Oh, Those Stories We Love!
Caribbean Life, Dec. 31,2021-Jan. 6, 2022 19
Tropicalfete
Additionally, Aimable said
Ana Rosa did a spiritual dance
presentation to the popular
song, “If I Would Have Known”,
by Kyle Hume.
He said while Tropicalfete’s
Voices choir group was not at
“full force”, in terms of numbers,
because of the COVID protocols,
Gayrleen Orange represented
the group, scoring “a
homerun with her singing” and
“getting a standing ovation.”
Aimable said Trinidadian
signer and author Anslem
Douglas performed three songs
in his set, including “When
ah dead bury me clothes” and
“Doggie/Who let the dogs out.”
The “super-talented Tropicalfete’s
Stilting Unit, Mas and
Theatre, under the leadership
of Charles Watts, Roshumba
Marcelle and Caitlyn Pierre,
who put on an exciting performance,”
Aimable said.
He said, after a five-minute
performance, the stilt dancers
were joined on stage by Douglas,
singing “Doggie/Who let
the dogs out”, with a new twist,
“Who let the jumbies out.”
“While everyone was dancing,
chanting and wondering
‘Who let the jumbies out,’ the
tallest masquerader, ‘Saga Boy’,
who was portrayed by Victor
Estrada, also joined Douglas
and the stilt dancers to put
on a memorable performance,”
Aimable said.
He said “this exciting display
of skill” was followed by the
awards presentation.
Aimable said Tropicalfete
Award of Excellence was presented
to McIntosh, renowned
for arranging the music of
a number of Caribbean soca
and calypso artistes, including
Alston “Becket” Cyrus,
Shadow, Chalkdust, Calypso
Rose, Singing Francine, Lord
Shorty, Winston Soso, Duke
and Marchel Montano.
The GRAMMYAward-winning
Douglas was also presented
with the Tropicalfete
Award of Excellence. Douglas
has a number of awards under
his belt including a Grammy
award.
Aimable said that, for the
past several years, Douglas has
continued to perform, record
and write songs while also
focusing on other pursuits,
including writing his first children’s
book, “The Adventures
of Spin & Scratch-The Relocation.”
This year’s college scholarship
was granted to Nazyia
Bembry “because of her dedication,
passion, love and respect
to the arts,” Aimable said.
“Bembry is always willing
to learn, teach and assist other
students whenever the need
arises”, he said, disclosing that
Bembry, a student at New York
City College of Technology,
was presented with an award,
a check for $1,000 and “a bag
pack full with her Tropicalfete
gear.”
Aimable said Ralph Bisceglia’s
generous donation to
Tropicalfete’s mission made
the college scholarship possible.
Under the leadership of Ashley
Murray, Aimable said “the
elegantly dressed and enthusiastic”
Tropicalfete’s Steel Pan
Ensemble “put on a brilliant
performance that had everybody
going wild, especially
when they played their final
piece, ‘Jerusalema.’”
While the Ensemble played,
Douglas joined in on stage,
singing “Winter Wonderland.”
While Mistress of Ceremonies
Tanisha Burke engaged the
audience, DJ SB Sounds and
sound engineer Eryk Sonny, of
Natural Sound, also “kept the
them musically-entertained,”
Aimable said.
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The stories you love best
are filled with excitement and
power.
Sometimes, they make you
laugh; other times, they make
you think. You like funny stories
and silly ones, tales that
make your eyes pop and tales
that make your hands sweat.
You like the old fables, too, the
ones that teach you something.
So come meet warriors, rulers,
writers, and schemers in “African
Icons” by Tracey Baptiste.
When she was just a little
girl, Baptiste’s father told her
a story. Years later, she learned
that what he told her was “one
of the most popular stories
throughout the continent of
Africa” and that many of the
tales she loved had roots there.
“Not only is Africa the second
largest continent on Earth,”
she says, but the its people have
always had “rich lives,” a fascinatingly
complex culture, and
tales to tell.
For instance, one of the first
large communities in Africa was
established along the banks of
the Nile River in Egypt. There
were many “minor kings” there
then but King Menes hoped
to grow his kingdom, and he
did it by conquering the areas
he wanted. Then he declared
that the falcon god, Horus,
had “bestowed the kingship of
Egypt” on Menes himself – and
who could argue with a god?
Queen Merneith, who was
Menes’ granddaughter, grew
up in luxury and comfort and
was “raised to rule.” Alas, her
brother, Djet, ascended to the
throne first but Merneith had
the last word. She became one
of her brother’s wives and when
their son, Den, was ten years
old, he became king and Merneith
stepped in as regent. This
gave Den the chance to learn to
rule the kingdom, while Merneith
held all the power.
Imhotep was a leader, but
he was also a doctor, an advisor,
and an engineer who built
temples and tombs. Aesop was
a wise storyteller whose tales
you might’ve heard. Hannibal
was a soldier who enjoyed
many victories over Rome
more than 2200 years ago.
Terence of Carthage was an
accomplished playwright. And
Tin Hinan established a desert
society where women and girls
made the rules.
All those stories we all grew
up hearing, all those wonderfully
puzzling tales we read and
re-read, they had to come from
somewhere. Author Tracey
Baptiste says their roots lay in
Africa and in “African Icons,”
she explains how fables and
legends are often real.
But if that sounds dry, hold
up. It’s not, if you’re a kid.
Got a child who’s into action
figures? This book will speak
to that love, with general (nottoo
detailed) tales of kingdoms
conquered. Kids who crave stories
of princesses, palaces, and
magic carpets will be happy
with this book’s sense of glitter
and exoticness. Children who
really love mummies will be
fascinated by accounts of pharaohs
and pyramid-builders in
tales that are true, lively, kidfriendly,
and fun to read, even
if you’re an adult.
Still, the best audience for
this book is much younger. For
kids ages 8-14, “African Icons”
may hold the stories they love
best.
“African Icons: Ten People
Who Shaped History”
by Tracey Baptiste,
illustrated by Hillary D.
Wilson
c.2021, Algonquin Young
Readers $19.95 / higher
in Canada 176 pages
“African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History” by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated
by Hillary D. Wilson. Publishers
Continued from Page 17
Awardees Anslem Douglas and Dr. Franklyn ‘Frankie’ McIntosh with Tropicalfete’s Board
Members Keran Deterville, Patricia Meschino, Alton Aimable and Keith Marcelle. Brittany
Somerset