Friday , March 29 2024

Opinion: Saba Day program contains no culture.

Dear Editor,

With Saba Day celebrations just days away, I have taken note of the program line up.

How sad it is that the entire weekend activities do no have not even one single cultural event on it. For those of you who kept informed or even went to Statia for their celebrations, you could see many cultural activities that were displayed.

I had the opportunity to attend Bonaire Day both this year and last year and what a pleasure to witness a lot of folkloric events and cultural things.

Sadly, here in Saba, people just have Saba Day as a 3 day carnival celebrated in the month of December. This is just to encourage our youngsters to drink. I ask myself for whose benefit is this, that Saba Day will be celebrated every night with a different band from oversees and not a single cultural show? Don’t tell me that games and target shooting are a form of a cultural event, because it is not.

Where are the days that we used to have events such as the egg in the spoon, jumping in the bag, the greasy pig, and I can go on and on. Saba your culture is no longer! and I blame our government for this.

Commissioner of Culture how can you allow the beauty of Saba Day in its entirety to dwindle away. Its not carnival! carnival was in July! This is our national day. Again I ask the question: for whose benefit is this? Who is trying to score with having Saba Day duplicated in carnival.

Saba people I encourage you all to demand back the culture in Saba Day.

(Name withheld on request)

Check out the Saba Day program here

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3 comments

  1. like me or hate me

    In response to the culture in Saba Day I say its more than sad because its our own people in government that are encouraging “saba winter festival”. Choosing who they want to see perform, I guess they got a committee they always wanted to have there. Its all speaks loud and clear for itself. They same ones that resigned on their own is the same faces we see back there.
    Something fishy with that portrait with some just carrying the title, whereas another is runnin the show. That is how the big fish like it, so that is how it will be.
    For 40 years saba summer festival I think it only fair that the opportunity be given to new faces to make up the board.

  2. May I ask who’s in the committee? …

  3. Sorry, but according to your opinion, and I quote:
    “Don’t tell me that games and target shooting are a form of a cultural event, because it is not.
    Where are the days that we used to have events such as the egg in the spoon, jumping in the bag, the greasy pig, and I can go on and on.”

    You’re saying games aren’t cultural events, and then asking about games?

    There are games, sports’ competitions, fishing competitions, local bands playing, and local food being sold. How is this not all apart of our culture? What aspect of our culture are you now referring to?

    And yes, while I do understand your point that we could have more cultural activities included in the program, did anyone step forward to do this?
    You’re placing blame on the committee and Commissioner, whereas we as a people need to take the blame as well. If no one steps forward to show case the Saban culture, then how can this be placed in any program.