Culture experts voice need for more lessons in musical

[Hortical]

Curtis Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Culture experts voice need for more lessons in musical heritage

With more than one entertainer voicing the sentiment that Jamaica has ceased to be the reggae capital of the world, perhaps there is no better time to teach children about Jamaica's musical heritage.
According to Dr Donna Hope Marquis, senior lecturer/director at the Institute of Caribbean Studies and Reggae Studies Unit at The University of the West Indies, cultural education should be taught in Jamaican schools.


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Dr. Marquis is seeking comments....

[TDowl]

"I remain amazed and even annoyed at the fact that more than 80 per cent of students who take my courses on Jamaican music, have absolutely no knowledge of the history and development of our culture. They are very au fait with what is current, and also what is American, but they do not know the founding fathers and mothers of our musical history and they do not know about the important watershed moments in this development,"

I bet 60% or more of Musicians & Singers do not know, also I would like for her give a synopsis of the " ounding fathers and mothers of our musical history".

[Historian]

Good Point, 'Dowl

I bet 60% or more of Musicians & Singers do not know, also I would like for her give a synopsis of the " ounding (sic) fathers and mothers of our musical history".

I fully agree with you here, TDowl.

There is no question in my mind that cultural studies SHOULD be included as a part of the curriculum in all Jamaican schools, and not merely as an elective subject. But we already have a large number of subjects competing for attention, and so to solve this problem of too many subjects, such cultural studies could be included as a major component of a new civics curriculum, and should be MORE than merely the teaching of reggae and dancehall history!

Our culture is already rich, thanks to the immense contributions of individuals like Louise Bennett, Olive Lewin, Rex Nettleford,Trevor Rhone, Basil Walters, and countless other hugely important pace setters.To dilute our cultural heritage by limiting it merely to a study of reggae and dancehall history would be yet another great disservice to the people ofJamaica.