BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - The Okolo Tegremantine Arts Theatre is truly a success story in St. Kitts and glowing tribute must be paid to them for their longevity as well as for their wonderful creativity and vibrancy. They have remained committed to high standards of excellence and their immortality must now be ensured with the production of CD’s and DVD’s which are not presently available.
This group has proudly represented St. Kitts and Nevis throughout the world and enhanced our stature in lands afar. Now, on their 40th anniversary, it is time to shower them with gratitude and praise.
My association with the Okolo drummers goes back to their very inception when three of its founding members – my late husband Timothy Callender, Larry Armony and Baruti (Pat Carlyle-deceased) would gather at our residence at Garvey’s Estate and lose themselves in drumming. At that time, in the early 70’s, African consciousness was sweeping the Caribbean and Black America, and drumming was regarded as the heartbeat of African culture
All three had resided in Jamaica and had become caught up in the fervour of Rastafarian drumming; their participation in it became infectious. Soon others were joining in and so the Okolo Drummers were born.
Where did the name OKOLO come from? As the drummers searched for a name by which to call themselves, Timothy suggested the name Okolo. Not long before he had been inspired by and felt a great affinity to the African novel “The Voice” by Gabriel Okara in which the protagonist Okolo was a seeker of truth. He (Okolo) caused a stir in his African village seeking for answers to philosophical questions for which no answers could be found.
So impressed was Timothy by this ‘searcher for truth’ that he vowed that if ever he had a son, he would name him Okolo. But after three years of marriage and his son did not appear, he offered the name Okolo as a suitable and fitting name for the drummers who also seemed to be ‘searching’ for their past through drumming. When his son did arrive in 1977 he also called him Okolo. A copy of the book, “The Voice” by Okara was presented to the group on behalf of Timothy (now deceased) by his widow on the group’s 21st anniversary.
In those early days Jacqueline Cramer had formed a dance group whose members were also expressing themselves very creatively. Naturally the close friendship between Larry Armony and Jacqueline Cramer (they later got married) led to a close association between the Okolo drummers and the Tegremantine Dancers and eventually both were united in marriage as were Jackie and Larry. And so the Okolo Tegremantine Arts Theatre was born. The rest is history.
The Okolo Tegremantine Arts Theatre has gone on from strength to strength and it is remarkable how over the years new members developed the same fervour and passion the founding members had. Much credit no doubt must go as well to Alphonso Bridgewater who has been their faithful manager over the years and Ava Henry who has nurtured the dancers. Rhoyd Phipps, their master drummer-guru, has now carried drumming into the primary schools. Its widespread acceptance and the joy of participation seen in the youth reveal that drumming seems to be inherent in our very DNA.
I now rededicate this poem written in 2000 to the Okolo Drummers: May their commitment to excellence continue!
The Okolo Drummers
Sear-CHING, Sear-CHING, Sear-CHING
For Africa
With the heart-BEAT
Of their drums
Inner meaning, Outward action
drumming, chanting,
Searching, drumming
Driven by a soulful passion
And they search… and they cry
Never letting Africa die!
So they soothe, and they bless
Their drums they caress
And the tension then builds up
Climbing to
A new CRESCENDO!
In its wake can be found
One Spirit and
One Love
Then their fingers pitter patter
Bringing Dancers all together
Beating them into a frenzy
As the drumbeat shakes their body
Climbing to
A new CRESCENDO!
Till they slowly simmer down
Toning down
Toning down
Silence now resounds around
For the search they had begun
Was in the truth that they had found
They found the truth was always there
In the heart-BEAT
In the heart-BEAT
In the heart-BEAT
Of the DRUM
(c) Lorna Callender 2000
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