Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has paid tribute to calypso icon the Mighty Sparrow, who has died at age 91.
Mottley described Sparrow as a figure who had been “woven into our Caribbean civilisation” for 70 years, crediting his music with documenting the region’s history and giving ordinary West Indians a voice.
Below is the full statement from Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley:
For seventy years, the Mighty Sparrow has been woven into our Caribbean civilisation.
Listen to his recordings and you hear our history. Calypso gave the ordinary West Indian a voice. Sparrow carried it to the world with incomparable genius.
Born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad, he belonged to all of us.
Just months after losing our beloved Sir Garry, whose greatness Sparrow celebrated in song, we must now say goodbye to him too. Two extraordinary sons who made this Caribbean stand taller.
To his family and the people of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados stands with you in sorrow and gratitude.
Let our children hear him. Let them know that this brilliance came from among us.
Even now, his words still echo.
“Sparrow take over now.”
You did, Birdie. You took your place in the heart of a civilisation, and there you will remain.
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