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

85 JOHN ‘BUDDY’ WILLIAMS (1911-1995) A long with Sel Duncan they ushered in the era of music-for-dancing era or ‘combos’ as some were called. In 1972 he was awarded the Public Service Medal of Merit Silver. Some of the bands that came later were the Cassanovas, Flamingoes, Bonaparte Brothers, Silver Strings and even later, Joey Lewis and his Orchestra. BROTHER RESISTANCE (1954-2021) Lutalo Masimba born Roy Lewis and known professionally as Brother Resistance, was a rhythm poet and musician. He began writing poetry in primary school, and went on to high school at Queen’s Royal College. He was influenced by Trinidad’s 1970 Black Power movement to become conscious of his African identity, and he eventually change his name to Lutalo Masimba in 1982, in order to better reflect his heritage he assumed the soubriquet “Brother Resistance” when he began performing and chanting his poetry at school. Brother Resistance became, together with Brother Shortman, the lead singer of the Network Riddim Band, a Trinidadian ensemble, in 1979 they developed a hybrid of soca and rap that they called “rapso”, a genre for which they credited Lancelot Layne as originator. His best known song was 1987’s “Ring de bell”, in which he advocates symbolically ringing the bell for justice and freedom. In 2002 he was nominated for a Cacique Award for his performance as Aldrick in Earl Lovelace’s dramatization of The Dragon Can’t Dance . In 2017, Brother Resistance was inducted into the Queen’s Royal College Hall of Honour for his contributions to art and culture in Trinidad. He was president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO). • 1992 Hummingbird Medal Note: Among those keeping alive and bringing back the traditional mas character, the Moko Jumbie, developed from a West African deity tradition: John Cupid , Dexter Stewart , Glenn de Souza and Junior Bisnath .