Bolt also 'gi dem a run'
published:
Saturday | August 23, 2008
A cameraman captures Usain Bolt doing the 'Gully Creepa' while celebrating after winning the 200m finals. - Charles Pitt
I must point out that while all Jamaica and people who understand dancehall have long known that Usain Bolt did the No Linga and Gully Creepa dances after his recent world record breaking runs, he did another that we may have taken for granted.
He did, after all, 'gi dem a run' in both the 100m and 200m races, leaving the field well behind in both events.
Exuberant celebrations
Seriously, though, while the exuberant young man's celebrations have been beamed around the world, we must understand that to 'bus a dance' at the moment of triumph at an international sporting event is not new for us. And here I mean us not only as Jamaicans but also Caribbean people; I have fully bought into the concept of the Caribbean Dream.
So do not forget that in 1950, when the West Indies beat England at the hallowed Lord's and a mere handful of West Indian people created one heck of a ruckus, it was calypsonian Lord Kitchener who led the victory celebration around the field and out into the streets. And Lord Beginner composed the victory calypso with the famous lines about spinners "Ramhadin and Valentine".
Prime spot
And the Reggae Boyz did their own joyous jigs in the historic World Cup 1998 campaign. whenever they scored a goal.
What Bolt has done, though, is to put the often vilified dancehall in a prime spot that it would not have reached otherwise. Because I sincerely doubt that the Jamaican authorities had any intention of 'gully creeping' in the whole public relations campaign around the incredible Jamaican presence at the 2008 Olympics.
Dancehall culture
The fact is that dancehall culture is inextricably intertwined with the Jamaican lower class, from which the overwhelming majority of our athletes come, whether they have rural or urban origins. However, to acknowledge that would be to admit the great social divide that lies behind the 'One Love' image that the tourism people really, really love to project.
Social implications
So there is much more than joy on display when Bolt dances after his victories, just as there was a special meaning to the celebrations of the West Indies immigrants of the Windrush generation at Lord's 58 years ago.
Of course, Bolt has no clue about the social implications. But those who think about it will see just what is at play.
Taken from the Weekend Star, Friday August 22, 2008.
