#home of Calypso

[galleryyuhself]

Galleryyuhself - DECLARING DIEGO MARTIN THE HOME OF CALYPSOMEDIA RELEASE

There are 300+ Trinidad-style Carnivals all over planet Earth. The two largest festivals in the western world are Trini-styled Carnivals- London’s Notting Hill, and Brooklyn’s Labour Day- which, at their height, had over 4 million people on the streets! Calypso has been the root and has profoundly influenced the trajectory of many forms of popular music from Afrobeat, Ska, Rock Steady, Dancehall, and Reggaeton, to Afro Beats and EDM, etc. The first platinum album in the world was Calypso by Harry Belafonte beating out Rock N Roll and Elvis. After Jazz and before Pop, America was contemplating making Calypso its next popular music… Millions of people across the world move to the pulse of its variant forms- Soca, Chutney, and more…

All of this impact was born in a cave at the top of Diego Martin out of the voice of one genius enslaved African called Gros Jean… On Thursday 9th February at 10:30am a group of citizens, historians, Calypsonians and estates of Calypsonians made the historic declaration that ‘’Diego Martin is the Home of Calypso’ at the Azure Room in IMAX, Starting with the phrase, ‘’As this is the ‘Mother of All Carnivals’ we would like to make the ‘Mother of all Carnival Declarations’’ the Artists’ Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) in collaboration with  series of Diego Martin citizen organisations, and the estates of some of T&T’s most illustrious Kings of Calypso are pursuing an initiative to have Diego Martin branded ‘the Home of Calypso’. 

The fascinating claim emerges out of a strange confluence of cultural phenomena observed by ACTT president Rubadiri Victor whilst doing historical research for a Cultural Mapping exercise for Diego Martin as part of a Commonwealth Foundation grant project in 2016.The reasons behind the claim are the following: The first 6 or so Calypsonians ever in the historical record came from slave plantations in Diego.

Records have shown that during the late 1700s, the first Calypsonians originated from the Begorrat Slave Plantation in Covigne Hill, Diego Martin- with the first Calypsonian on record being the enslaved African “Gros Jean” a singer of extraordinary talent. The tomb of Gros Jean- the first Calypsonian- is located at the corner of Covigne Road and Richardson Street in Diego Martin- at what was once the Bergorrat family cemetery. It is said that on burial, Gros Jean’s body was wrapped in flaming red cloth, with a gold crucifix over his forehead, and his mouth filled with rum…Following Gros Jean were other calypsonians like “So-So”, “Papa Couchon”, “Possum”, and “Hannibal the Mulatto”.

The site where Calypso was 'born' were the Covigne caves beneath Begorrat's great house. The network of caves are said to extend all the way to the West coast beach of Macqueripe where Begorrat was rumoured to have run contraband and illegal slaves through. That Calypso was born in a cave is a fascinating Creation Myth. Victor and fellow ACTT board member and Calypso archivist Shawn Randoo made the hike to discover the caves in 2017 and filmed the entire adventure. It will be released as a short film later this year…

Apart from this, many of the modern Calypso Kings also came to reside in Diego- Sparrow, Kitchener, Rudder, Chalkdust- as well as other geniuses of the form- Funny, Brigo, Brother Superior, etc. The first ever Calypso King (1939)- the Growling Tiger- - was born there. Calypso Queen Denise Plummer was also a resident, alongside “Marcia Miranda”, the duo “Regeneration Now” and brass bandleader “Roy Cape”. One of the greatest writers of the Calypso- the late “Winsford Devine” also called Diego home, alongside contemporary voices like Kerwyn Du Bois and Maximus Dan who were born there.

Add to this legendary Pan arranger Clive Bradley and Drew Gonzalves- lead singer/songwriter of the Calypso-based Juno winning group Kobo Town (the Juno is the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy). It is a staggering amount of Legacy names!...To crown it all the largest archive of T&T music and Calypso exists in Diego- the Shawn Randoo collection. This is important as the two largest collections of T&T and Calypso music are both held outside of T&T. The first is located in Alaska with historian and ex-judge Ray Funk.

The second is located in Canada- recently sold by Trini-born Toronto native George Maharaj.

These facts inspired Rubadiri and ACTT to crown the phenomena via a proposal that was supported by the Diego Martin Regional Corporation through then Chairman Hong and the village of Covigne in 2017. Its objectives were, and still are, the activation of a Heritage Hub project and the branding of Diego Martin as the Home of Calypso, on the planet.

The project was advancing on many fronts- but COVID then derailed it…As this is the "Mother of All Carnivals" it was decided to reanimate the project, reassemble the forces, and relaunch the project with a media conference to LAUNCH THE IDEA of DIEGO MARTIN- THE HOME OF CALYPSO.

At the media conference, a timeline was given to realize the first phase of projects in time for Carnival 2024. To facilitate the project a committee made up of the stakeholders has been put together and is expanding. There are reps from the estates of the Kings- Kitch, Sparrow, Rudder, etc; Shawn Randoo the kaiso historian; representatives of the Covigne people; the Diego Martin Carnival Committee; Akins Vidale- a professor from the Cipriani Labour College (born in Covigne); other Diego non-Calypso VIPs; and members of the Artists’ Coalition of Trinidad & Tobago.

At the Heart of all this, of course, is the Power and majesty of the thing called Calypso, which has changed the world and lives profoundly. The aim of the Heritage Hub project is to create entrepreneurial hubs based around profound Heritage Sites.

These sites are compelling destinations which should house multi-media Museums. Around this you then add the agricultural produce of the region, its culinary skills, its cultural practitioners and talents, its artisans, its tech, and its entrepreneurs- small, medium, and large.

ACTT believes that the ‘Diego Martin- Home of Calypso’ project will be a prototype of such citizen-led initiatives to transform declining communities.The committee is actively looking for private and public sector partners for the project which visualises a one year timeline for the first phase of the re-branding.

The projects include:

1.      Designating the Begorrat Caves a National Heritage Site and creating an international hiking trail destination with multiple lookout points. A project for the clearing and mapping of the caves at the top of Covigne exists and awaits partners.

2.      Another project involves creating heritage markers for the front of all the Homes of the Kings and other calypso sites in Diego- like Sparrow’s Hideaway, Kitchener’s Rain-O-Rama;  the grave of Gros Jean, the homes of Superior, etc.

3.      A low hanging fruit project involves the creation of murals all over the soon-to.be-borough with a specific one prescribed for Covigne itself.

4.      Another project involves a possible creation of a Diego Martin and Calypso multi-media museum out of the current Water Wheel Heritage Site and the designing of an outdoor stage at the Water Wheel, itself which is a natural ampitheatre.

5.      Holding all the multiple Heritage locations together will be the creation of a tourist guide map of the area by the committee.

6.      Finally the branding exclamation mark would be the creation of a billboard at the entrance of Diego proclaiming ‘‘Welcome to DIEGO MARTIN- THE HOME OF CALYPSO!’’

7.      A Diego Martin Calypso Heritage Festival would be the final goal, possibly twinned with the historic Pigeon Peas Festival run by members of the Covigne community.Its aim is to eventually attract up to 100,000 unique domestic and overseas visitors to Diego Martin annually in the first instance- as well as other forms of tourism.

This project could change the fate and face of Diego for the better and release multi-million dollar entrepreneurial multipliers in the community. It could assist in the rehabilitation of collapsing hillside communities and delinquent boys. The project also envisages the establishment of vinyl record shops, a record-pressing plant, and internet radio stations as outcomes. Ultimately the ‘Home of Calypso’ project would contribute toward generating and circulating millions of dollars in foreign exchange within Diego Martin, surrounding communities, and Trinidad & Tobago as a whole. 

There is a Facebook page you can join to keep abreast and to contribute: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090180610072 or call 1’868-797-‘0949 if interested.

Members of the committee: Pedro Mulrain ‘The Scientist’ ACTT board member and vinyl record activist: Errol Joseph representing the Covigne community and chairman of the Diego Martin Pigeon Peas Festival: Mr Shurland Hartley, head of the West Penn Sports and Cultural Organisation: and Rubadiri Victor, president of ACTT. Missing members of the Diego Martin Carnival Committee.

Video greetings by: David Michael Rudder; Karen Francisco from the Sparrow family: and Yvonne Bobb Smith, librarian and advocate for the creation of the T&T Museum of Music. Blessing came from the family of Kitchener- widow Valerie Roberts and daughter Quweina Roberts, and from Hollis Liverpool- the Chalkdust.

THE ENTIRE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT IS DEDICATED TO THE LATE PROFESSOR GORDON ROHLEHR....

[rosesfornoelle]

PJO fans I love y'all and I'm happy that you found the musical and enjoying it but PLEASE stop saying the only reason Calypso kept Odysseus on the island for 7 years was that she was cursed to love anyone who came to her island, that's is a PJO thing that Rick Riordan wrote in to make the calypso in his version seem more sympathetic😭 like her "curse of love" wasn't even the original Odyssey.

Yeah, her situation is completely shitty but she made the decision herself to keep Odysseus on the island while he cried everyday on shoreline. There is no curse of love whispering to her "Keep him on the island" in her ear.

[tagzpite]

Here is Fishdysseus trapped in a pond for those who didn’t see

[0spookymoth0]

If I see one more person say Odysseus cheated on Penelope I'm gonna rip out your ligaments like Typhon did to Zeus that one time

[rin-rin-comics]

alright back to comic panels

I keep getting side tracked anyway I thought my epic lovers would like this little relatable post

[dootznbootz]

You can horny post and thirst for Circe and Calypso without making fun of Odysseus, a victim of both, btw. 👍

[gods-favorite-autistic]

The curse of no one around me irl knowing or caring about Greek mythology or the odyssey is that no one understands why I’m annoyed about people complaining that one of the songs in the epic ocean saga isn’t the ‘get in the water’ because that’s not how the fucking odyssey works!!!!!

[katiekatdragon27]

you got me into aircorn godbless (derogatory. I'm now hyperfixated. THEM ..) /silly /lh

You know what that means?! I get an excuse to post these super old doodles!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA /lh

I have not been super involved in the OSC as of late, but I won't give up an opportunity to share art, whether new or old, of all my sillies.

I have a stockpile of aircorn art that I've been sitting on, I really need to share more of it. But here are some of the lighthearted ones. Like this skating doodle! (Popcorn try to remember Airy's face is made of glass challenge IMPOSSIBLE GONE DANEROUS GONE DEADLY????)

A bunch more doodles under the cut:

Some older older doodles of Popcorn's beef with Rotton Apple.

After Showvember, Popcorn and Rotten Apple dated super briefly. It was incredibly sour for the both of them. Neither of their needs were not being met, and both (but mostly Popcorn) were not pulling their weight in the relationship. When they separated, both talked very poorly about the other.

Beanie, RA's current partner, completely validates all of RA's feelings. Airy, on the other hand, is chill with Popcorn venting to him but doesn't entirely believe her side (cuz she exaggerates everything). Also, Popcorn is very flip-floppy with her views on RA, cuz on one hand he annoys the hell outta her, but she really liked his company when they were together and just kinda wants to hold onto that. She wants everything and nothing to do with him. RA just wants nothing to do with her, but she has an uncanny way or wiggling into people's lives without their knowledge.

But other than that...

AIRCORN WEDINGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Yeahhhhh in my hc they get married. Their kids are the ring bearer and the flower girl, but they're not illustrated there. And you can only imagine how fun the wedding was for the two best men (minus Clock cuz he's just happy to be there). Worst music playlist on the planet was played during it too and the food was either banging or ass lol.

Also some Rotten Apple and Beanie for the road <3

Hopefully I can draw these dudes again, but like newer. I care for all of them deeply lol. Have a good one homies 👋👋👋

[potatoesmoomaddie]

HELLO I HAVE MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT THE EPILOGUE CHILDREN

At one point Oscar had the bright idea to cut calypso’s hair and aggressively called veah to come fix it without anyone finding out except Oscar didn’t account for the fact that his sister’s hair was LIKE 6 INCHES SHORTER veah did end up making it look really good though.there’s just no scissors in new seaside anymore

[backpackingspace]

Do we think odysseus's thoughts are almost stuck in quick thought from how often Athena popped up into his head? Because I absolutely do

[wainwrightjakobshammerlock]

[littler3d]

I saw a TikTok about calypso baby trapping Odysseus and now I have personal beef with her

Is this a thing? Idk I refuse to read the story but I will find a work around this “immortal” business

[tittyinfinity]

ah fun the youngest cat is in heat for the first time

[bubblin-trouble]

*knock knock* Hey Calypso. You in there right now?

*Yuna's fully aware of the fact that she looks like shit, but she didn't want to dwell on it. Instead, she wanted more to deal with other thoughts on her mind...*

It's Yuna. I was wondering if you'd be willing to chat with me a bit about something.

(-🦐Yuna, @night-raven-miscellany)

(✨ooc: hi I've no idea if u were also witness to the recent Overblot miniarc that happened the other day but I wanted 2 do smth related to that between these two in like a discussion or smth. Feel free to ignore this tho if u want, idrm. Just wanted 2 interact somehow lol ;P )

Calypso perked up at the sound of her friend at the door, and she quickly rushed to open it.

“Oh, hey, Yuna! Uh…you okay, there? No offense, girl, but you kinda look like ya went through a hurricane on your way here — minus the water. Is everythin’ okay? You…wanna come in?”

She opened the door a little wider, signaling that she was welcome to come in if she wanted to.

[beemintty]

so I've discovered there are lots of epic the musical lovers on here and therefore lots of greek mythology lovers on here.

so, tell me your favourite god, goddess, nymph, giant, titan, hero or creature!!

what other mythologies are we into?

[fractempyreal]

It's dangerous out there. Take this.