One of the really bothersome negatives I encountered during Carifesta was something bigger than its lack of focus (I'm still scratching my head about the relevance of some of the events, for instance), so Akon presence aside, my biggest problem with it all was the lack of inclusion of younger voices on discussions about the condition of the Caribbean region.
I mentioned in this post how dismissive one older panel member was when a younger person from the region asked about the absence of younger writers on the panel that evening to discuss the topic "Caribbean Culture at the Crossroads." The fact that the older panel member's dismissive attitude appeared to be sanctioned by the other older panel members, and the chair (Al Creighton)--who all remained silent after the rebuke--still rankles.
But of course (try as they might) they can't quite keep the younger generations silent.
In the post-Carifesta talk, Nicholas Laughlin, editor of The Caribbean Review of Books, and Alissa Trotz, (both under the age of 45) reflect on the current (and past) relevance of Carifesta.
