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

82 he walked out from the penny. In other years he played “Lord Harris”, “Joan of Arc,” “Abraham Lincoln,” “Simon Bolivar,” “Shakespeare,” “The Hindu God, Shiva”, “Romeo” and many more. CITO VELASQUEZ (1928-2006) L ewisito ‘Cito’ Velasquez was a master in the art of wire-bending in the Carnival arena. As a boy, growing up on Port of Spain’s St. Vincent Street, Cito learned to sculpt at his family’s doll factory. What he learned during the early period of his life, later served him well over the years in his profession. His career started in the late 1940′s when he started bending wire for the mas presentations of two east Port of Spain steelbands, Fascinators and Bar Twenty. Most of his adult life was spent at his Barataria home/ mas Camp; designing, building and bringing out his wire-bending creations. Cito was a true pioneer and a powerful influence in his field. Not only did he fascinate T&T with his work, he also contributed to the development of the art form, teaching and advising other wire-benders and band leaders. He was responsible for most of the changes that took place in the Fancy Sailor Mas, an area he dominated for many years. • 1973 Hummingbird Medal Gold DAISY VOISIN (1924-1991) V oisin was born in Erin and was educated at Lorensotte Government School. She became an apprentice teacher, and later taught at the Canadian Mission School in Siparia. Switching careers, she became an assistant nurse, and then a midwife, delivering more than 300 babies in the Siparia district.