Friends, family and persons touched by the work of pioneer show business promoter Cyril Shaw, aka `Barbar Ali Shah’ yesterday bid farewell to him at an emotional ceremony to celebrate his life at the National Cultural Centre before his internment at Adventure, Essequibo.
Shaw died on January 12th at a geriatric home in Berbice. At the time of his death he was just short of his 90th birthday on March 1st.
Most tributes delivered at yesterday’s memorial reminisced on the man who is remembered for the invaluable contribution he made in launching and promoting the career of world renowned Calypso King, The Mighty Sparrow and local calypsonians such as Lord Canary, King Fighter, Lady Guymine and many others.
Hailed as a noble and honest promoter, Lord Canary in his tribute to Shaw added that it was for his honesty and humility that he was respected worldwide.
He said that in a day where many artistes suffer because of callous and greedy promoters Shaw was the sterling example of the promoter every artist or entertainer longed for since many times he left himself and family without to satisfy the needs of those who entrusted him with managing and promoting their career.
“He was honest and could travel to any country and return multiple times without worry because he never tricked or conned anyone anywhere. Everywhere he went he was respected from the person at the airport to the hoteliers knew him… Calypsonians used to line up waiting to see him to ask him to promote them” he said.
Photographs illustrating his active life as a promoter and a family-oriented man were shown throughout the ceremony via a projector.
Veteran journalist Adam Harris fondly detailed the prelude of a yesteryear promotion of Cryil Shaw recalling the lengths that men and women went to look their best for such an event.
“This country was a landing pad for the best in the world and all because of Cyril Shaw. Taxis did not proliferate as they do now so many a young man who wanted to take his paramour to one of the performances had to use a hire car. He dressed to the 99s, not as those today who expose their underwear as they travel outside their homes. The women bathed in ‘Saturday Night Powder’ and ‘Cush Cush’ to the extent that they left a trail behind them. Hair well coiffed, the women sauntered in pride to be escorted by men who having sunned their suits all day perhaps to get rid of some of the naphthalene, all wanted to share in the Cyril Shaw experience,” Harris related.
Harris added that while Shaw’s name was synonymous with stellar entertainment promotions for over six decades he should also be remembered for his contribution to the local calypso and boxing industry while trying to make a name for Guyana as he travelled the globe bringing what was internationally offered to locals.
Friend of the Shaws, Allan Fenty, Winifred Mason and Master of Ceremonies Winfield James echoed most of what Harris said in his tribute. James noted the developmental strides Guyana would have made in the calypso industry if Shaw was equipped with today’s modern technological gadgets, the internet and social media sites.
Others including the Mighty Rebel and Yoruba Singers band leader Eze Rockliffe delivered their tribute in song to a man they said loved every aspect of music and deserved melodious memories.
Shaw’s elder daughter Dr. Seeta Shaw delivering the eulogy collectively composed by his 14 children said of their father, “We all agree that he lived a full life. His work, his calypsonians, his boxers, his printery were the main focus of his life. He was a role model for others, a business partner…Growing up it seemed that he always had a circle of people orbiting around him wherever he went yet he seemed to stand out as a single person not giving fully of himself.”
She said further that “He spent over sixty years of his life promoting the stars from across the globe…He created dreams and made them reality. He was not bound by borders. The globe became his home. He gave Guyana its first circus, first international boxing matches, first international beauty queen shows and Coney Island.”
His daughter also recalled the pre-Independence assistance he gave to former presidents Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham in the form of using his printery to publish their newspaper ‘The Thunder’ during the struggle against colonialism.
