Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010. Their stance is one that argues that oil companies are no longer the right sponsors for the Arts, due to the public's changing and increased understanding of fossil fuels and their impact on the Earth. They argue that just as tobacco companies are no longer seen as respectable corporate sponsors, oil companies such as Shell and BP no longer should be either.
Upon further reading, it transpires that the British Museum is under scrutiny from the group Art Not Oil, for its corporate ties with BP, one of the British Museum's 28 corporate sponsors and members. The campaign for the British Museum to end its allegiance with BP has been running since September 2015, and has garnered support from prominent figures and celebrities such as Mark Ruffalo, Emma Thompson, Margaret Atwood, and shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
While Art Not Oil's intentions are noble, it then follows that we should call into question the other 27 corporate sponsors of the British Museum. The other corporate partners include organisations such as Genel Energy, a gas and oil company based in Jersey; Japan Tobacco
Art Not Oil is, in their words, a "crosssection of people - artists, cultural event and gallery-goers, environmentalists, human rights activists and others - who 26
International (JTI); Goldman Sachs; and Merrill Lynch. Art Not Oil's stance with regards to BP then becomes questionable due to their lack of visible angst towards Genel and JTI - both of whom, in their own manifesto, are deemed unsuitable sponsors for an arts institution. Similarly, banking corporations such as Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs have been fined and have come under scrutiny in the past few years for financial misconduct and the profit margins after being bailed out, respectively. Does this mean that we, as the general public, should campaign for these corporations to end their sponsorship of the British Museum too, due to the increasing public understanding of banking corruption?
sponsor and maintain our heritage, we are, effectively, choosing only to tell the best side of our story. And if we decide that every corporate sponsor of our arts institutions is unsuitable, we will be left with no arts to be able to enjoy. The British Museum does not endeavour to conceal cultures and civilisations in fear of its reputation being tarnished. So why should we expect BP to end its sponsorship of the British Museum just because they have been the perpetrators of a global atrocity too? While BP's sponsorship may be a way to assuage their guilt over the Gulf of Mexico incident, as Art Not Oil suggest, it is without doubt that their sponsorship and support is vital in keeping the British Museum open, and vital in allowing the public to even debate this issue in the first place.
The British Museum, in Bloomsbury, London, was founded by Sir Hans Sloane with his personal collection of 71,000 items bequeathed to the public in his will in 1753, and is the world's first national public museum. It is now home to over eight million objects, has ten curatorial departments and provides Masters and short courses outsides of the events and exhibitions it holds for the public and members. As a charity registered organisation, it relies heavily on public donations and corporate sponsorship to keep its doors open for the 6 million people that visit each year. While we do have a responsibility to maintain the planet we live on while developing in a sustainable manner, we also have a duty to preserve heritage individual and global - for future generations. By dictating which organisations we deem 'appropriate' to 27
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