Carib Chief Garnet Joseph is to be the recipient of the Gold Drum Award for preservation of the Kalinago culture.
Joseph, along with four other individuals, will receive his award at the Old Mill Cultural Center next week Wednesday.
“I feel quite honoured. I am happy that I can be remembered for some of the things that I did and it’s also heartening. Sometimes people are involved in cultural and community development and are hardly recognized. In most cases people like me are criticized and maligned,” he said.
Joseph says the award comes at a time when there is a struggle to preserve the culture of the indigenous people.
“The work will never stop. We also have to push for new initiatives to continue to fight. We are seeing all kinds of deterioration of the Kalinago culture. We need to put things in place to ensure that the history is taught in schools and forms part of the curriculum,” he said.
He said the task is a heavy one but “as Kalinago people, we need to do what we can to save our culture. We need to see Kalinago in a different light”.
Abilities Unlimited will receive an award for Craft production and development, Marie Davis Pierre for the promotion of vocal music, Gregory Rabess for the preservation of traditional culture and the New Dimension Theatre for theatre development.
The eight special awards will be presented to Chester “Daddy Chess” Letang for the promotion of calypso, Nelly Stharre for the promotion of popular music, Ras “Bobby” Olivache for herbal medicine, Damien Bellot for graphic arts, Pricilla Darroux for traditional arts, Dorelle Diole’ for creative dance and Miranda and Gerald Langlaise for the promotion and preservation of our culture.
@met veiye.: I thought it was the Kalinago people making the
deicision to bring back Charles and not MET VEIYE!
Extremely happy that mr Joseph has been chosen for such an award. but can we see his contribution? can we as a kalinago person point to a tangible craft or projec that he has done? we are not aware of it, i would be extremly please if he could give us an idea of what he has done. what he has accomplish? and what will he accomplish? how much effort has he put in place for the development of culture especially in the craft industry in the territory?How will he introduce the history perspective in the school? And finally how is he going to contribute to the futher developemnt of the territory when he goes out of office. bcause once our leaders are out off office they step back. what we need is to ensure that u Mr joseph visit the declaration on the right of indeginous people and get things moving with ur award. I am a charlo supporter and if u can answere those few question i will be on your side. not against u but charlo is far ahead of u in terms of vision. u are short sighted. for our knowledge to pass on we need the radio staion to be online and that u have been hiding. social netwroking among the indeginous people u are holding back. the establishment of social justice for the people. we have been in pain for year even today. instead of moving forward u are bowing to political friends. U need to tell us how central politics got involve to ur appointment .
anyway way charlo will be back. The days are numbered. I will be rallying with charles williams next cheif elections
Bless up my boy Brinne
Congratulations Mr. Joseph for a job well done, but a lot more remains to be done. Your good intentions along with your perseverance wil ensure a much brighter future for Kalinagos.
Great job, Mr.Joseph. This teaching is long overdue and should have been a part of the curriculum many years ago.
“We need to put things in place to ensure that the history is taught in schools and forms part of the curriculum,” he said.
Very well said Mr Joseph. I must commend you on a job well done and continued success in all your endeavors
Congratulations mr garnett. job well done