"Museums as Agents of Social Change and Development" is the international theme for International Museum Day this year. The National Museum and Art Gallery of Trinidad and Tobago celebrates with a focus on Oral Traditions, and Idakeda manages all events.
Trinidad and Tobago's award winning Novelist Earl Lovelace will headline the celebrations at the National Museum from 7pm, tomorrow Wednesday, May 21st, as he delivers the feature address on this year's International Museum Day theme "Museums as Agents of Social Change and Development".
The programme will also feature Dr. Noor Kumar Mahabir who will share his research and documentation of Indo-Trinidadian stories, in a piece entitled "A Still Cry" – the name of his seminal collection of oral history accounts of indentured Indians. Ex-tempo champion Phillip Murray, ‘Black Sage' will be the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, which will be filled with stories and other elements of our Oral Traditions from Samantha Pierre, Joel Joseph and Muhammad Muwakil.
On Friday morning school children will be treated to a storytelling feast and at 12.30pm parents and educators are invited to learn about the Art and Practice of Storytelling and its relevance to our education system.
Later on Friday evening from 7pm, the Museum will play host to the Festival of Stories in its courtyard. Veteran storytellers representing various local styles will include Samantha Pierre, Cristo Adonis, Joan Osborne, Glenda Rose-Lane, Lynette Commissiong and Eintou Pearl Springer.
The Museum's programme began on Sunday May 18 with a Heritage Tour to Waterloo, followed by the very well attended quarterly concert which featured Rana and Susan Mohip.
Since 1977, International Museum Day has been celebrated around the world, with the International Council of Museums selecting a different theme for the annual celebrations. Our National Museum continues to play an important role in these commemorations and all are invited to be a part of International Museum Day 2008.
Come celebrate with us!
