Mt St George returns to Tobago Heritage Festival

AFTER an absence of more than 20 years, Mt St George made a thrilling return to the Tobago Heritage Festival on July 24 at the Hope Community Centre.

The village’s presentation, We Tambrin Story, highlighted the origins and mystique of the unique instrument, which has been an integral part of Tobago’s cultural landscape for generations.

Written and directed by Miguel Lashley, the tambrin’s tale was woven in a fictional love triangle, which sought to restore pride and kindle a greater appreciation for its contribution, particularly among a younger demographic. It touched on the issues of betrayal, mistrust, acceptance and loyalty.

The 90-minute play, which comprised two acts, was interspersed with dance, drumming, philosophical titbits and brief recordings of songs that related to specific developments in the plot.

It also paid tribute to some of the village elders who played a critical role in the development and preservation of the artform, namely the late Senate vice-president and cultural activist, Rawle "Ax Back" Titus and Milford Caterson, among others.

Scheduled to begin at 7 pm, the show got off to a late start. But the standing-room-only audience, which included Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris, the division’s assistant secretary Niall George and Goodwood/Mt St George assemblyman Megan Morrison, were not disappointed.

“Mt St George. That is a top three Best Village production. Well researched. Take it down to Trinidad,” a woman posted afterwards on Facebook.

In the opening act, performers, accompanied by members of the tambrin band, danced the brush back through the aisle of the community centre.

This gave way to a conversation between Jomo (Daniel Wilson) and his best friend Dave (Megueil Phillips), two young men in the village.

Jomo, an introvert, is smitten with Ariel, a beautiful but self-absorbed young woman and a member of the village’s tambrin band. Dave, a self-assured ladies’ man, encourages Jomo to tell Ariel of his affection. Jomo later joins the band as a fiddle player to get closer to Ariel, but does not know the first thing about playing the tambrin.

Meanwhile, Merissa (Shaquan Alleyne), Ariel’s friend and fellow band member, also has a crush on Jomo. But he does not immediately show an interest in her. Later in the play, it's revealed that Ariel was in a relationship with Dave, much to Jomo’s chagrin.

Jomo is eager to take Ariel on a date, but she tells him she is preoccupied with the band’s upcoming production.

Nevertheless, an excited Jomo tells his ailing mother, played by Tiye Ware, about his involvement in the band. She urges him to take more than a superficial interest in the tambrin.

“Make sure your intentions are pure. The tambrin is a powerful instrument,” she advises.

Jomo quickly learns the instrument with the help of Cuthbert (Albert Grieg), a lonely, wise and seemingly cantankerous old man in the village. Initially, they share bitter exchanges, but a sober Cuthbert tells him about the tambrin’s spiritual and healing characteristics.

Toward the end of the presentation, Cuthbert also encourages Jomo to host a thanksgiving service for his mother, who has an unexplained illness and is given a limited time to live. Jomo’s mother, he said, treats him with respect, unlike many people in the village.

Sadly, Cuthbert dies in his sleep, forcing Jomo to comment publicly on his ingratitude towards him.

Jomo and Dave also make amends while Merissa appears willing to pursue a relationship with him, even though he had rejected her at first.

There were several emotional moments in We Tambrin Story: Jomo’s mother’s declaration to him that she has a short time to live; the fight between Jomo and Dave after Jomo learns the latter has betrayed him; and Jomo’s initial rejection of Merissa.

But in the end, Mt St George moved toward a new, more harmonious vision of itself – one underpinned by the realisation that culture is more important than personal gain.

President of the Mt St George Village Council Omari Douglas, in opening remarks, said We Tambrin Story was not just a play but a tribute to the community’s enduring spirit and vibrant culture.

Applauding Morrison’s role in ensuring the village’s return to the Heritage Festival, after a lengthy hiatus, Douglas also praised production manager Asabi Caterson for her commitment and dedication.

He added playwright Miguel Lashley and the cast, which also included Cuthbert’s brother (Elisha Harper) and Mr Davidson (Andelle Franklyn), must be commended for their creativity and passion in bringing the story to life.

"Today, we are here to celebrate, to remember and to honour our past while looking forward to our vibrant future,” Douglas said.

Caterson, who also spoke, read excerpts from Titus’s unfinished book on the Tobago tambrin. In it, he said the instrument and the band must be respected because they are much more than what people see and hear.

Titus wrote that tribute also must be paid to the people who pioneered “this great musical genre and let them know that their efforts have not gone unnoticed."

"These people should be properly credited in a meaningful way and the tambrin should be made one of our national instruments.”

Titus said it was important for the book to be published “because there are too many misconceptions about the instrument and indeed, the band."

“People must be informed. It is because of that lack of information why the genre has been allowed to decline….the tambrin has never been truly embraced. It was never truly loved and as a result, all authorities actually sought to control it for their own convenience”

He revealed he also intended to produce a CD.

Titus said he was the violinist for several bands, the best being the Caterson’s Tambrin Band and the Royal Sweet Fingers Tambrin Band. The latter still exists today.

Titus wrote that the basic rhythms used by many tambrin men in contemporary society “have been watered down a bit and continue to be so with every passing day.”

He said the CD would include music for several dances – the reel and jig, brush back, castillian, among others – as well as the Tobago speech band. He added that its purpose is to record the fundamental beats for posterity.