Community support for Land of the Hummingbird

PAT GANASE

Jean Minshall, Peter’s mother, wrote the Talk of Trinidad the social column for the Guardian newspaper, under the pen name Hummingbird. It was she who requested of her son a Carnival costume for her adopted daughter Sherry Ann Guy, and “let it be a hummingbird.”

The rest of the story has often been cited as the start of Minshall’s career in mas.

The memories of makers and contributors and friends of the mas are now well documented in the 50th-anniversary exhibition which has been attracting those who witnessed the masman’s creation, as well as many who know nothing of Minshall's mas.

Fifty years later, the event at Castle Killarney (Stollmeyer's castle) on the evening of February 26 would surely invoke the spirit of Jean Minshall’s Hummingbird to record the new community that came together for the exhibition, From the Land of the Hummingbird. So many people with their companies came forward to help. Mention must be made of the state agencies that stepped up: the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, the National Lotteries Control Board, the National Carnival Commission and its Carnival Institute, the National Gas Company, the National Museum and Art Gallery and the National Archives. Very special guests were Pennelope Beckles, Shakka Subero, Davlin Thomas, Peter Pena, Margaret Gittens and Ken Crichlow.

Castle Killarney is a fine setting for a gala, managed by the capable and classy Dominique Inniss. This location as museum was offered early for the staging of the exhibition. The generosity of this gesture surely precipitated the largesse coming from others.

Dr Farley Cleghorn, representing his family trust, the Frank and Myrtle Cleghorn Foundation, was the first to believe in the project and support it generously. Cleghorn, in his address, expressed his hope for the survival of important collections of culture.

Inside the castle, the elegant immersive pod purpose-built to showcase the artist’s working drawings was designed by the curator, Kathryn Chan, in collaboration with architect Stephen Jameson, constructed and installed by Francis-Lau Construction, a gift for this show and the future. Paula Francis-Lau and the team of Andre and Royce Francis-Lau were there to celebrate the success of the exhibition, which has been running for over a month.

The curators consulted with Peta Bain, George Tang, Christopher Laird and Timmy Mora to choose and prepare the four short riveting video captures. Look sharp and you see the Hummingbird in motion; gone in nine seconds. Over there, Minshall is talking about the movement of the bat! There’s the masman in his studio; keep watching and you’ll spot Callaloo Company collaborator Todd Gulick. The short film Paradise Lost by Banyan is screening in a room upstairs; and there’s a very special “drawing room” for big and little kids to colour. There’s a gift shop too, with T-shirts by Radical Designs and books and posters on sale! And if you want a hummingbird to take home, pick one from those crafted by John Humphrey who made the original Hummingbird’s beak.

If the sight of the Savannah from the Castle made you want a coconut water, there was Ronald, swinging his cutlass over some nice soft jelly nuts!

Hummingbird must mention some of the special people: Ronald Julien, who was part of the construction team of the original Hummingbird; June and Roosevelt Thomas, whose son was the companion mas, The Little Carib, winning all competitions in the boys’ categories in 1974. Cecilia Salazar appeared fresh from her solo performance I am Woman. Let’s see who else: Wendell Manwarren, Franka Philip, Barbie Jardine, Rubadiri Victor, Judy Raymond, Anu Lakhan, Ardene Sirjoo. Not to forget these other memory-keepers: Mark Lyndersay, Ronnie Joseph, Avril Belfon, Roma Wong Sang, Frank Soodeen, Lorraine Nero and Bobby Campbell.

The original Hummingbird, Sherry Ann Guy, moved among the gala in a teal Meiling dress. Everyone wanted a photograph with her.

Let’s congratulate curators Kathryn Chan and Austin Fido for a treasured collection of the drawings and prototypes from Peter Minshall to which they have added the memories of makers, players and witnesses of the 1974 From the Land of the Hummingbird.

Peter Minshall himself was noticeably absent, but his creations – Hummingbird and Dying Swan – and creatives from his beloved Callaloo Company were there for the mas that lives on.

A little birdie whispered to this Hummingbird that the show is expected to be extended beyond March 9. You can see it, Tuesday-Friday from 10 am-5pm, and Saturday from 10 am- 2 pm.