As soon as I read the news on the Barbados Free Press (BFP) blog, I fell into a trance, shaking uncontrollably, and flailing my arms about – as if dancing with the late oracular octopus Paul.
My usual orderly, rational thought processes gave way to extravagant, tangential speculation. Visions triggered as much by the BFP’s reputation for breaking stories that no other indigenous Barbados news source would touch (not counting this England-based Barbadian writer’s efforts) as by that blog’s speculation about the kind of issues Oprah would address as she explored the background of one of pop music’s most influential stars.
“You can bet that Oprah’s staff have already decided the big messages of the show – and Rihanna hasn’t even opened her mouth yet,” opines my BFP reporting compatriot.
And referring to a short promotional film that accompanies the story the article suggests that Ms. Winfrey’s intent is to “to feature some of Barbados ‘where it all began’ for Rihanna” and offers the cryptic conclusion, “I guess that means the audience won’t just be seeing the Platinum Coast” – a reference to the prime stretch of real estate on Barbados’ west coast that recently attracted international media attention with the announcement of the tragic, drug-related death of one of its wealthy expatriate tenants, Eva Rausing.
Rausing shared a luxurious, west coast Barbados second home with her similarly drug-addicted husband Hans Christian Rausing, heir to the multi-billion Tetra Pak fortune.
As the thought of that geographical connection occurred, my mind raced swiftly, and as if with tentacles, tagged a story I had recalled in which the BFP linked Rihanna herself with illegal drug use - in Ri Ri’s case, marijuana.
Would Oprah be touching on that alleged illegal behaviour? Or might she just restrict herself to questions about Rihanna’s alleged alcohol addiction.
On this the BFP writer is mum.
My compatriot instead speculates that Oprah may focus on issues dear to her own heart, including human rights, race relations and gay rights.
“Barbados certainly provides the proper locale for a look at inter-racial relations in the past and now”, notes the writer.
And he/she says “Rihanna’s previous public comments that she was bullied at school for being ‘white’ could come up in the conversation.”
The article continues “I wonder if Oprah will interview Member of Parliament Gline Clarke about his racist statements against ‘rich white boys’? Perhaps she’ll interview SIR Roy Trotman about why he derided Diamonds International Director Jacob Hassid for being ‘an Egyptian Jew’”.
“Maybe Oprah will as Trotman if he spit on the ground when he said the word “Jew”. Once again, we’ll have to see” the article concludes.
But Oprah is also known for her strong political opinions and activism.
And there has been plenty of local and other media attention around Robin Rihanna Fenty’s at times strained relations with Barbadian politicians.
It came to the fore around the time of late, latterly disgraced Barbadian Prime Minister David Thompson’s funeral.
Speculation was rife at that time as to whether or not Rihanna would attend the funeral.
I recall reading one article – or was it just a comment on Facebook? – that argued Rihanna was indebted to the Barbados government and was therefore obligated to observe the national ritual around his demise, felled by pancreatic cancer.
The BFP is surprisingly reserved on the gay rights issue as well.
No mention then, of another Barbadian musician – the lesser known calypsonian John King - coming out against allegations that he was caught participating in a homosexual orgy of some sort, where prominent Barbadian politicians were also in attendance.
Given Rihanna’s frankness about her own sexual predilections – especially her pining for the pains of sadomasochism – it is conceivable that Oprah may want to inquire into the historic, cultural and other influences behind Barbadians’ sexual orientation and expression.
It may have been the Rastafarian elder, Ras Iral Talma, or one of my other Barbadian Rastafarian friends of old that introduced me to the Amerindian term “Ichirouganaim."
This term, according to Talma was used by the indigenous Arawak Indians who preceded Barbados’ European settlers – and were possibly exterminated by the Europeans – to identify the island, based on its shape.
The name Ichirouganaim, says Talma, if I recall correctly, roughly translates ”big fat red woman, laying on her side."
I could be wrong, but that is how I recall the translation, and I don’t think I’m far off – if off at all – what was said by Talma or whichever Rastafarian brother it was who supplied this information.
The point though, is that this image of the “red woman” recalls that of another famous (or should that be notorious) female Barbadian entertainment icon, born around 1753: Rachel Pringle.
Barbadians at home and abroad will immediately appreciate the potent symbolism of the racial classification “redness” – as indeed would their Jamaican, Trinidadian and other Caribbean counterparts.
And I can even recall the presumed sexual liberalism (or licentiousness), in particular, of “red people” being commented on by one of my secondary school teachers – latterly turned politician.
I refer here to Mr. Rawle Eastmond, now retired member of the Barbados Parliament for one constituency in St. James - the parish in which Barbados’ Platinum Coast, the Rausing home-away-from-home and, supposedly, the highest concentration of gay people in Barbados may be found.
Note the reference to Mr. Eastmond’s education at St. James Mixed School in his biography on the Barbados Labour Party’s website (http://www.blp.org.bb/?q=hon-rawle-eastmond).
I don’t know which historical or cultural sources Winfrey and her team may have researched in preparation for her interview with Rihanna.
Nor have I yet viewed the interview clip on the BFP website.
But given Winfrey’s reputation for penetrative, thorough evaluation of complex matters, and Rihanna’s own apparent capacity to bare her soul – among other things - I am expecting considerably more from these two women’s conversation than an exhibition of the “visual fluff” that the BFP writer is worried about.
I am expecting a moral, historical and cultural excavation, approximating the empathic depth and dexterity that this article – and the sequel (at least one) that is to follow - offers.
I have yet to explore issues around the racial classification and identity of the Caribbean’s “red men," men like the late PM Thompson, calypsonian King, Jamaica’s Michael Manley and Edward Seaga and the ruddy U.S. President Barack Obama and his Barbadian-descended Attorney General, Eric Holder.
Were these mixed-race “red men” blighted by virtue simply of their colour - as some militant Barbadian Pan Africanists and Aryan supremacists might argue.
Or are they icons of human potential, as I, Dr. Viola Davis (author of The Creative Use of Schizophrenia In Caribbean Writing), Nobel winning Caribbean writer Derek Walcott and other moderate Pan Africanists may hold.
Are mixed-race or Creole people doomed from the womb, or are they potential exemplars of Caribbean and other multicultural peoples’ capacity to juggle complex issues and still hold things in tension – rather like a multi-armed octopus?
Junior Campbell is based in London, England, United Kingdom
Culled from AllVoice.com
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