On Wednesday, August 27, CARIFESTA XV quietly marked Jackie Opel Day with a concert. However, there was no national buildup, no real fanfare, no loud proclamation of who Jackie Opel was and why his music matters. It was simply, and almost quietly, referred to as such – a designation that should have sparked excitement, but instead may have slipped by many unnoticed. For a son of the soil whose artistry reshaped Caribbean and world music, that silence is inexcusable.
Jackie Opel is one of the greats. The man who gave us spouge – Barbados’ own homegrown sound. He also stood at the foundation of ska in Jamaica, later birthing reggae, the most globally celebrated Caribbean genre of all time. His voice and his vision placed Barbados firmly on the musical map. Yet, while the world has benefited from the rhythms and genres he influenced, here at home we continue to undersell and under-celebrate his genius.
That is why the treatment of Jackie Opel Day feels like a missed opportunity.
This should have been billed as a super concert, one of CARIFESTA’s biggest headline events, as it is meant to showcase not only Opel’s enduring legacy but also the works of the next generation who carry his spirit forward. From the Jackie Opel Legacy Lab Residency, which was launched last November with handpicked artists charged with reimagining his music and creating new works in his name, their projects will be showcased tonight. Hopefully, the show won’t go unnoticed.
We should not be comfortable with this stillness. Barbados has a bad habit of whispering its greatest stories when they should be shouted from rooftops. Jackie Opel’s legacy is not niche. It is central to who we are as a people and to the cultural contribution we have made to the world. Right now, it feels like who knows, knows. But that is not good enough because everyone should know about Jackie Opel.
Imagine what could have been: teaching his music on Wednesday morning in the CARIFESTA Village and Grand Market or Queens Park, the media filled with features and documentaries, the night climaxing with a super concert of regional and international stars paying homage to the man who gave them the rhythms they now profit from. That is the kind of celebration a cultural giant deserves (and hopefully gets).
If Barbados is serious about cultural pride and serious about telling our own stories, then Jackie Opel must never again be honoured so quietly, especially during the loudest regional cultural event. His name, his music, and his contribution should resound loudly, proudly, and unapologetically.
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