NICH bestows first ever Artist Emeritus titles
Three Belizean artists were recognized with the first ever Artist Emeritus title in Belize. National Institute of Culture and History says that the initiative recognizes the three trailblazers for their life-long commitment and work to promote culture in Belize. Florencio Mes, Myrna Manzanares and Lord Rhaburn were honoured with plaques and a life-time monthly stipend of five hundred dollars. Andrea Polanco attended today’s award ceremony and shares more from the event.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Florencio Mes, Myrna Manzanares and Lord Rhaburn were each bestowed with the first ever Artist Emeritus Award in Belize. The three artists were recognized with plaques and a life-time honorarium of five hundred dollars per month. Minister of Culture Patrick Faber says the award is to recognize these three artists’ contributions to the preservation of culture and art in Belize.
Patrick Faber, Minister of Culture
Patrick Faber
“We looked around and we did see that some of our older musicians who have made great contributions to the preservation of arts here in Belize that they struggle. And we know that in the early years of their work, and probably still the case today but I suspect it was worse back in their time; compensation was not as good as it is now and probably it would mean for them a continuous struggle. So, we decided to give these awards and it will come with a five-hundred dollar monthly cheque. That is something that will come from NICH. You asked about the continuity of it, but I don’t think that any of our politicians, whichever administration is in, whichever political party is in, would ever be so unkind to deprive especially these three and others who have come.”
Florencio Mes is a Mayan Harpist from San Pedro Columbia in Toledo. For more than fifty years, this ambassador for the Mayan culture has been keeping the musical traditions of the Maya alive.
Florencio Mes
Florencio Mes, Artist Emeritus
“I was sixteen years old when I started to learn this music. I learn seventy music in my head, not by book. When I got sixteen years, I saw a man playing the harp and he got his eyes closed and playing but the house was full and a lot of people were dancing. After that I gone ask the old man if he can teach me and he said yes if you want to learn. He said you can come but don’t come and play, come and learn if you want to learn. And up to now, you see where I am now? Who can say or who can think especially right now? They would say they don’t want to hear this kind of music, but that is not the way should be.”
Myrna Manzanres is a story-teller and dramatist – and well known across the performing art scene in Belize. An ambassador of the Creole culture, Manzanares has been awarded multiple times for her contributions to culture in Belize.
Myrna Manzanres, Artist Emeritus
Myrna Manzanres
“I would really like to say to you that our culture is our heart. Every single culture in this country is our heart. We should never talk about the other culture as they are nothing. My creole culture – unu know how I go when it comes to my Creole culture? Me dah from Malanti and so I have all my African ancestors and the roots and the things that we did, we do it a lot because we were straight from Africa or we ran away. And so it was very important to me, that’s why I came home.”
Gerald Rhaburn, better known by his stage name Lord Rhaburn, formed the Lord Rhaburn Combo way back in 1959. The band travelled across the world performing calypso, brukdown, soca and reggae tunes with social and political impacts.
Lord Rhaburn
Lord Rhaburn, Artist Emeritus
“From I started my career, I have been doing things behind the scenes for my people and country. I was the first person who entertained the first set of tourists that land at the airport in Belize; the first set of tourists who came by barge from the ship, of course we nuh have the growth we have now. I believe that in life when you give you will receive back.”
Andrea Polanco reporting for News Five.
