King Luta to be honoured at Shikamoo concert

Veteran calypsonian King Luta (Morel Peters) is grateful and humbled to be recognised by the Emancipation Support Committee TT.

The organisation will pay tribute to the two-time calypso monarch during its Shikamoo 2024 concert on July 30.

“Things like these are very humbling because you never really expect it. During your career you don’t be focussing on that. You’re not doing it to be recognised so you’re never really prepared for this.”

Peters said he was surprised when he learned of the honour. He reflected on his career and realised how many years he had been singing calypso. He said he only realised the extent of his work when he began going through his repertoire to choose songs to perform for the concert. He started his career as a calypsonian in 1972.

He pointed out that he received the Humming Bird Medal - Silver in the spheres of music and culture at the National Awards 2021, which was held in March 2022.

He said he has worked with the committee over the years and he was the first person to win the National Action Cultural Committee Young Kings calypso competition in 1985, so he was not surprised the committee, of all organisations, decided to pay tribute to him.

He added there was no question of his “Africanness” even though he did not believe it played a part in his being honoured by the organisation.

“I don’t have to make an extra effort to declare that. That is obvious as far as I’m concerned. I don’t try to be anything else and I don’t wait on Emancipation Day to wear my African garb. I wear them when I believe the occasion is warranted because I don’t consider myself to be a part-time African.”

Peters said that he was excited about the show because the way the work would be presented was new. He was also excited to work with the artists who agreed to participate as they were people he respected and many were his friends.

He also liked the fact the younger generation of calypsonians were involved and willing to support him including calypsonians like Roderick "Chucky" Gordon, Darwren “Pharoah” Greenidge and Joanne "Tigress" Rowley whom he mentored.

He said calypso may change over the years but it would always remain part of TT's culture. For example, when he started singing, calypso tents would be open for seven days a week and were full of patrons. Now, they are open for three or four days and have very few patrons.

Also, there were hardly any characters in calypso anymore. He said the artform was lacking people like Lord Blakie, The Mighty Terror and Brigo – calypsonians people would flock to see perform rather than to hear one song. Back then, he said, entertaining the people was the priority.

“Calypso is a way of life in TT, whether it has competitions or not. And even though I’m concerned about the way calypso is happening now, something inside of me keeps telling me it’s not going to be like that all the time. It’s going to change.”

Dr Asha Kambon, a director of the Emancipation Support Committee, said the members of the board did shikamoo to different artists while they were still alive.

In the past, the organisation honoured Singing Sandra, Ella Andall, David Rudder, Brother Composer, Brother Valentino and others.

“Our idea is that there are people who are well deserved of this shikamoo, which means give praise to your elders, who are elders in the field of their artform and deserve recognition. And Luta was one of those we felt had not received that kind of honour and we’d like to be the ones to honour him in that way.”

She said people did not have to be Afrocentric to be honoured, but they had to be committed to their artform. She lamented the committee had not honoured musician Andre Tanker before he died in 2003 as he worked closely with the committee for many years.

“There was hardly an Emancipation Day when Andre would not come out and sing Sayamanda. Everyone held hands and he had the whole savannah rocking from side to side with tears in people’s eyes.

“He didn’t have to pronounce that he was an African or wear African clothes and so on. But the spirit he evoked was what we wanted and needed to hear, and what society needs right now.”

Peters said the committee was not paying tribute to him to make money but was genuine about recognising the artform and its artists so he encouraged people to come out and support.

The Shikamoo 2024 concert will be held at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.