Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

The Benefits of Carnival Arts in Teaching – The Case Studies
4.20 Yaa Asantewaa - The Yaa Asantewaa Carnival Masquerade Group in West London holds
half-term and Easter projects based on carnival arts. Tutors use elements of drama for the
children to explore situations and they are encouraged to research their projects and record
the information. A Yaa spokesperson said, “Themes are explored through the child’s eyes and
they are encouraged to interpret them. On the whole, it is very much a social-educational
activity. People work together. They are forced to work together. It is a group thing and
everything enhances the understanding of the concept.
4.21 Calypso in Schools Project - In June 2001, the Association of British Calypsonians (ABC)
launched its Calypso in Schools project with a grant from Westminster Council’s Education
(Lifelong Learning) Committee. The aims of the project are: to develop understanding and
appreciation of calypso in children aged 4-16, and with their teachers, enable calypso to be
developed as a new British folk sound; make children and teachers aware of the tradition and
ethos of calypso; develop children’s abilities to compose and perform calypso; enhance and
develop music, writing, creative and interactive skills; develop inter-personal skills and
potential work opportunities; and enable children to take part in ABC’s junior Calypso
Monarch competition.
4.22 ABC uses an innovative approach in teaching calypso. Instead of approaching it solely as a
musical genre, the group links it to the school curricula. Pupils learn about history and social
history. They are given an insight into its slavery background and how calypso is a derivation
of minstrels singing. An element of geography is introduced so that children learn about
Calypso and its journey from Africa to the Caribbean. Literacy is explored through writing
calypsos and poetry, while communication skills are enhanced as children analyse their reasons
for choosing a winner after watching a video of the Junior Calypso Monarch Competition.
Music becomes a lesson in rhythms and dance is based on basic calypso steps.
4.23 ABC workshop facilitator, Wendy Cutler hopes to change the perception of calypso as ‘older
people’s music’ that is only played at parties and promote it as a British art form that can
appeal to the young. She gives examples of calypso variations across Canada that is
influenced by where people live. To this effect, Cutler, a former teacher, thinks that British
calypso could be a crossover between garage, house and other popular sounds. She is
confident of change because that “it is the nature of the music”, which changes over time.
Rapso, Chutney and Mozart are given as examples of this. Further development of the ABC
schools programme is contained in its five-year development plan and Cutler is currently
working on a schools’ work pack with Celia Burgess-Macey and Ruth Tompsett. ABC hopes to
hold in-service training days in the near future.
4.24 ‘Carnival in Schools’ of the Inner London Education Authority - The Inner London
Education promoted carnival arts in education. One of the first openings for steel bands in
schools was via ILEA. Many of the steel band tutors had connections with the mas camps and
they would recommend people. In the late 1980s, ILEA implemented a Caribbean Focus Year
whereby they funded certain projects with a focus on Caribbean Culture. Celia Burgess-Macey
who worked on their Multi ethnic education review journal and Trevor Carter, Inspector for
multi ethnic community education, were part of the team. The aim was to promote cultural
issues in schools and both Burgess-Macey and Carter went to Trinidad to look at carnival in
schools. The trip led to the production of a draft pack of materials. However, it did not get
published as ILEA was disbanded.
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