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The Nevis CULTURAMA Committee salutes Mr. Norman ‘De Hot Number’ Liburd as the patron for the thirty-fourth staging of Nevis’ Culturama Festival 2008.
Mr. Liburd who hails from Rawlins Village Gingerland can be best described as one of Nevis’ premier cultural preservationist. He began dancing masquerade at the tender age of 16 years under the leader ship of the late Cedric “Black-a-Dem” Liburd also of Rawlins Village. While still at the age of 16 years Mr. Liburd also joined the Sweet Lemon troupe which was led the late Nathan Webbe and who similarly resided in Rawlins Village. In 1950 at the age of 26 years, Mr. Liburd further demonstrated his love for the Nevisian folklore by starting his own Blue Ribbon troupe in the Rawlins Village. His dancing and recital repertoire over the years has also included School Children, and Sailor Boys.
‘De Hot Number’ prides himself as one of the few remaining dancers who have performed for almost every major ‘fete’ in the federation. He recalls playing Blue Ribbon and Sailor Boys for Mr. Sydney Morris’ Emancipation Day party at Pall Mall Square in St. Kitts.
Mr. Liburd has danced and recited plays for various festivals and celebrations including Christmas Sports, CULTURAMA Festival and more recently Gingerland’s Gingerama Festival. Additionally, Norman has organized troupes from among the schools and communities around Nevis.
At the age of eighty fours years, he continues to have a deep passion for the Nevisian folklore and is still actively involved in the promotion and preservation of Nevis’ rich cultural heritage by teaching masquerade dancing and the platting of the Blue Ribbon to the young children in his home town.
Beyond the shores of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Liburd has performed in the B.W.I. and the U.S.V.I. His greatest experience was his performance for the inaugural CARIFESTA which was held in Guyana in 1972. There he performed alongside the likes of David Freeman, Stacy Hobson, Zack Nisbett, the late ‘Blackadem’, and Uncle Darrell Dore.
Having spent a number of years working with the Public Works Department and as a farmer, Norman is now retired but he still keeps himself active doing small scale subsistence farming in his back yard.
His seasoned talent and skills as dancer, singer, teacher and his powerful memory of verses, songs, names and events, coupled with his distinct flare in his mode of dress whether it be his ordinary way of dress or in his folklore costumes, warrants him the name he loves so much, . … ‘De Hot Number’.
The Nevis CULTURAMA Committee, the Nevis Cultural Development Foundation and indeed the entire Nevisian Community extend heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS to our 2008 Patron and wish him a reign of bliss!
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July 1st 2008.