Laughter, song and cultural policy in honour of Sprangalang

THERE were no tears, only laughter as friends, relatives and people whose lives he touched paid tribute and final farewell to Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall at City Hall, San Fernando on Saturday.

His wife, Natasha “Sexy Suzie” Nurse, said she had cried enough during his illness and chose to remember him by smiling and being happy as he would have wanted.

She recalled him telling her, once she won a “queen he done.”

She interpreted this to mean his retirement from show business, not understanding it was a “different kind of done” he spoke of.

After 27 years she finally captured the Calypso Queen title in 2019, “and from that time I won, he started showing signs of departing.”

Traditional funeral colours were abandoned as mourners, including San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello, one of the pall bearers, and calypsonian Abebele wore shades of pink jackets to reflect the colourful life of the cultural icon.

Nothing about the suit in which this unique individual was cremated at Belgrove’s Funeral Home, or the floral arrangement on his casket was “normel”. The arrangement incorporated his trademark hat and the white towel he always carried on his shoulder, because he was always afraid to take the stage and the towel was to “mop up his sweat.”

In fact, the service in which a virtual sermon was preached by Bishop Carlyle Chankersingh and the scripture read the same way by Hall’s daughter, Mariele Karlene Rennie-Mambu from the United States, took the shape of a cultural show with comedians – Errol Fabien, Wendell Etienne and Damion Melville – as MCs.

The trio reminded "Sprang" that if he was planning any comedy show where he was going, they were not available.

Lady Adana sang a soulful rendition of the national anthem, Karen Eccles performed a pore-raising version of How Great Thou Art, adding a special verse in tribute to her friend. Karene Asche sang a powerful acapella interpretation of Carry Your Candle and Weston “Cro Cro” Rawlins, who accompanied himself on the guitar, paid several humourous tributes.

Give Praise was the David Rudder song pannist Joshua Regrello chose to celebrate Hall. Recorded video tributes came from Yasin Abu Bakr, Singing Sandra, Brother Resistance, Blacka from Jamaica, Robert Foster as well as the corporate sector which embraced his craft to market their products.

Ronald Grosberg, managing director of Diana Candy, spoke of his 34-year long relationship with Hall. A Radica Trading Ltd spokesperson recalled how Hall came up with the hook line, “Ah wonder if Radhica have ting to cover mouth,” for a popular commercial. The representative said the owners conceded they now have “ting to cover mouth" as people have to wear masks.

Minister of Culture, Tourism and the Arts Randall Mitchell, who was pall-bearer, said Hall “did not just love culture or call himself ‘cultural’, he was the very definition of culture.”

He said too often cultural icons are celebrated only after they have departed but this would be remedied, announcing that the National Cultural Policy was laid in Parliament last week. The policy is designed to ensure the recognition of cultural stalwarts, such as Hall, are celebrated for their role in shaping the cultural landscape.

Regrello said Hall was a man who was born to tell a story and his talent was not earned, or learned, but was "woven into the very fabric of his genetic code."

“Sprangalang was our social mirror, pointing out our flaws, making us comfortable in the benign and aware of the malignant. As this great tree falls, he leaves in his wake the cumulative collective of his comedic career.”

In her eulogy, Gerelle Forbes said Hall was a soft and gentle real life cultural superhero.

She said he was her teacher and mentor. Quoting the African proverb, “when a village lose an elder it is like burning a library,” Forbes said it hurts not knowing who to turn to anymore.

“But then I remember you taught me that lesson turn to everyone. Be quiet and observe. The shadows may carry secrets but it is important that the show goes on. Our culture must live on. Who we are must live on.”