Earl Crosby’s Send-off
Prominent businessman and cultural activist, Earl Crosby, passed away at the age of sixty-five on Wednesday 3rd August, 2016, after succumbing to pancreatic cancer. Crosby was warded at the Vitas House Hospice, St. James at the time of his passing.
The Life and Times of Donald “Junior” Noel
Donald “Junior” Noel, percussionist and master drummer of the Northwest Laventille Cultural Movement passed away recently on 28th November, 2015. Junior Noel, as he preferred to be called, was born on 6th August, 1960. From an early stage he showed an affinity for drumming and was a foundation member of several cultural groups.
Memorial Service for Asami Nagakiya
Asami Nagakiya, a thirty-year-old professional musician from Japan who had been coming to Trinidad for seven years to play the steelpan, was murdered during the 2016 Carnival celebrations. Her body was discovered on Ash Wednesday in the Queen’s Park Savannah near the Queen’s Royal College.
Presentation Ceremony of 2014 National Awards
On Sunday 31st August, 2014, forty-four national awards were presented by His Excellency, Anthony Carmona at the Presentation Ceremony of National Awards on the occasion of the 52nd Anniversary of the Independence of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s, Port of Spain.
The Passing of Activist Augustin Noel
On the 11th July, 2014, Trinidad and Tobago laid a warrior to rest in the form of Augustin Noel after many years of service dedicated to the Chaguaramas land struggle. He was the voice of an unpopular struggle that was largely voiceless prior to his involvement.
Party 67 for Posse 67
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has started a movement where individuals across the globe are asked to volunteer sixty seven minutes of their time in recognition of the sixty seven years of public service that Mr. Nelson Mandela gave to the struggle for freedom in South Africa.
Celebrating the Life of Professor Tony Martin
The Celebration and Thanksgiving Service for the life of Professor Dr. Tony Martin was held on Friday 25th January, 2013, at St. Theresa’s Church Woodbrook. Friends, family, historians and activists gathered to pay their respects to the Trinidad-born scholar best known for his work on Marcus Garvey.
An Appreciation of the Life of Jajah Oga Onilu
It was last Friday night and as I picked up the phone with my caller ID flashing ‘Out of the Area’, I growled an unfriendly hello intended for telemarketers. With studied apprehension Theron Shaw relayed to me the untimely passing of Jajah Oga Onilu. He sincerely hoped and asked if I was OK. Silence. Muttering, I asked what happened and the details were hazy but that did not matter, as it hit me that my longtime band-mate, friend and teacher was gone.
Remembering JaJah Onilu
Trinidad and Tobago lost one of its musical pioneers with the death of percussionist Ja Jah Oga Onilu who died suddenly at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope last Friday night. Known as a master drummer, Onilu, who was 58-years-old at his passing, was also a well known artist and maker of “organic” musical instruments. He was also one of the members of Jewels of Nature organic percussion group along with his two sons Baba Onilu and Modupe Onilu.
Anya Ayoung-Chee’s Delightful Project Runway Victory
With Anya snagging the Project Runway’s Twitter Fan Favourite title in the last hours of voting, the programme’s season finale was expected to be just as unpredictable and engaging to the very last minute. Trinbagonian viewers were both satisfied with Anya’s accomplishments throughout the season and with her being able to secure a place in the final four. However, the edge afforded by the possibility of winning undoubtedly teased and excited the minds of Trinbagonians, the Caribbean and indeed international fans and social media followers, and made for a suspensive end.