Chutney lovers are in for some good news.
The National Chutney Foundation of T&T (NCFTT) will be staging its first-ever senior category of the Intellectual Chutney Monarch Competition this year.
President of the NCFTT Dr Vijay Ramlal Rai said the show comes off on February 23, 2022.
Rai said, “The NCC (National Carnival Commission) and TUCO (Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation) agreed for this event to be in the mainstream carnival events at the Queens Park Savannah. The NCFTT is pleased and happy to be part of the main activities in Carnival. The Chutney artform has finally been accepted as part of the national carnival celebrations. We now have a blend of Mas, Pan, Calypso and Chutney, which would all go better to fuse and integrate all our culture.”
Rai said the NCFTT had little time to organise the event but due to the foundation’s years of experience in producing the Junior Intellectual Chutney Monarch Competition it was easy for the NCFTT to select the best artists from the Chutney arena.
Rai said several Chutney artists were contacted and 22 submitted presentations of their work.
He said based on the content of the submissions 10 finalists were selected.
“We are in the process of approaching the Ministry of Culture and the private sector for prizes. This is our first senior competition and we are all very excited. These songs would be nation-building songs and steer Chutney in a positive direction. The judges will be coordinated and administered by the Carnival/Cultural Judges Association (CJATT)and the music for the artiste would come from the Millenium Starz Orchestra,” Rai said.
He added that the show will take place in a safe zone and will also be broadcasted.
The ten finalists for the competition are:
Adesh Samaroo
Amrika Mootroo
Anthony Batson
Britney Lightbourn
Daddy Chinee
Destiny Rattan
Edward Ramdass
Falco Maharaj
Keron Williams
-Wackaman
Paris Coutain
