The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

LISTENING to pop stars such as Rihanna and Beyonce is fine, but listening to Bahamian artists such as KB and John Blake is better.

This was the message Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes offered the students who were honoured at Government House during the E Clement Bethel National Arts Festival awards presentation.

Mr Foulkes said: “This festival gives young Bahamians an opportunity to represent themselves.

“You are often bombarded with negative influences through broadcast and social media. It’s important that you also be anchored in strong cultural attributes like civility and sense of community as opposed to narrow individualism like other cultures.”

The E Clement Bethel festival, a competitive event initiated in 1959, seeks to exhibit the creativity of Bahamian youth through art forms like music, dance, drama and arts and craft.

The competition element of the festival ended in South Andros on June 15.

It was announced that Queen’s College was the recipient of the Governor General’s award. Walter Parker Primary School in Grand Bahama received the award for most outstanding school in music and St Francis Joseph Catholic Primary School was named the most outstanding school in drama.

The Revere Academy of Excellence was named the most outstanding school in dance while Doris Johnson Senior High School received the award for the most outstanding art and craft award.

Upon seeing their school receive the Governor General’s award, the principal and deputy head of Queen’s College hailed their institution as one with a history of producing students renowned in the arts.

“We are very happy with the efforts of all the teachers, students and parents from the pre-school to the high school,” principal Andrea Gibson said.

Kristina Dean, a student of St Johns High School which won the Best Popular Dance Award, the Jazz Performance Award and the Junkanoo Music Award, said: “It is my great pleasure as a proud giant to receive this prestigious award. We as a dance team are honoured to execute our school’s motto: “The challenge, the dream, the goal, the achievement, creating a culture of accountability.”

Tara Thompson, another St Johns student, said: “It is indeed a pleasure to accept this award. Junkanoo is vital to our culture and is a representation of who we are as Bahamians. Therefore it is a joy to be recognised four our gifts and talents.”

During his speech, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Danny Johnson called the students “the gifted ones,” adding that they should be encouraged.

“We believe y’all are the greatest young people on the planet. The Bahamas is coming of age.

“Who are we? Only culture can answer that question. Culture is who we are. All this exposure is designed to get you to look inside yourself and know who you are. When you look, you’ll see a beautiful thing.”