IS IT really August? Already? Surely not. It seems like it was only yesterday that I was wishing you a Happy New Year and thinking about what 2023 could have in store for us.
Well, summer is in full flow now, and of course that means the annual Carnival celebrations across the country. It’s a busy time for Black music lovers, especially if you are a DJ, and the festivities keep rolling on! The summer started with me and the BrukOut team hitting Glastonbury and representing with a special presentation celebrating 75 years of the Windrush alongside DJ Larni, Yung Saber, Brixx and the birthday boy Big Zeeks.
It was an amazing afternoon, and it set me up perfectly for the following few weeks. I’m proud to be appearing at some of the festivities which promote and big-up Caribbean culture across the UK – I’ve already performed at Huddersfield carnival, which was a great day, and Nottingham carnival is fast approaching on August 20.
The two stellar events over the bank holiday weekend are carnivals in Leeds and London. Yorkshire’s event was actually the first street parade aimed at celebrating Caribbean culture on the roads in the UK and continues to be a stalwart event in the calendar.
Being a west Londoner, Notting Hill is home, and always will be. Seeing the different disciplines on parade gives me an incredible feeling of pride, especially as it is one of the rare opportunities that we can be our full Caribbean selves without apology or dilution. You can jump, wave, rave and blow your horns without fear of retribution and give it large!
The width of the celebrations are a key component – no part is more important than the other, and each need to be given their prominence and due. I’ve always admired and respected the traditions of the disciplines and those who continue to push them, particularly in these tricky financial times and usually without much support. It’s with sadness that one of those who was a huge advocate of these activities has sadly left us.
The late Vernon Shabaka Thompson passed away in St Lucia on July 4 at the age of 65. Shabaka spread the message of carnival far and wide – from his work at the Yaa Centre in west London, to being the Artistic Director of The Hull International Carnival, to also being an international consultant for many worldwide reputable brands including the Calabar Carnival, Cross River State, Nigeria – Africa’s biggest carnival and street party.
He was a renowned specialist in Carnival management in many cities around the world and for many years, and in 2005 he was also the Director of The Notting Hill Carnival. His presence, impact, intuition and resourceful insight also changed the culture and landscape of carnival management in the UK, Nigeria, Ghana, the Caribbean and different parts of the world.
Shabaka’s first interaction as a child of about 10 years old was making mud masks with his siblings for J’ouvert, even making the coconut brooms to sweep the yard for J’ouvert and being paid for sweeping.
While in Canada, he was administratively involved in Carnival with WestCan and Caribana, but it was not until he arrived in London with his actor’s hat on that he was introduced to Mas by Greta Mendez.
It was almost certain that Shabaka was drawn to the performance art of Mas more than anything else, because his portrayal of Garret Morgan’s invention Traffic Lights/Rasta colours is still remembered by many.
This started a career in Carnival and Mas for nearly 40 years until his passing. His work at Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre spanned over 25 years, which saw him working his way through the ranks to being responsible for the Carnival Mas band, then eventually becoming the Director of Yaa Asantewaa Arts Centre and finally the CEO of Carnival Village.
Carnival became Shabaka’s passion, and he believed it was the most diverse art form that could be used to develop, unite and sustain us as a people. Shabaka’s vision is to contribute to the economic liberation of African people through empowerment, leadership and the development of sustainable institutions and communities.
His first vision of owning and operating our own customised space was realised in the creation and establishment of Carnival Village in Ladbroke Grove and the Yaa Centre in Maida Vale along with his mentors Richard Gibson and Ashton Moore.
The next phase would utilise all his love for performing, the creation of a Carnival Theme Park utilising African and Caribbean traditional characters, custom and traditions on which he had already produced a paper and started discussions.
Shabaka was a Carnival Warrior, Activist and Visionary and his work has resonated throughout the celebrations, whether those who enjoyed it knew of his input or not.
I hope his legacy can be fully celebrated this month, and that he can have the send-off he deserves.
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Beautiful article,hope he’s remembered at this years Nottinghill Hill Carnival
Thank you Shabaka for your contribution to Carnival….for many many years I found my way down to Notting Hill because I had message after message about why it was so important to support and embrace our festival. I always looked out for what your groups/bands were doing and I had to make sure that you knew I had showed up! You truly believed in keeping our culture and history alive!
He will be missed his legacy will live on sleep in peace Cuz
I miss my brother Shabaka every day. Jah Rastafari.
Whilst the Voice’s vintage Caribbean Readers welcomes the nostalgia for the Caribbean Carnival: as created by London’s Notting Hill residence in the 1950s; by women like Ms Claudia Jones and many others.
The traditional Caribbean Carnival, organised and administered by Caribbean people was deliberately usurped by the friendly neighbourhood Elected Labour Councillor, and Local Authority Executive Officers in the 1990s, because the Caribbean Carnival had become successful: attracting thousands of people.
The involvement of Local Authorities, and liberal Caucasian people has been detrimental to the traditional Caribbean Carnival.
The first things well-meaning middle-class Caucasian Left-wing people demand was to relocate the Caribbean Carnival from its traditional community street setting.
Oxford’s Labour Council moved the Caribbean Carnival into South Park.
Birmingham’s Labour Council relocated the Caribbean Carnival from Handsworth Park to Perry Barr.
Other Labour Council have followed this practice, designed to destroy the Caribbean carnival.
Evan Notting Hill’s Caribbean Carnival was bullied by the Labour local Council, who have required the music to stop at 7pm; at the precise moment the Caribbean Carnival is coming to life.
I mourn the usurping of England’s Caribbean Carnival by Left-wing, Politically Correct, men and women; who in practice have no sincere regard: respect, or honour for the Caribbean people, whose votes the Labour Party in the cities of England are dependent.
Angela thinking about you and your family may the Lord guide and protect you during this painful moments.
Fondest love
Melrose
Miss you Shabaka. A sudden departure to Bigger & Better things. Gone but never forgotten . Thank you for bringing my cousin a lifetime of joy and happiness.
Today Caribbean Carnivals are managed by Left-wing, Politically Correct, “anti-racists,” Liberal Caucasian men and women, who know nothing of the history of carnival; and care nothing for England’s African-Caribbean Subjects.
These people are supported by Labour Local Authorities, who always want to remove Carnival from the Streets, whilst watering down the essence of Caribbean people’s carnival.
For this reason, the loss of Mr Vernon Shabaka Thompson, who has passed away in St Lucia, and who managed many of England’s Caribbean carnivals, will be greatly mourned.
He will be missed a great ambassador for culture and arts from Trinidad from humble beginnings gone but never forgotten
I fully agree about the upsurping of our street carnivals. I use to play Mas in Birmingham and they turned it into an English garden fete when they moved it to Perry Barr.
May Shabaka find rest in the arms of our ancestors and his family be comforted by the wonderful memories they hold dear.
A man of strength, purpose and a good heart. That was the description that I saw of the person, my sister Angela introduced to me in London, some years ago, then proven as my son formed like opinion of his ‘Uncle Shabaka’, when he (my son) was welcomed into the Thompson’s home, until he (my son) found reasonable stability.
Thanks for your patience and big brotherly generosity Shabaka, and for your hard works of giving our Caribbean culture more light abroad…
Shabaka and Earl embraced me as their long lost cousin, I met them at Yaa Asantewa cultural centre in 1995 for the first time.
I wish my Cuz a happy journey, through the realms,
Loving him always ❤️
Truly a Great and Humble Soul who has wielded his indelible mark on our journey to ourselves finding and making fulfilling our identities through the most visceral medium through Art Carnival Art. RIP