- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 23:17

Jason Griffith funeral on June 28

THE funeral of veteran masman Jason Griffith will be held on June 28, at 10 am at St Francis RC Church on Belmont Circular Road, Belmont, Port of Spain. Griffith, renowned for his fancy sailor portrayals, died on June 19, the day before his 98th birthday. Fellow Belmont resident, calypsonian Robert "Mighty Trini" Elias, in a Facebook post had paid tribute. “Jason Griffith, a barber by trade, played fancy sailor mas from 1946. He learnt from ‘Diamond Jim’ Harding who started the fancy sailor mas in the late 1930’s. “He, Señor (Nascenio) Gomez, and Cito Velasquez kept the fancy king sailor mas alive for many years. May he rest in peace.” Former National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston "Gypsy" Peters had told Newsday, “I know we have a very short street named after him, but apart from that, I do not know what we do or will do, but I believe in preservation, so his memory will not fade.” He was referring to Belmont's Griffith-Morris Link Road also named after copper artist Ken Morris. Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin in a statement said the late masman had been honoured with the Hummingbird Medal Gold in 1990. “Mr Griffith was more than a mas-man. He was a guardian of tradition, a craftsman of joy, and a living archive of our Carnival history. His life’s work bridged generations, reminding us of the value of protecting and celebrating our cultural identity." Benjamin said Griffith dedicated 70 years of his life to the preservation and evolution of the Fancy Sailor tradition, Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival industry and the country's cultural landscape. She said, “Through elaborate craftsmanship and vibrant storytelling, he was able to preserve and promote a unique legacy and love for traditional mas that transcends generations.” The post Jason Griffith funeral on June 28 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.