“JUMBIE CORNER” Pharoah Calypso

Dedicated to Basil Henderson and Lloyd Matheson

Fitting really, that the first person to be crowned Calypso King of St. Kitts, should be known as “Mighty Kush”.

Kush was one of the great states of the ancient world, located in Sudan and southern Egypt. Also known as Nubia, this society gave us the Pharaonic 25th Dynasty, known as the ''Black Pharaohs.'' According to an obituary, ''He was a keen student of Black history,'' so we can see that Winston Barker knew what he was talking about and that he chose his stage name well. They say he faced tough competition that day, during Christmas 1957, in the Apollo Theatre, from Lord Esso, Lord Harmony and others; as Tarhaka –mentioned in the Bible - one of the Kushite Pharaohs, had to contend with the Egyptians and Assyrians. Kush was a generating figure of calypso in St Kitts and Nevis, as Tarhaka began a temple building campaign in Upper and Lower Egypt. He took his love of calypso with him to his adopted country, Canada; the Kushite Kings, like the Egyptians before them, traded as far as Afghanistan.

Other venues for that inaugural carnival in St Kitts, included Warner Park and Pall Mall Square, but remembering how euphoric I was when seeing Burning Spear, preceded by Horace Andy and Johnny Clarke, I think that night in the Apollo must have been truly enchanting, as band followed band, the audience relishing every minute.

As the ancient Kushites gave thanks for Napata, we give thanks for Basseterre and the king that was crowned there, on the evening of the 21st of December, 1957.