TriniView.com Staff Article
Event Date: August 03, 2006
Article Posted: August 06, 2006
The National Youth Action Committee (NYAC) and the National Organization of Revolutionary Students (NORS), subsections of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), successfully put on the 10th Annual Emancipation Calypso and Extempo Competitions which was held on Thursday 3rd August, 2006.
The event, which was held at the SWWTU Hall, was filled with supporters of NJAC and of the Calypso artform, with fellow Calypsonians such as Samuel 'Brigo' Abraham and Donric 'Funny' Williamson in the audience supporting the cause.
Before the programme commenced, people present at the SWWTU Hall were treated to the sweet sounds of the Couva Joylanders coming all the way from Central Trinidad to bless the occasion. The pannists comprised of youths from Couva and signaled the positive direction that Africans were heading embracing the culture that they developed in Trinidad and Tobago.
The auspicious occasion began with the National Anthem performed by Kern Salandy, a member of the Couva Joylanders Steal Orchestra, and an invocation by Mr. Anum Bankole, Vice President of NJAC.
Addresses were then given by Catherine Ashby, representative of the Group Marketing and Communications Department of the Republic Bank, and an address by the eloquent Akhenaton Daaga who stressed on the importance of youth involvement in the development of African culture.
Guest artistes, the NACC Drummers, then provided the vigor for the show by their rhythmic performance on their instruments and had also provided accompaniment to some of the contestants of the two competitions.
Afterward, the young Marika Mendez performed a poem entitled, "Ode to Ancestors", which paid homage to our African forefathers. Although young, she possessed the confidence to face the audience who showed great appreciation for her piece.
Immediately after performances by the various guest artistes, the Calypso Competition—16 Years and Under—ensued with performances from NJAC youth. They were a very talented bunch who sang about issues affecting the African race. Although the competition was dominated by females, the males did not feel threatened by their marginal position. Their names and songs are as follows:
Name / Song
Jaylana Bryan / Encore-Encore
Megan Walrond / Rise up Children
Tenaj Smith / Teach Me
Whitney Moore / We Ready
Jael Paul / Be a Proud African Woman
Shinesse Simmons / Beyond the Mountains
Ferdinand Smith / Living in Slavery
Yasin Akil Rashid / Emancipation
Kwesi Charles / Emancipated
During the intermission was a second performance by the Couva Joylanders and a special guest performance by the Jamaican group, Rage. This group, coming all the way from Jamaica, expressed pleasure in attending the Emancipation Celebrations here in Trinidad and Tobago, and promised to take the memories of the festivities back to their homeland.
The second leg of the programme began with the Calypso Competition—17-35 Years. This group, comprised of the older youths, was also an interesting segment. They, understanding the nature of the competition and the quality of the fellow contestants, tried their best to prove to the judges their worth. The contestants are as follows:
Name / Song
Corey Burke / Africans or Negroes Part II
Marion Paponette / Freedom Come
Cindy Alleyne / Africa is All Ah We
Arnold Jordon / Drums Of Faith
Muga Gill / Africans Come
Jervae Caesar / Whey Yuh Want to Carry Meh
Frank Moore / The Forgotten
Shereen Caesar / Forgive Me Africa
Immediately afterwards was the Extempo Competition that comprised of five of the contestants from the Calypso Competition and one other contestant who had entered the stage for the first time. This was by far the most entertaining segment of the show, and the audience, for the first time in the programme, participated in the competition as a chorus to the performers chanting, "Pick yuh topic; show meh yuh topic!" The contestants are as follows:
Corey Burke
Shereen Ceasear
Anthony Lincoln
Arnold Jordan
Nkosi Anyika
Frank Moore
The 10th Annual Emancipation Calypso and Extempo Competitions was a very entertaining piece and provided information about some of the social conditions facing Black people. The results of the 16 and under and the 17-35 Calypso Competitions are still pending. The Extempo King, without a shadow of a doubt, according to Winston 'Gypsy' Peters went to Corey Burke.
NJAC Calypso and Extempo Competitions in pictures
Back to: Emancipation Celebrations 2006
Homepage | Carnival Features | Special Events | Photo Gallery
|
