The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PAUL “Diamond” Knowles, 62, best known as one of the founders and leader of the Roots Junkanoo group, died on Saturday evening, family and friends have confirmed.

Mr Knowles battled an undisclosed illness for 22 years, according to his sister, Joan Albury.

“These are very emotional times for all of us,” Ms Albury told The Tribune yesterday. “Paul really taught us how to live and love life and deal with the greatest of adversity. He had a passion for the Lord, for Junkanoo and for life. He touched a lot of lives, a lot of people and he really was comfortable in any environment.”

In a statement released by Vaughn Jones, public relations director of the Roots organisation, Mr Knowles was credited as a Junkanoo innovator who introduced “remarkable designs and materials” to the industry that continue to inspire participants.

“His Junkanoo career started with Future Shock, then he formed Force One and Premier Dances and then he moved to the esteemed Valley Boys and brought showmanship and his personal style to their performance,” Mr Jones said.

“His beloved Roots Junkanoo group, which he helped form in 1990 with some other passionate junkanooers, was the mechanism he used to display his supreme artistry and limitless ideals for professional and world class performance in Junkanoo. Roots lives today through his legacy, a group known for competitive decorating.

“His contributions are limitless in so many areas: Bahamian culture and the development of a premier Junkanoo group, the Anglican diocese of the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos, the legal fraternity of the Bahamas and our international law development. This strong leader, designer and family man will be greatly missed by all. His legacy will live on and will be enshrined within our organisation.”

The Roots group plans to hold a memorial in Mr Knowles’ honour on Wednesday at Rawson Square.

Mr Knowles’ death comes six months after the death of the iconic Junkanoo figure and Valley Boys co-founder Winston “Gus” Cooper.