For the past three years, they've been fighting to reclaim September from foreign entertainers such as Byron Lee and Buju Banton and to do that this year the association called "Belizean Artists First" is sweetening the musical stew with a serving of ‘brukdown.’ In collaboration with the National Institute of Culture and History, there will be a brukdown competition which will honor best new talent, song of the year and brukdown artists of the year. It's all being done in an effort to put new energy into culturally authentic music whose roots go back to the logwood camps. How do you get in? Well a good first step might be to follow legend of the genre, Wilfred Peters lead and write about the desperate man who had to wash in a sardine can, or another who left his wife for a dog. Director of the Institute of Creative Arts Andy Palacio told us more.
Andy Palacio, Director ICA
“The brukdown competition will be a special feature on the night of Soundfest and this is to be held at the Civic Center on September 11th 2004.”
“The lineup for Soundfest include the artists of Belize that are accustomed to, people like Mr. Peters and the Boom and Chime, Brother David and Tribal Vibes, the Players Band, New Creation Band, Sam Hamilton, Zoila Clark, and the Heights A Vibe Fraternity. We are looking at a long impressive lineup and for the competition we hoping to attract Belizean songwriters and performers to bring us their original compositions and present them to us on stage. At least six finalists will be vying for all these prizes which will include best new artist and song of the year and these come with cash awards.”
“It is important to try and retrieve some of our dying culture. Brukdown is a vital part of Belize’s music and not much attention has been paid to Belize’s Kriol music for a very long time and before we lose it completely this is an incentive for creators of Belizean music to come up and create new material and present them to the Belizean audience. Its also an incentive for the Belizean audience to come out and hear their own people coming out with fresh material.”
The Soundfest and Brukdown competition will take place on September 11th at the Civic Center.