(Trinidad Express) In recognition of his contributions to culture and development of chutney music, the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism honoured the late Sundarlal Popo Bahora (Sundar Popo) by formally dedicating the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts main theatre in his name.
The theatre was officially named the Sundarlal Popo Bahora Theatre on Tuesday evening.
Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Dr Lincoln Douglas and Minister of Public Administration Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan paid tribute to the late chutney icon.
Sundar Popo’s wife, Keyso Popo, attended the ceremony.
Douglas said he could not think of a better way to honour a man whose contributions helped shape the national and cultural landscape.
“Sundar Popo was not only a chutney icon, he was a national icon and, as such, we dedicate this theatre in his name so that future generations may know of the man, the legend and the master that was Sundar Popo,” he said.
Seepersad-Bachan described Sundar Popo as a lyrical genius.
“Through his creativity and innovativeness, Sundar Popo first created a local niche or market for chutney or, as it was called, chatney music, and took it onto the international stage.
“He emerged from the obscurity of Monkey Town and village weddings when his first hit, ‘Nani and Nana’, recorded in 1969, 44 years ago, became extremely popular in the region, especially in Guyana and Suriname, and then through the diaspora in the US and the UK.
“Sundar’s next big song, ‘Phoolourie Beena Chataney’, was then taken up by Bollywood singers Babla and Kanchan and this made him a truly internationally-recognised performer,” she said.
Seepersad-Bachan said Sundar Popo paved the way for singers like Rikki Jai, Drupatee Ramgoonai, Raymond Ramnarine, Ravi B and many others.
She said calypsonian Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) sealed the union of the two artforms when he won the Calypso Monarch title in 1995 with his song, “Tribute to Sundar Popo”.
Seepersad-Bachan said Sundar Popo took the ordinary and made it extraordinary; chutney from the canefields and took it to the world.
“Today, as we name this theatre after him, we are not only honouring Sundar Popo, but we are also honouring ourselves as a people. We are not just celebrating Sundar, but we are celebrating the ethos of San Fernando and its historic place in the history of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Seepersad-Bachan said she expects all San Fernando cultural icons, including Black Stalin, James Lee Wah, Ras Shorty I and others, will be honoured on a wall of fame at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts.
