Music plays on ...
Published:Sunday | June 6, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer
FOR YEARS, the diverse cultural and educational contribution of Tivoli Gardens to Jamaica has been overshadowed by the perception that the community is a haven for thugs and gunmen.
Those in the know are aware that Tivoli has nurtured and produced some of Jamaica's most gifted and talented performers, despite the community's constant struggle to overcome its negative image.
From his early days as member of parliament for west Kingston, elder statesman and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga recognised the talent pool in the community and set about harnessing it.
Seaga took on the responsibility of transforming the area from the garbage dump known as Back O'Wall to a modern community, with sports, education and culture as its centrepiece.
Out of that dream came several performing groups, outstanding sports teams and educated professionals who serve in all aspects of Jamaican life.
On the cultural scene, the Tivoli Gardens Marching Band, established in 1970, and the Tivoli Dance Group, have established themselves locally and internationally.
The two groups have won numerous awards.
The critically acclaimed Tivoli Dance Group, currently led by Jennifer Garwood, has its season of dance each summer at the Little Theatre, where it usually receives rave reviews.
Among those credited for the success of the dance group is Hyacinth Campbell, a former regional manager with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission who has been involved in cultural activities in Tivoli Gardens for more than 45 years.
Vibrant drama group
Campbell started as a member of the 'Dramatours', one of the first drama groups established in Tivoli.
"Few Jamaicans know Tivoli Gardens once had a vibrant drama group, as well as a folk-singing group, which was established long before the Cari-Folk Singers," Campbell boasted to The Sunday Gleaner.
"Additionally, the dance group which was established incorporated modern and traditional dances. There was also the formation of the drum corps, as well as the first steel band, which was started long before the University of the West Indies established its steel band," Campbell said
According to Campbell, some of the country's best cultural instructors, including Olive Lewin, dramatist Keith Parkin, Gertrude Sherwood, sculptor Fitz Harrack and kumina icon Queenie Kennedy were also part of the fine-tuning of the talent in the community.
Fashion modelling also formed part of the cultural activities organised by Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, who now serves as the minister in charge of youth, sports and culture.
Producing pioneers
Grange had responsibility for Tivoli's cultural activities during the early 1970s.
Tivoli Gardens model, Valerie Robinson, became the first Jamaican woman to grace the cover of the popular Essence magazine, while another model, June Daley, went on to become the manager of the Miss Jamaica UK Competition, a post she still holds today.
Jeannette Grant-Woodham, who served as the first principal of what was then the Tivoli Gardens Comprehensive High School between 1970 and 1993, recalls that the school's excellence in cultural events was balanced by the vocational education it provided.
She said many of the students who excelled in vocational fields, such as welding, plumbing, and auto mechanics, were often sought after by employers locally and overseas.
The school was also the first in Jamaica to have a solar energy programme. This was introduced during the 1980s.
Solar panels installed on the school compound were used to pump water from underground wells, which was used to transform a barren dust bowl into a lush green field.
In 2003, Tivoli Gardens High School was selected as the first local school to participate in a pilot project called 'Click A Tutor', which allowed students to do courses via the Internet.
Colin Williams, current leader of the Tivoli Drum Corps, has been involved with the marching band since its launch in 1970.
Williams, who grew up in Tivoli Gardens, says most of the band members come from the community and adjoining Denham Town.
However, some are from the traditionally rival political community of Arnett Gardens, while others are from as far away as Spanish Town, St Catherine.
Williams says the band, which has its base at the Tivoli Gardens community centre, originally started with 16 members. Now there are up to 80 members.
Williams says the band has performed at Labour Day parades in the United States and in Costa Rica as part of a cultural-exchange programme.
He claims that during the recent unrest in the community, the band suffered losses, as some equipment, along with flat-screen televisions, were stolen.
Williams says in light of the events which recently unfolded, the rebuilding process in Tivoli will take some time.