Tributes for Malick Folk Performing Company founder Norvan Fullerton

TRIBUTES continue to pour in for cultural icon Norvan “Fuller” Fullerton following his passing on Thursday at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

A special tribute for Fullerton by the Malick Folk Performing Company, or Bongo Night, will be held on Monday at the Queen's Park Savannah at 7 pm.

UWI Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) head Louis McWilliams said he had lost a friend and a brother. McWilliams worked with Fullerton since 1981, where he was part of the first performance by the Malick Folk Performing Company, which Fullerton founded after leaving the Barataria Community Council in 1979.

“He would call me when he wanted work done, and I would help. In 2002, I was recommended by Fullerton and asked to take over the artistic directorship of Malick, which I accepted. We continued working together as co-artistic directors on dozens of projects. Over the years, we developed a strong working relationship. We never had an argument in 40 years. We had a mutual respect for the creative work we were doing.

“We were brothers at the end of the day. We played hard, we worked hard, we limed hard. Cultural events were sure to see us, Panorama, kaiso, pan, mas. We played mas together for a number of years. People would look forward to seeing me, Norvan, and the men of Malick playing mas together on a Carnival Tuesday. The last time was in 2020 with Minshall.”

McWilliams said the two exchanged WhatsApp messages and phone calls daily.

“I’m definitely feeling the loss, I haven’t come to terms with it. I’m going through photos and videos of the work we’d have done, the tours we went on. There are so many stories, memories of after-rehearsal sit-downs where we would sit down and talk culture and theatre over a beer, germinate ideas and then work on them. He was a visionary, a natural leader, a good organiser, and an artistic giant.”

Entertainment coordinator and limbo queen Kimmy Stoute-Robinson said she began working with Fullerton at age seven when she joined the first cohort of the junior company of Malick, when she called him Uncle Fuller. She said she had to do music, dance and drama as part of the group.

“He encouraged me to take part in limbo compeitions since I was 14. When Universal Circus was looking for performers from the Caribbean, he recommended limbo as part of the show, and encouraged myself, Natalie Joseph-Settle and Nydia Byron to join, so I was touring right after CXC.

“The group used to lime outside of rehearsals and performances because of our camaraderie and family feeling. We would go out clubbing, back-in-time parties, clubs, and people would ask if Uncle Fuller was our father or uncle. Our parents trusted us to knock about under his supervision and the others in the group.”

Stoute-Robinson said Fullerton was responsible for shaping her focus in the arts, encouraging her to not limit herself to one thing.

“We were old talking about the Pierrot Grenade and he said why don’t you try that? I performed in Best Village and for Carnival. He was that person, once he saw the potential in you, he would tell you to try it. I try to follow his professional attitude when it comes to work, he never produced anything mediocre or ratch. We learned how to balance our professional and social life, one must not deter from the other.

“He would encourage you to study. We grew up seeing him performing the Pierrot and Midnight Robber, produce, direct, act, he was a scriptwriter, a positive mentor, and role model, pushing you to do better in the field and artistically to do more than you would have done

“We also learned we could agree to disagree. He encouraged you to have a point, to question things, and there had to be a purpose and a reason.”

The National Carnival Commission said it mourned the loss of Fullerton, who had won a Chaconia Medal Silver in 2003, and extended condolences to his family and friends.

“He led the Malick Folk Performing Company for over four decades. He won numerous awards and served on various boards and committees. Fuller directed and produced work for many organisations and remained heavily involved in TT's culture and Carnival until his passing.”

The Carnival Institute and Regional Carnival (CIRC) said Fullerton was a guardian of arts, and a custodian of culture.

“Through his keen insight and passionate advocacy, he breathed life into the canvas of our shared human experience. Whether it was the eloquence of words, he understood the language of creativity and spoke it fluently. His presence enriched people’s lives, offering a tapestry of colours and sounds that will forever echo in our hearts.”

In a release, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development said in remembering Fullerton, it celebrated a life lived in service to the arts and the community.

“We join the Best Village community in mourning the passing of a towering figure in our cultural tapestry. Fuller's journey through the arts was not just a personal odyssey but an odyssey that imprinted itself on the soul of our nation, enriching our cultural heritage and communities beyond measure.”

Minister Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis said "In the passing of Norvan 'Fuller' Fullerton, we lose not just an artist but a custodian of our cultural identity. His dedication to the arts and community development was unparalleled, leaving an enduring legacy that will resonate for generations to come.

"A Chaconia Medal Silver recipient in 2003, Fuller's dedication was not just about awards; it was about being a mentor, an inspiration, and a guiding light. His departure leaves a void, but his spirit lives on in the beats, movements, and stories that define us.”

The ministry said Fullerton transformed the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition, introducing groundbreaking categories and expanding its reach internationally. It said his impact went beyond accolades, touching the lives of aspiring artists through initiatives like the Joint Scholarship Programme.

It said Fullerton's influence extended to the fabric of TT's cultural institutions, from Queen’s Hall to Carifesta, the National Academy for the Performing Arts, and World Cup Germany in 2006.

“His legacy isn't just a list of accomplishments but a vibrant, living force that resonates through every rhythm and story of our cultural heritage.”