Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Adziko Simba (left) delivers poetry while M'Bala plays the drums at 'Gender Fever 2006', staged by Women's Media Watch at Weekenz, Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, on Tuesday evening. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
It was a time to deal with 'power', 'sexuality', 'politics' and 'liberation'.
- Fae Ellington
'GENDER FEVER 2006', staged by the Women's Media Watch, took place at Weekenz on Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, on Tuesday night. It was a night which combined much poetry, a little music and a touch of dance and storytelling.
'Gender Fever 2006' was aimed at raising funds for the Women's Media Watch's charities and, according to Fae Ellington, who hosted the first half of the show, in her introduction to the night it was a time to deal with 'power', 'sexuality', 'politics' and 'liberation', essentially gender, while still managing to be entertaining.
By the end of the night it was clear that the term 'gender' was somehow still inexorably linked to 'woman business', but yet there were some interesting pieces that cut right into issues related to both genders.
DEALING WITH THE MEN
So, with the exception of a few performances, there was little that dealt with men. Those that came, however, were significant. Chief among these was Adziko Simba's poetry, which cut into the heart of gender stereotypes from both sides of the fence. Built on wonderfully insightful irony, she chastised men and women for forgetting the humanity of the other sex as we buy into stereotypes and misconceptions.
Poet and percussionist M'Bala, who accompanied Adziko, also took his poetic jab at gender issues, this time looking at the ultra macho man, as perpetuated by the DJs who 'love' women so much they cannot "bade wid im baby madda rag".
Mel Cooke delivered a slice of manhood from the aspect of fatherhood, and with a few short poems and a letter to his daughters, showed his 'feminine' side, or rather, a rather masculine take on sensitivity. He declared himself an 'overgrown boy' of few ambitions other than to one day have his daughters 'sing' him 'home' because he has been a good father.
The take on men was also added to by Ishion. Though he began with a piece celebrating his mother, Morning Mother, he then moved to Bryan's Bay, which is a piece to a distant father and a young boy's changing reactions to being abandoned. His final poem, Woodcutter, was rather entertaining despite the poet's attempt at a Trinidadian accent.
Amina Blackwood Meeks delivered two stories which cut through issues of stereotype to present interesting looks at women. The first, Kiss Mi Granny, using her character 'Miss Lady', with a little insight from the delightful child 'Jing Bang', cut through the idea of women being ashamed of their age. It also poked fun at overinflated ideas of chastity with the short, hilarious prayer "Holy Mother of God, you who conceived without original sin, help us to sin without conceiving".
Her second piece was the tragic tale of Eva. The story turns the folk song of Eva, the "falla line gyal", on its head and instead presents the tale of a woman beset by wagging tongues as she tries to overcome the trials and tribulations which eventually overcome her.
GRAPHIC ABOUT ABUSE
Abuse also had its fare share of attention. Damali, performing Just So, looked at the wholesale slaughter and rape of children that has recently beset the island. Italee also added to this with I Want You Dead and Catholic Voices, two pieces which were ear-blisteringly graphic in their talk about abuse of boys and girls.
Through the words of her father, Taitu looked at verbal sexual harassment. Then with Kamau to KAO, she turned to men who are unable to commit fully to relationships, before taking a satiric turn at those white collared criminals (and the women who protect them), whose supposed respectability keep them from being called plainly 'tief'.
The night also featured performances by Tuff Tuff Triangle, Lady Renee, Royal African Soldiers, Ras Rod, Claudette Powell and a dance by Neila Ebanks. With slashing militant words Cherry Natural brought the night to a satisfactory close.
