Portraits of Chutney Singers in Trinidad and Tobago

Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine 2012

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co Ltd (ICC) is proud to announce the publication of its latest magazine commemorating Indian Heritage Month (May 2011) in Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean). The theme of the magazine which marks the early arrival of East Indians/South Asians from India to Trinidad (1845-1917) is “Portraits of Chutney Singers in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Chutney has become the defining idiom through which people of East Indian descent have made their musical mark in the Caribbean. Never before have chutney artistes, chutney concerts and chutney competitions pushed for airplay and space on the public stage as in Carnival 2012 in multi-ethnic Trinidad and Tobago. In recent years, Indians have contributed to changing the construction of “the national festival” to the extent that Carnival has now to be re-defined to include Chutney Monarch, Chutney Brass, Chutney Soca, Chutney Calypso, Chutney Glow, and Chutney Mardi Gras. Events that are chutney-based have allowed Indians to gain a sense of inclusion in this grand “national” festival, although on the periphery of the main city centre. What these cultural incursions mean is that chutney has allowed Indians to actively participate in Carnival without losing their (sense of) ethnic identity

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May-June 2012
11 x 8 ½ inches
80 pages with advertisements and articles
ISSN 1683-4143
Glossy pages and cover

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • About Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Editorial: Chutney’s Contribution to Carnival
  • Greetings from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - The Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar
  • Greetings from the Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism - The Honourable Winston Peters
  • Extract of an address from the Minister of Tourism - The Honourable Rupert T. Griffith
  • Adesh Samaroo - His hit song “Rum til I die” took on a life of its own.
  • Andy Singh - Andy continues to carry on his father’s ability to mesmerize the audience.
  • Kenneth Supersad - By profession a songwriter and broadcaster, Kenneth is now the “funny” addition to Radio 90.5, where he entertains as a singer and musician.
  • Kris V. Persad (KI) - With his runaway hit, “Single Forever,” he has become the youngest king in the history of chutney music.
  • Kenneth Salick - It was the love song “Radica” that placed Salick on the Chutney Soca World Map.
  • Soca Elvis - Elvis is back, but has reinvented his musical style with chutney soca!
  • Lalchan Babwah - A good hunter always hits his mark.
  • Drupatee Ramgoonai - She almost won the Road March title in 1988 when she placed second in the race.
  • Sassy Ramoutar - This artiste can be most appropriately considered “New York’s Chutney Ambassador.”
  • Neeshan Prabhoo - Twelve years later, his “Don’t hold me back,” is still a hit, and has been remixed several times.
  • Asha Kamachee - This blind singer “sees” the growing number of people who are emulating her strength and determination.
  • Heeralal Rampartap - “Treat yuh Woman Nice” exudes as a breath of fresh air in an art-form characterized by rum songs.
  • Daddy Chinee - This versatile singer’s talents range from Indian film songs to chutney to reggae.
  • Reshma Ramlal - She believes that if men could produce music, women could too – and even better.
  • Artie Butkoon - This “Goddess of Chutney” proves that she can do anything on stage.
  • Anil Bheem - He mesmerized thousands of fans at his last Mother’s Day Show at the Centre of Excellence.
  • Ravi Bissambhar - It is impossible to venture into discussion on chutney music without hearing his name mentioned.
  • Rajin Dhanraj - He performed at almost every United National Congress (UNC) meeting during the People’s Partnership election campaign.
  • Rasika Dindial - In 2007, she won the award for the Most Popular Female Chutney Artiste of the Year.
  • Rick Ramoutar - Last Carnival, he won the first prize of a new Ford Fiesta car at the National Chutney Soca Monarch.
  • Rikki Jai - The future looks bright for this Prince, and his subjects eagerly await his next production.
  • Devanand Gattoo - With Gattoo in the driver’s seat of the chutney train, passengers can rest assured that they are in safe hands.
  • Omadath Maharaj - In 2004, this forever-young dappa don, founded the now world-renowned Spread Pal Crew.
  • Nigel Salickram - He is one of the few singers to use chutney as a vehicle for social commentary.
  • Mohip Poonwassie - It is very likely in a few years’ time, he would become the king who conquered rum in chutney.
  • Sally Sagram - She started with Spread Pal Crew, left to become a solo artiste, and is now leader of her own band Xtreme.
  • The Evolution of Chutney - Chutney music contains the potential overtones of political, social and cultural resistance.
  • Chutney in Carnival (Part 1) - Researcher Peter Mason (1998) writes that with the introduction of chutney, Indians’ avoidance of Carnival is being changed.
  • Chutney in Carnival (Part 2) - Researcher Peter Mason (1998) writes: “Certainly the perception of Carnival as largely Afro-Trinidadian festival is on the wane…”
  • Chutney in the Mainstream Media - Chutney artistes have been pushing for airplay and space on the public stage in Carnival.
  • Chutney has redefined Carnival - Chutney has become the defining idiom through which people of East-Indian descent have made their musical mark in the Caribbean.
  • Chutney Music and Indian Women - In Cultural Studies, popular culture is being increasingly analyzed as being an agent of social change.Extract of an address from the Minister of Tourism