The Anguilla Circuit of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas on Sunday February 26 staged its annual Black Heritage Concert.
This year’s honouree was Marvin Gumbs a poet, lyricist and social critic.
Marvin has always had an interest in, and a love for poetry and music. His literary career began in 1972, when, as a young teacher at the West End Primary School, he composed the poem, ‘The Sea”, inspired by the roaring of the sea that he could hear in the distance. In 1977, he composed his first calypso ‘Message to Massa’ which was sung by Anthony Bryan, the Mighty Splinter in the 1978 Junior Calypso Competition. In 1990, his poem ‘The Deadly Enemy’ was published in the American Poetry Anthology, and in 1992, he published his own anthology entitled: ‘A Tribute to the Anguilla Revolution’. . Over the years, Marvin has engaged in extensive writing. He has participated in three local poetry competitions and placed 2nd runner-up in two of them. Marvin is one of the Anguillian poets featured in the book, ’Where I see the sun.’
However, his main literary focus has been on calypso. Marvin has composed calypsos for primary schools, and for junior and senior calypsonians. Sometimes he has written an average of 40 songs a year, including songs for a number of local bands: the Vito Band, Better band, The Musical Brothers and the Mussington Brothers. His most popular tune is, ’Reach for the Stars’, recorded by Better Band.
He has composed a number of songs in the gospel, soul, reggae, country and rock genres. For many years he contributed to the music articles in the What We Do in Anguilla magazine.
Sunday’s programme featured selections in song and Negro spirituals by the senior choirs of the six Methodist congregations and three poems composed by Mr Gumbs entitled ‘Not So Fast’ read by Solomon Bannister, ‘The Meaning of 67’ by Marva Richardson and ‘A message to the Youth’ by Brenique Romney.
The Negro spiritual Walk With Me, composed two weeks ago by Mr Gumbs was presented by the Trinity Choir with musical accompaniment by Lennox Vanterpool and Sanford Richardson.
Mrs Hyacinth Hughes, who taught with Mr Gumbs as a teacher at one of the island’s primary schools presented him with a plaque on behalf of the Methodist Church, Anguilla Circuit.
“First of all I want to thank the Almighty for blessing me with the gift of composing,” Mr Gumbs said. He also thanked the Methodist Church, “for bestowing this great honour on me, I am truly grateful and humble.”
