ENTITY · CONCEPT
Tourist calypso economy
Well supported
The 1950s hotel-and-tourist performance economy in which Jamaican mento was packaged, often as "calypso," for visitor audiences, a commercial framing some saw as diluting the rural folk form and others as an honest livelihood and showcase.
At a glance
- Type
- concept
- Confidence
- Well supported
- Era
- Open era →
Connections
Watch & listen
Debate & reception
How people argued about the music — praise, criticism and public debate. See all debate & reception →
debate
Mento for visitors: authentic folk form or sanitised tourist product?
Two documented views on the 1950s packaging of mento for hotels and tourists, often labelled 'calypso': some see a diluted, commercialised version that smoothed away the rural form's character, others a legitimate livelihood and showcase for Jamaican musicians. Neutral framing; no verdict. Sources: Jamaica Gleaner archive; Jamaica Information Service.
Stance: authentic rural folk expression vs sanitised hotel and tourist commercialisation