Friends, family say goodbye to Ahye

Molly Ahye
Molly Ahye

FAMILY, friends and well-wishers of the late Dr Geraldine Molly Ahye know now that when they “experience gentle raindrops” it is her feet dancing upon clouds. This was the view of some of the people who turned out to say goodbye to Ahye, dancer and teacher, at Clark and Battoo, Tragarete Road, Port of Spain.

Ahye died on April 19 at a nursing home in Petit Valley. She was 84. A former Orisha priestess, her life was celebrated under Orisha rites. Some of those gathered, like Dr Satnarine Balkaransingh, spoke about the lack of the Community Development Ministry’s presence at Ahye’s funeral.

In a tribute to her, Balkaransingh said, “The head of the Ministry of Culture and Community Development (sic) does not see it fit to even say a final farewell to this daughter of the soil, who in her heyday flew our flag high with distinction. “I do hope her valuable archive would be kept for public research.”

Chiefs Ajigunwa Ofe Yemi and others officiated at the service, which began with a libation.

Balkaransingh added in his tribute: “Molly became disillusioned about the direction the society was taking in its development process, and she was sad that she was neither invited nor considered worthy enough to lend her knowledge, energies and expertise to the growth and development of the creative and performing arts in this society.”

To Ahye’s family she was the light that entered the room. Her son David, grandson Ethan Auguste andson-in-law Henry Roth also paid tribute to her. David said his mother came from very humble beginnings in a single-parent home.But even family members, he added, had to remind themselves of some of the things she had done, as Ahye accomplished so much. David recalled that she ran a health business for 20 years.

But dance, he added, was always at the core of her being.

“Although her mental facilities may have diminished she still danced.

She did her little pam-palam,” David said. Ahye, he added, had a thirst for knowledge, and persevered.

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"Friends, family say goodbye to Ahye"

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