Mr Loinel Gumbs as very few people will know him started his folklore career over fifty (50) years ago playing the “Dog” in the Mansion Bull Troupe with his neighbor, mentor and Tutor Mr George Williams now deceased.
In 1968 he graduated from the “dog” to the “Bull” and has consistently performed in a colourful, energetic and well-loved character depicting our Bull Story as the Mansion Bull from that time to present. For so many of our fellow citizens he epitomizes the Bull and is the only person known as “The Mansion Bull”
Loinel is extremely passionate about his folklore especially the “BULL” and in an effort to keep his passion and our culture alive he has trained interested youngster the “lessons”. He makes an appeal to our Federation’s youths to pull themselves together, aspire to be role models and Ambassadors and to look and learn from older folks. To the adults, he urges us to continue to be shining lights for our Federation’s youths, to be their role models so that they can emulate us.
He reminisces on his proudest moments:-
- Winning the “King of the Children Carnival “ 1971/1972 (and he still has his trophy in a shoe box at home)
- Travelling with a contingent led by the Federation’s first Prime Minister, Dr The Rt Honourable and Rt Excellent Sir Kennedy Simmonds to New York to perform in the early 1980’s
- His first CARIFESTA in Barbados in 1981
- Being the Carnival Committee’s Grand Marshall for Sugar Mas 44, and
- While performing in St Thomas USVI in the 1980’s an Antiguan Bull told him that he Lionel was a “real cattle”.
He believes that we here in our Federation have a very good culture and having seen and experienced other’s culture he definitely believes we have the “best” and therefore he admonishes us to ensure that we keep the entire folklore culture alive – the bulls, the masquerades, clowns and more so the Actors which he admires.
TODAY WE PROUDLY SALUTE MR LOINEL GUMBS FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOUR IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE
