Most outstanding stickfighter to get $10,000

The Lost Tribe band in collaboration with Visa TT will award $10,000 to the most outstanding stickfighter in the National Carnival Commission’s (NCC) National Stickfighting competition.

The band worked with the Kambule Performing Arts Collective and the Kalinda Kollective to incorporate the artform into its recent FeteYard event, a media release said.

Bandleader Valmiki Maharaj said in the release, “The Lost Tribe was built on the foundation of preserving our past to be able to ensure our future. Initiatives like this has helped us to not only strengthen our community, but build our village and build our voice."

He thanked NCC chairman Winston ‘Gypsy’ Peters, Atillah Springer, Keegan Taylor and Ayanna Mc Clean for supporting the initiative.

Peters welcomed the partnership and praised Tribe for its efforts in incorporating Carnival traditions its operations.

“I am extremely happy that a band the size of The Lost Tribe is doing this kind of thing. It is not just participating, but keeping the spirit and the essence of the Carnival alive. I am very happy with this and that’s why I agreed to the partnership.”

Idakeda group founder and creative director Kambule Performing Arts Collective and Newsday contributor Dara E Healy was also excited about the partnership.

“For the past 20 years the play, Kambule, which is written and directed by Eintou Pearl Springer, has been telling the story of the pivotal role played by our stickfighters in shaping the Carnival we have today. To be able to collaborate with The Lost Tribe and bring that story centre stage in a different space is deeply gratifying," Healy said in the release.

She thanked the Tribe team for its "respect and genuine desire to learn more about this aspect of the culture of Trinidad and Tobago."

Keegan Taylor of Kalinda Kollective was also happy to work with Lost Tribe on the project, the release said.

The NCC stickfighting competition began at the Moruga Multi-Purpose Youth and Sport Facility, Marac, on February 14.

The semifinals take place at Ojoe Road Recreation Ground, Sangre Grande, on February 19, from 7 pm. The finals are on February 26, at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

The semifinalists are:

Daniel Barclay

Anthony Cooper

Selwyn John

Ronald Lewis

Learie Licorish

Anderson Marcano

Keston McIntosh

Oneil Odle

Roddy Ramlogan

Kenson Woods

Wendell Wright