Voices of the Crying Youth Post Mortume

The event was a lovely one. The organizers made a grand effort with the space and decoration available. The created ambiance was nothing short of impressive, with floating tea lights in whine glasses, coloured stones. The white table clothes set a lunar glow in the semi lit room once the main lights were turned off and the smooth utterance of jazz music on the keyboard lulled one into attention, almost whispering that 'something grand is happening here tonight, right now and you are about to witness it first hand'

the entire night would have been little short of perfect. However, provided  that this was an event planned by a hand full of people with no sponsorship and little more than a dream?! You do what you can with what you've got after all! One surely can not find themselves complaining. :)

*The program

*Earlier on while still setting up

Now this really impressed me, perhaps i am the only one? The current Prime Minister of Grenada actually came out to listen to 'the cry of the youth' Now i am used to these kinds of dignitaries being invited and sending a representative, out of courtesy i imagine but low and behold, when we're setting up, in walk his security!

Protocol dictates however that once the Prime Minister is present the show must be under way, we apparently must never have him waiting and what not. Now out of respect for country and the 'office of the Prime Minister' that is to say, the position it self that is reliant on the people of the country to continue to hold in a place of importance and worth thus giving backbone and validity to the laws that we ourselves set FOR self and country, I understand and respect this and was happy to cooperate. (did you glance the 1/16th law student in me there for a second? ;))

Minister for Youth paying attention

It was a wonderful show, i love being a part of events like this, events that lend a voice to a purpose. So many issues had the light shed on them in the dark places and corners in which they had crawled to hide. Issues like child abuse, unemployment, achievement, equality, aimless trends, loss of identity.

 We speak SO much about breaking the silences but how much do we take action? How much do we dare to say, not behind the closed doors but out in the public what we gossip about with neighbours and friends? Talk of parents who pull the covers up when children are being raped down the halls and people who ignore any identity that differs from their own?

Poets light a candle for youth issues

 Ofcourse a show as wonderful as this is not without it's pit falls and as a performer i do have my gentle criticisms. one can either take or leave..

In fact, had the lighting and sound been expertly tended to specifically enhance performances it would have been a large improvement. However i can not blame the organizers for this, they did make available an opportunity for rehearsals. As a performer i found myself there so that i could see the stage and intended layout, so that i could work myself and piece to suit and represent a certain level of preparedness, so that when the event happened nothing was new to me.

One thing that did grind my gears however is that performers could have been made more unwaveringly aware of the line up. When i perform i put time and thought into my delivery. So when you tell me i am going 14th and the the 7th person called is my name it throws me off, what if i have props? What if i have a companion?  To receive a professionally delivered piece please present me with a professional handling. After all it is not enough to act like we are great, we must BE great.

This one is a light hearted one,  maybe refreshments for the performers. Now the budget for this event WAS zero dollars and zero cents so that can be easily excused but still, some water would be nice.  ;) You would not believe what happen to a performers body before, during and after a performance!

Cast of performers

All photos except for the ones starred(*) are copyright Tok'ra Noecell.

There comes a point when we must assess our selves; do we only break the silence when it is convenient? Or do we dare to make things SO uncomfortable in the room that no body can ignore the issues and frustration because they have creped so close to their face, crawled so deep into their ears that their whispers...have becoming a constant and unceasing cry, an alarm even, that demands to be tended to!

Peace. Love. Voice.