Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

68 HARBANCE KUMAR (1937- ) I ndian-born, he was the film pioneer who came to the region in the late 1960s with the intention of filming full length movies. Among the movies that were produced starting in 1970 and around the time of his influence were The Right and The Wrong, Caribbean Fox, Bim, Man from Africa/Girl from India. THELMA LANE (1914-1999) A s a calypsonian, she sang under the name Lady Trinidad and was the first female calypsonian to record in 1937. Before that she sang with one of the ‘Yankee bands’ singing American pop songs. NORMAN LE BLANC H e is said to be the first to sing a calypso in English (instead of in ‘patois’) around 1900, under the name “Richard Coeur de Lion”. ELLIOT “ELLIE” MANNETTE (1927-2018) E llie Mannette is one of the people associated with the early development of the steelpan and up to today, decades later, he is still regarded as one of the major steelpan players, tuners and arrangers. In 1951, TASPO (TrinidadAll Steel Percussion Orchestra), of which Mannette was a member and tuner, travelled to England to present the