RE: REUNION 2017

2017-MAY-25-1602Hrs

Hi Errol,

Thanks again for enabling us to be in touch with each other.

Thanks also to all who have registered to attend our up-coming Reunion.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

• The deadline for informing of your attendance at the other activities is May 31st 2017.
• You need to indicate your shirt size if ordering one.
• A copy of the bank deposit slip is to be sent to Sheila Warner at sjw500@gmail.com
• We need to know in advance if some of you are really planning to attend.

The group code for making hotel reservations is MAUSTE. Reservations can be made by either

• Contacting Hilton Reservations Department at ph. no. 1-868-624-3211 Ext. 5504 OR
• Emailing at reservations.trinidad@hilton.com OR
• Going online to www.hilton.com

Please use the code MAUSTE to get our special hotel rate.

Looking forward to seeing you again.

Angela McAlister 72

RE: The history of Mausica Kaiso.

2017-MAY-25-0116Hrs

Thursday 25th. March, 2017

My Fellow Mausicans.

Carl Caton and I are working together to take you "Down Memory Lane" via Mausica Kaiso. We need your input.

If you have any info or suggestions that you feel would be helpful in building this Mausica Priority Kaiso Route, please contact Carl Caton at    868-625-0996, 868-625-4025. Email: pbf8009@hotmail.com.  For example , When was the first year of  a Kaiso competition; the winners, the songs, the lyrics, the winning hostel, any female contenders, the topics, the prizes, the bands that backed them at the Carnival fetes, the Mausican arrangers and musicians, the Mausicans who could attend the event and belt out their tunes, etc, etc, etc.

Howard, Carlston, Finbar, Alisford, Joe, Happy, Rutherford, Errol, Barbara, Efebo, Clive, Paddy, Maria, Angela, Leroy, videographers  artists and others. We need your help.

Call Carl now.

You may also contact me at 404-501-9277., Atlanta, GA.

Happy Memorial Day. Thanks for all those who gave their lives to make our world a better place.

As usual,

Rodney Foster. 66-68

Re: Fwd: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAY-19

2017-MAY-19-0738Hrs

This was sung when I was there.

"Well the folksong choir in Mausica,

is the greatest ever.

They give you variety, the tunes spicey,

and the please everybody.

People. who hear them say,

that the choir is here to stay."

Who has the time to collect and archive the songs of Mausica?

When it is done, I want a copy.

Speaking about archives, I know that Mr. Williams, did some research and recorded the folk songs of Trinidad and Tobago, that were not recorded for the public.

Does anyone know what has become to that body of songs? Again, I would like to have a copy, whenever it is found.

Garth Nicholas 71

RE: Pictures from Past Reunion

2017-MAY-16-2320Hrs
Carlston A. Gray 74

RE: Pictures from Past Reunions

2017-MAY-16-2319Hrs

Carlston A. Gray 74

RE: Some of us won't make it.

2017-MAY-16-2318Hrs

Some Mausicans won't make the next Reunion, simply because they can't. Find a reason to enjoy the fullness of life. See you in July.

Carlston A. Gray* 74

RE: Correction!

2017-MAY-14-0006Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

I stand corrected.

Pat Castagne composed "Ice Man". Lord Melody sang the kaiso, backed by Cyril Diaz.

I did some research after chatting with Carl Caton on Saturday.

My first roommate, Leroy Cox, composed and sang "Farewell to Mausica". It's a classic.

Roommate, it would be a pleasure to have you  there in July, 2017. Ah hope yuh comin.

Please let us know.

We are planning to have a rehearsal in Dinsley. Fellas, walk wit ah bottle. Ladies bring some munchies.

Stay tuned for more info.

As usual,

Rodney Foster 68

RE: "You Do It."

2017-MAY-12-1931Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

In one of my many oletalks with our beloved Mr. Williams, we were discussing what needed to be done to make the world a better place. After trading many suggestions and ideas, Mr. Williams left me with a winner. In typical Fitzie style, he suggested "You do it."

Today, as I look around, I am happy to report that Mausicans are doing it. All over the world Mausicans are "Molding a  nation through service."

Every Jack and Jill are living the Mausica legacy. I am proud to be a graduate of MTC.

My Fellow Mausicans, let us continue to share the good news of our bretherin and sisterin.

Congrats to Selwyn Jacobs and meh cousin, Carlston,  in New Jersey and Brooklyn, NY. Sister Gwen, in 2007 or 2009 , you used a phrase that I would like you to expand. What is "a seamless education."? Ivan Ragoonan, what is your role at the Bronx Botanic Garden? Come on Mausicans , tell us what you are doing and where you are " doing  it"..

Aye Garth , it's good hearing from you.

Ah hope yuh coming tuh de Gala at Hilton tuh dance down de place. Dis year is Castilian, Ah hope Hilton have ah big dance hall.Wit you, Errol, Carl Caton and me we want plenty space! No postage stamp dance floor.  In 2013, ah had tuh ask Hyatt tuh increase de size of de dance floor. Yuh know how we Mausicans could dance. We better than Dancing With The Stars.

So long for now. Ah gorn.

Rodney Foster 66-68.

RE: Reunion 2017

2017-MAY-05-1141Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans

Would all Mausican calypsonians and musicians contact Carl Caton at 868-625-0996 H or 868-725-4025. Cell..

Carl needs your lyrics and music. Carl's father was the great Nelson Caton who composed a few road marches:

Do you remember "Dr. Nelson, you know what you said was true. Drink Teezan Dezoban."  ( Do a spell check )

I believe he also composed one for Melody. "Iceman."  Remember "Street cries in de city really does amuse me."

Call Carl ASAP.

As usual,

Rodney Foster 66-68.

RE: REUNION 2017

2017-MAY-04-2347Hrs

Colleagues,

Thanks to all who have registered to date.

As we get closer to the Reunion, please be reminded of the following:

The next payment deadline is May 31st 2017.

Please indicate your shirt size if you are ordering same.

You must send us a copy of the deposit slip and include the activities for which you have paid. This can be done easily by photographing the slip and then sending it by WhatsApp to Sheila Warner at 1-868-781-4642.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Angela McAlister 72

RE: Reunion 2017

2017-MAY-04-0243Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

Calling all Mausican calypsonians. Ah fraid tuh call names.  Last time ah call tenors because I was in de tenor section. Meh roommate, Carlsbury Gonzalez , who was in de bass section , get jealous .  He want tuh know how come ah leave out he name.

Ah will name a few calypsonians we would like to tuh hear again: Felix, Ramdoo, Efebo, Cox, Scratchy, Gelly, Happy, Rutherford, Ritchie, Cecile Nicholson/Annette Alfred, Agnes Howell, Maria, Joe Stephens,  de fella living in England,, Gregory Byrne, Osuna and so many others. Everybody welcome.

Aye Cutty, walk wit yuh guitar and cuatro.. Iron men  walk wit yuh iron. Wallace bring yuh chac chac.. Let's return tuh MTC an have ah good time. Guest artistes welcome too. So Crepsole, Rolly Bain, join de fete.

Contact Carl Caton and de Pplanning Committee.

As usual,

Rodney Foster 66-68

RE: Happy Easter

2017-APR-11-0243Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

Happy Easter, my beloved family.

I am eagerly looking forward to attending Reunion 2017.

My Brother, Efebo, referred to the 66-68 graduates as the Bridge Generation.  He explained that we have deep, intimate relationships between the Pioneers and our younger Mausicans. Those pioneers laid a sound foundation and my year group, 66-68,  passed the baton on to 67-69 and so on and so forth.( sore hand sore foot). The pioneers and the Alumni Choir were the flagships of MTC.

How well do I remember hearing Uncle Bob playing Mausica hits on Radio Trinidad. Did Paddy Faint or Feint. was Elmo Philip ah real Sweetman Dohray;  was Felix ah real red rooster/cock crowing in the early morning waking up the fishermen. Just listen to our LPs and relive the impact we had on folk song singing throughout the world. I remember singing in the tenor section where we would come up with some spontaneous arrangements, each section trying to outperform the other. Listen to Tina and you would experience  the artistry of a Ken Marshall, Vernon Langdon, Gregory Wallace, Anthony Taitt, Selwyn Thompson, Carl Caton, Ivan Ragoonan, Glenville King, Rawlins Manwarren, Lloyd Brown, Rodney Foster and several others. It was Mas in de place.

Calling all Mausicans, let's reunite and celebrate our legacy. Let us give thanks.

Aye,  is 2:26 am.. By de way, Planning Committee,  include me as one of your MCs . Have a team of MCs,. People knowledgeable of the contributions to the rich fabric of the Mausicans who would attend the reunion. Ah gorn.

As usual,

Rodney Foster 66-68

Re: Fwd: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-24

2017-MAR-24-1354Hrs

Thanks Maria. I see you toiling tirelessly in the vineyard, educating us,  even in this mail.  Thanks for the courage and and wherewithal to press forward celebrating every iota of success.

May God continue to bless you and all of us who journey on in remaining years with which the Lord blesses us.

Gwen Williams 67-69

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-24

2017-MAR-24-1237Hrs

Anna Maria I really appreciate your counseling tips posted on the blog. Now I know. Lol ??

Euline Fox-Peters 72

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-17

2017-MAR-22-2307Hrs

I am always open to "educating" who will listen.  I know that behaviour change is a process and sometimes a very long process. I am a Counselling Psychologist  and Educator. To bring about behaviour change,  individuals must be take through the phases of:

1. Awareness--- because we are creatures of habit, we move around just mindlessly doing what we were "trained" to do from childhood, without much thought. This is why we make the same mistakes over and over again.  Bringing an individual to awareness ( or bringing the unconscious up to the conscious takes the use of certain techniques - there is resistance many times.)

2.  Insight--- After "awareness" is achieved, then comes what we call the "ah ha"moment, when the individual says: "OMG!! is this why I have been feeling "stuck;" "trapped" "unhappy" "helpless" etc etc etc.

3.  Knowledge--- The individual is now ready to explore his/her ability to learn new ways of thinking, doing things and ready to make choices for his/her future success/good. Again, it is all in the "techniques" used.

4. Then  BOOM ---- Behaviour Change.    After this is achieved though, there must be follow-up, support for a while to make sure that there is no regression which is so easy- if the on-going support is not there. It is after the change is accepted and integrated into a "new way of living" that we can say that this person is now ready to "face" what needed to be fixed" and move on.

All those ads I see on TV and speeches made "telling" people that they much change, they must do things differently etc etc,  will not have any effect unless "those people" sit and face themselves in a non-judgemental, empathic setting, etc etc etc.  Here ends the Introductory Lesson.

Love and Blessings all----Our Reunion is fast approaching.  Really saddened to hear about Kamini.

Anna Maria Mora 70

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-17

2017-MAR-17-2123Hrs

Errol

Like watching Dimanche Gras, it pained me to read Hazel's post. All I will say is 'A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country'. Hazel, keep on doing what you are doing and what you know best. ........hope we pick up at the Reunion.  Errol, keep up the good work.

Finbar Ryan 70-72

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-17

2017-MAR-17-1244Hrs

Thanks to you for for your piece on Restorative Justice. The problem is worldwide   I see such violence in this wealthy society where I live that some days I switch on the news ten minutes late to avoid the barrage of murders,rapes  and adults including teachers having sexual contact with children. The adults in every society need to recognize they children and youth imitate what they see adults do as depicted in movies and videos. Poor parents with little parenting skills, turn the TV ON EARLY TO KEEP THEIR  CHILDREN OCCUPZiED   Media houses need to ask the question over znd over; Now parent which TV program would you choose to raise your child?

Linda Edwards

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-10

2017-MAR-16-0146Hrs

Hi Errol.

Fellow Mausicans.

It is Reunion  2017.Is it possible to include in our programme this year  a  segment that deals with education.?We are all retired teachers and some, administrators in the  this field.Others have been successful in other disciplines.We therefore have a lot of  skills and expertise to share.Are you willing to volunteer your time and expertise  in such a project.?All suggestions , opinions  and criticisms are welcome.Is it feasible or not?

Patricia Aqui-Abraham 73

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-10

2017-MAR-14-1109Hrs

Thank you Rodney for your continuing tributes to us and to me in particular. Every time you celebrate me in print I grow a couple  of inches taller. It was 1967 that I came to Mausica

Whatever I have done in teaching celebrates the tradition of the women in my mothers line and a cousin Arthur Thomas who was a school principal when I was about four years old. The four generations of women in my direct line who have tried to lift others include Mrs Lillian Herriot Manson my great aunt Mrs Frances Eccles Smith my aunt Mrs Jestina EdwardsGuerra And Ms Glenda Edwards my sisters and my nieces who are still teaching Mrs Elke Guerra Silva Mrs Traci Baboolal Ali and Ms Eartha Guerra. Every day I give thanks for them. Christ was a teacher a preacher and a healer. We do his work. All committed teachers do his work.

Linda Edwards

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2017-MAR-10

2017-MAR-11-1053Hrs

Dear Errol,

It was good to see you at Dimanche Gras. A pity it was not better organized. I guess we can talk world-class, but we have along way to go.

I have been following the debate with Scratchy in the media and wish I could find time to give a comprehensive intervention. Suffice it to say, that the privileged do not recognize that they are privileged. It comes naturally to them and they and politicians do not seem to understand the structural violence in the society which militate against the youths reaching their fullest potential. if we do not seek to change mind-sets and alleviate the societal conditions which promote inequality, we will continue to see the downward trend. The solution lies in our hands.

I listen to the pronouncements on zero tolerance on school misbehaviour and I wonder if none of our well-paid technocrats  is aware that the United Nations issued a report from an expert panel in February last year, which rejected zero tolerance policies as an answer to curb school violence and recommended restorative practices .

This week I was invited to a meeting where a foreigner was sensitizing certified mediators about restorative justice.  I sat through the hour-long presentation in thoughtful silence. I was trained by the New Zealand Restorative justice Network in 2001 to facilitate restorative justice conferences. That same year,I was invited by the Organization of Caribbean Bar Associations to address them  on restorative justice at their annual general meeting being held at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel. I was also trained by and am a licensed trainer of the International Institute of Restorative Practices (the IIRP) a graduate school in  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania ,in restorative practices and restorative justice. I have done a number of other courses with them and have been conducting training here since January 2013, that is, for four ( 4) years. The IIRP uses a video-taped interview they made with me to advertise their programmes. (My husband found it on youtube one day) I have been on radio and television several  times talking about restorative justice. I have spoken on the subject at Mediation Board symposia and conferences. I have a graduate certificate in restorative practices and have almost completed my Masters degree. The IIRP used a photo and a quote from me, to advertise their Masters programme even before I embarked on my studies. At a training I conducted in 2016, I had more people from the OECS,than Trinidad.

The Chair of the function said she had conducted an extensive search to get someone to speak on restorative justice before she found this particular foreign speaker. Many times, I have invited the Mediation Board to my training and they had not even responded. The Chair of the function knows me well. She even attended a session I conducted in youth justice at a conference in Orlando, Florida some years ago. She says she loves my passion for restorative justice. At the discussion period, it was clear that the  foreigner did not have as good a grasp of the subject matter, as I do, to respond satisfactorily, to some of the questions posed. In Trinidad, foreign is better. I have to say, like the calypsonian, "my papers no use, no use, no use."

I end, as a popular radio caller is wont to say, " I love my country."

Hazel Thompson-Ahye 70