creativity

50 YEARS OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CULTURE

Weaving through a rich mosaic

hen calypsonian Funny sang “25 Shadow, Blue Boy (aka SuperBlue), Crazy, David years have gone, how yuh feel?” Rudder, Machel Montano; musicians like Frankie in 1987, few could envisage where Francis, Art de Coteau, Ed Watson, Earl Rodney, Wwe would be 25 years down the Roy Cape, Pelham Goddard, Carl “Beaver” road. My pick for that 25th anniversary of Henderson and Leston Paul; and, administrators Independence calypso monarch title, Funny was like Carl “Jazzy” Pantin, Sonny Woodley, Claude edged out by the dimunitive Cro Cro, but Funny’s and Frank Martineau, William Munro. question lingers – after 50 years of statehood, If the 60s marked an ascendancy in calypso, where are we culturally as a nation and people? the decades of the 70s and 80s can be epoched as For the 1962 Independence Calypso Monarch a jet-propelled age for the art form. Significant competition bald-pated Kade Simon (Lord milestones of the period include the Mighty Peter Ray Blood Brynner) took the crown from the much touted Duke attaining the only calypo king beaver trick Journalist and Mighty Sparrow. Back then, calypso, pan and of victories; the birth of soca; and, Calypso Rose Entertainment Editor, the indigenous culture of newborn Trinidad becoming the first woman to win the national Trinidad & Tobago Guardian and Tobago had a much less vibrant form than calypso king title, and Road March title. it acquired over the past 50 years. The late Ras Shorty I is credited with creating Our indigenous art forms were still kept under the then revolutionary genre of soca music, out a bushel as we remained imbued by the cultural of which subsequently emerged other hybrids, mores of North America, Europe and India. inclusive of Rapso, Ragga Soca, Parang Soca and Fortunately though, in the relatively short span Chutney Soca. of half century our culture has progressed by Other Soca contributors include Goddard, leaps and bounds, so much so various genres of Paul, Watson, Henderson, Maestro, Merchant, indigenous culture now have their own unique Blue Boy, Machel, Iwer George, Ronnie Mc branding and have spawned several icons and Intosh and Destra. world renowned luminaries Crazy, Scrunter and Marcia Miranda are Coming immediately to mind is the Mighty considered the main exponents of Parang Soca, Sparrow (Slinger Francisco), the undisputed while among the stars of Chutney Soca have been Calypso King of the World, and Calypso King Sundar Popo, Drupatee Ramgoonai and Rikki of 1962, the year of Independence. No calypso Jai, and more recently Raymond Ramnarine and bard has recorded more calypsoes, won more his Dil-e-Nadan aggregation, Ravi B and Karma, crowns or performed in as many countries as and Veerendra Persad and JMC 3Veni. Sparrow. If there is a living symbol of calypso Rapso was born in East Dry River, primarily and the growth and international acceptance of propagated by the Network Riddim Band, the art form it is the Mighty Sparrow. inspired by the late Lancelot Kebu Layne, and The past 50 years also fed the calypso art form vigorously nurtured by the likes of Brother with stalwart calypsonians, composers, musicians Resistance, Karega Mandela and 3 Canal. and administrators, men and women who either Outside of the forementioned genres and created new vistas for the art form, or won artistes, indigenous music also has a place individual fame and recognition. Among them of favour through other forms, produced by Opposite: 50th Anniversary are calypsonians like Lord Kitchener, Mighty artistes like Andre Tanker, Clive Zanda, Michael of Independence Bomber, Mighty Duke, Chalkdust, Calypso Rose, Boothman, Fitzroy Coleman, Richard “Nappy” Chutney Soca Monarch Black Stalin, Bro Valentino, Cro Cro, Zandolee, Mayers and Ella Andall. winner, Rikki Jai Blakie, Brigo, Lord Shorty (aka Ras Shorty I), Another indigenous art form to flourish these

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past 50 years has been the steelband. At the 1962 Ray Holman, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, Pelham If the 60s Steelband Music Festival, 31-year-old Anthony Goddard, Liam Teague, Ken “Professor” Williams led Pan Am North Stars to victory. Philmore, and Earl Brooks. marked an However, the following year saw the staging of Fifty years have also been served by some ascendancy in the first Independence Steelband Music Festival, dedicated pan administrators like George won by Crossfire, playing Lionel Belasco’s Goddard, Roy Augustus, Arnim Smith, Owen calypso, the Juliana Castillana. The Ping-pong category was Serrette and Patrick Arnold. decades of won by Ralph Ryce of Sundowners, playing The J’Ouvert morning Bomb competition Umilta Mc Shine’s People of The Islands. was another post-indepenence steelband the 70s and The first official National Panorama competition innovation and was started in 1963 by Neville 80s can be was staged by the National Association of T&T Jules and Trinidad All Stars along Park Street, Steelbandsmen (NATTS) in 1963, with 21 steel and sponsored by Penguin Monte Carlo Club. Six epoched as a orchestras competing. Playing Sparrow’s Dan is years later, in the south, businessman John Hoyte jet-propelled the Man, North Stars emerged champions, four sponsored a similar competition in San Fernando. points ahead of Sundowners, and five points Though being a platform for foreign classical age for the ahead of third-placed Desperadoes. music, the steelband music festival also art form In 50 years of Panorama competition, there contributed greatly to the progress of steel have been a mere dozen national champions – orchestras and the musicianship of pannists. North Stars, Cavaliers, Desperadoes, Harmonites, The first one of these festivals organised by Pan Starlift, Trinidad All Stars, Hatters, Photograph: Anthony Howell Renegades, Phase II Pan Groove, Exodus, Nu Tones and Silver Stars. The much coveted title of supreme steel orchestra has been a fiercely debated topic for the past 50 years but, because of winning the most titles at national level, Witco Desperadoes is the premier steel orchestra on the planet, rivalled most stringently by Trinidad All Stars. Stalwart pan icons are Anthony Williams, Neville Jules, Ellie and Vernon “Birdie” Mannette, Anthony Prospect, Rudolph Charles, Curtis Pierre, Lennox “Bobbie” Mohammed, Bertie Marshall, Jit Samaroo, Sterling Betancourt, Othello Mollineaux, Leo Coker, Kelvin “Zuzie” St Rose, Bertram Kellman, Herman Guppy Brown, Lincoln Noel, Rudy “Two Leff” Smith, Oscar Pile,

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The late Trinbago, the child of NATTS, was in 1973, 11 Exodus Steel Orchestra held the first edition of years after the attainment of Independence; another steelband innovation – the Pan Ramajay Ras Shorty the final held on Friday 7th December. The competition – in 1989. Fernandes Vat 19 Fonclaire I is credited championship was won by Nu Tones of Arima, and Samaroo Jets were the joint champions. followed by Samaroo Jets and Trinidad All Stars. The years of Independence have also seen the with creating The first time Pan Trinbago single-handedly culture of art, theatre, dance and folk enriched the then produced a Panorama competition was in 1976. by several very creative people, including Boscoe That year also saw the introduction of zonal Holder, Aubrey Adams, Astor Johnson, Pat revolutionary competition, with four zones competing, with Bishop, Julia Edwards, Andre Ettienne, Carlton genre of each zone crowning its individual champion. Francis, Beryl Mc Burnie, Joyce Kirton, Carlisle For the first time ever that a Pan Parang Chang, Peter Minshall, Wayne Berkeley, Thora soca music, competition was held was in 1990, staged by Pan Dumbell, Sat Balkaransingh, Carol La Chapelle, out of which Trinbago, in conjunction with Arima Angel Harps Noble Douglas, LeRoy Clarke, Wilbert Holder, Steel Orchestra. The winners were Laventille Ian Ali, Hazel Ward-Redman, Sam Ghany, subsequently Sound Specialists (conventional) and Voices Bob Gittens, Pat Mathura, Sham Mohammed, emerged (traditional). With the blessings of Pan Trinbago, Horace James, Holly Betaudier, Errol Sitahal, Ralph Maraj, Paul Keens Douglas and other hybrids Willi Chen. One significant folk innovation during the past 50 years was the birth of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition, initiated by late prime minister Dr Eric Williams and administered by Joyce Wong Sang.

Photograph: STephen Broadbridge Photograph: STephen This novel community programme embraced all aspects of culture, including music, dance, culinary skills and sport. It has survived the test of time, primarily through the unstinting input of coordinators like Lester Efebo Wilkinson, Norvan Fullerton, Torrance Mohammed and Eric Butler. The annual Best Village competitions have unearthed a plethora of talent which would not have been otherwise discovered. As Trinidad and Tobago embarks on a further 50 years of Independence, indigenous culture is well poised, on the threshold of not just achieving even greater accomplishments but to Brother Resistance: at make an indelible mark on the global the forefront of Rapso stage of arts and entertainment. ■

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