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CALYPSO History Month has officially been launched.
At the launch on October 7 at the Scarborough Library, THA Assistant Secretary in the Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Culture Niall George said it marks the beginning of a month-long celebration of calypso.
Calypso, George said, is not simply music.
“It is history sung in rhyme and rhythm. Over the years, calypso evolved into a proud artform that has shaped our national identity. Through the words of our masters – Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, Black Stalin, Shadow, Calypso Rose and many others – the world has come to know the brilliance and the wit of our people. Each verse, each chorus, each double entendre carries within it a piece of our soul.”
He said Calypso History Month, under the theme "Calypso: Heritage in Harmony, Empowering Tobago voices," is more than a celebration. He said it is about education, a preservation and a tribute.
The month of activities hosted by the division in collaboration with the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) Tobago, he said, is designed to engage the communities from the students to the elders, including the diasporas. There will be exhibitions, school tours, calypso-yard performances and public displays, all aimed at educating, inspiring and reminding all that calypso is not just a sound of the past but a voice of the present and the rhythm of the future.
[caption id="attachment_1183736" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Calypsonian Opuke Ware performs during TUCO's celebration of Calypso History Month in Tobago on October 7. - Photo courtesy THA[/caption]
“One of the most important aspects of this celebration is the educational aspect. We must teach our young people about the power of calypso, about its ability to tell truth through melody, to make the complex understandable, to uplift the spirit even in the midst of struggle. When our students learn the stories behind the songs, they learn about resilience, creativity and the enduring power of expressions.”
Equally important, he said, is honouring the legends, as ten veterans were honoured for their contributions to the artform.
“If we do not tell their stories, if we do not say their names their legacy risks fading away. We must give flowers to our icons while they can still smell them. By taking this time, this month to reflect on the past, to educate our youth and give homage to our pioneers, we strengthen our cultural foundation, we remind ourselves and the world that calypso is not a dying art. It is a living, breathing testimony of who we are as Tobagonians and as a people of TT.”
The awardees were Joseph C​aesars; Bindley Benjamin; Roslyn Reid- Hayes; Lesley Ann Ellis; Jeffery Thomas; Kenri​ck Andrews; Ingrid Matthew; while post-humorous recognition was given to Rawle Titus; Henson Wright and Sherwin Cunningham.
Calypso History Month continues with a Calypso Yard concert on October 21 at Fort King George.
 
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