Displaying the life and legacy of calypsonian Dr. David Michael Rudder, the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum launched a tribute to the local legend over the weekend, titled David Rudder: A Contemporary Griot.
Co-founder and Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum, Rosalind Gabriel, dubbed the Trinidadian calypsonian one of the greatest griots in local history, saying he is more than a storyteller, but a keeper of memory, the protector of truth, and one who sings the soul of our people into existence.
“Dr. Rudder, tonight we celebrate you not only as an artist but as a cultural guardian, a truth teller and a torch bearer of Caribbean identity.”
With memorable hits like Trini 2 De Bone, Oil and Music, and A Madman’s Rant, Ms. Gabriel said Dr. Rudder embodies the cultural spirit of the nation.
“This exhibition is our way of saying thank you not just for the music but for the meaning. It is also fitting that this tribute takes place here, inside the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum, an institution borne of love, determination, and an unshakeable belief that our culture deserves to be preserved, honoured, and taught.”
Friend of David Rudder, Carl Jacob, praised the efforts of the cultural ambassador.
“I am just happy that we, as a people, all here, not here, at one point in time, came to realise and understand the greatness of David in his music, his lyric, and his love and passion for this T&T culture.”
The star power, and man of the hour, Dr. Rudder himself shone a light on the youth with a few words of encouragement.
“Do the work. You don’t know how much people listening to your work, you know, but this lets you know that there are people out there listening and notice when you sing. I am conveying that message to the young people so I think this is the beginning of something that’s ongoing and hopefully I can be a griot for a long time.”
This landmark exhibition honours his invaluable contributions to culture, connecting the dots between calypso and its ancestral roots, expressed through his educational and thought-provoking lyricism.