Belizean icon George Gabb dead at 79

Tonight we regret to report that on Thursday night well known Belizean philosopher, poet and sculptor George Seymour Gabb passed away at his home following a prolonged illness. He was seventy nine years old. Throughout his life, Gabb received numerous distinctions for the remarkable accomplishments achieved in his fifty years of dedicated service to the arts. Gabb is also known for his books the Naked Eye and The Gifted Giant published by Kriol Gyal Prodokshans and The Image Factory. In 1996, then Channel Five reporter Audrey Matura profiled Gabb’s contributions to Belize. Tonight we replay that story as a special tribute in his memory.

Audrey Matura, Reporting
He is well known for his ability to give wood a life of its own, but not much is known about George Gabb’s masterly with words in both Creole and the Queen’s English. Using this talent, Gabb has added one more book to the grey number of local publications. “Naked Eye”, is divided into two parts: his original Belizean proverbs and his philosophy of life. But why Naked Eye?

George Gabb
“I suggesting that seeing with my naked eye; when I say naked, an eye that is not conditioned or influenced by society or any environmental situation.”

Through his naked eye, he shows both sides of his character. Gabb believes that the bets humour is the one that speaks of reality, but addresses serious matters when joke is set aside. Apart from enjoying jest, Gabb had another reason for writing his Creole proverbs.

George Gabb
“If you go around today, people they would say all the Creole proverbs are being lost; Creole itself is being lost. It’s being swallowed up by American influence and all that sort of thing. And so I say, you know something, why I nuh get down and try and write some Creole proverbs. We depend too much on what our ancestors, our forefathers handed down to us. They have the great ability to do it. So why not do it? So, I said I’ll try it.”

This try, however, resulted in Gabb coming up with just over one hundred new Creole proverbs.

While they are very funny, the proverbs speak of issues affecting us toady such as money shortage and taxation. Listen to this one: “Massa God cry shame when maga dawg haffi pay fi fatten tiger belly.” Meaning, it is a sad state of affair when the poor are the ones who carry the strain to balance the budget.

Gabb also tried to balance his book having a series of poems reflecting his personal beliefs but in a most serious tone.

George Gabb
“Philosophy, my concept or my belief on today’s life, I have one of the strongest in there I think is one blank page; it’s a search for one to find himself.”

In trustingly enough these were written by Gabb as he worked on his various wooden sculptors.

As a line in the poem, “The Sculptor” states, “A haunting voice beyond existence echoes to my heart; take shape, make shape, there is no time.” And shapes he creates; adding five more pieces to his collection.

George Gabb
“I have pursuit as you see over there; being one of the most beautiful pieces of wood I have ever found in all my life. I am not even sure what type of wood it is right now. And then I have here a very, very remarkable piece right in front of us which is a mother with child. You can barely see the impression of the child inside of the mother, not born yet and this is using the drift wood to most of what it has to offer.”

This is mounted in an old wash bowl, which is over a hundred years old. Mother and child is one Gabb’s favourite themes, which he again portrayed in this abstract piece. Then there is Reef master.

George Gabb
“It’s a piece of coral that I’ve found in 1964 at Half Moon Caye and just decide to mount it in a piece if Mahogany drift wood. Over the side, we have an abstract piece, which I called “Two thought skin to make”; it’s either climax or crescendo. I don’t know, it probably means the same thing. Climax is more provocative to me.”

George Seymour Gabb dead at age seventy-nine.