Copyright Heritage: Preservation, Carnival and the State in Trinidad

Abstract

This essay addresses the place of Carnival in the creation of a national cultural narrative in Trinidad and Tobago and examines the role that such a narrative plays in the formation of a coherent national cultural identity. The paper is organized in two parts: The first section looks at the process of cultural heritage preservation in relation to the Trinidad Carnival. The second looks at the effects of preservation on middle class women who participate in Carnival. Positioning the Carnival as a central expressive form in a cultural identity that transcends ethnic, class or gender divisions has long been part of the nationalist agenda in Trinidad. Recently, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has pursued the possibility of copyrighting certain aspects of the festival to prevent their theft, degradation or misappropriation by both locals and foreigners. This paper describes how a "sit-down" protest during the Carnival by one of Trinidad's most popular masquerade groups set off a discussion about the true spirit of Carnival. The ensuing debate highlighted the narrative about Carnival and its history that is most valued by the state and demonstrated the ways in which acts of preservation and protection of heritage serve to exclude significant portions of the population, most notably women. Finally, the paper shows how certain parties control the formation of heritage and culture, and seek global endorsement for their brokerage of national cultural identity. [Trinidad, Carnival, nationalism, heritage, copyright, intellectual property, gender].

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