And while the news of the Andre Trapp execution has taken all the day's thunder, the entire country - or at least a large section of it - is grieving the loss of Wilfred Peters, MBE. The legendary musician, song-writer, performer and music man will be buried on Monday. Greg Vernon of the Institute of Performing Arts told us more:....
Greg Vernon, Institute of Performing Arts
"The government and the Prime Minister had granted Mr. Peters an official funeral and this will be held at the St. John's Monday 10am the body will lie in state at 9am. We are to have military procession going through the streets of Belize for people who would like to come out and view the body from the morgue to St. John's Cathedral. The time and the street route will be announce tomorrow."
ICA is organizing a bram on the basketball court on front of Mr. Peters Home on North Creek on Sunday night and it is open to the public.
And while the mighty Pete has passed, he lives on in our memory, partly because he was a man from another time; he didn't play his songs for fame or fortune, but because it was a way of speaking up for his community and their way of life. He wrote songs in the old tradition, songs about people, and curious, humorous events in country living. As we've said, real folk music, but this son of Gracie Rock gave this music of the mahogany camps mass appeal.
Today we spoke to a few of his friends about his contribution:...
Dianne Haylock, President NICH
"We knew he was ailing, we knew had gone back into the hospital and then the last one for me was at the Cacoa Fest to see him perform, and we had three kings there Nabor, Mes and Peters and it was a really wonderful experience to see these three guys perform together."
Jules Vasquez
"What did you see in him that you would want to emulate?"
Supa G
"You know when you mention that it brings back memory when we were travelling to Los Angeles in January and Mr. Peters and I travel together we were on the same flight and his sense of humor I never ever know this man is such a great man, he have a great sense of humor, we spoke until we got to LA and all I did was laugh at the jokes he was telling me. One thing I would want to definitely copy from Mr. Peters is his love for Belize and his great sense of humor and he doesn't think of music as just a way making a buck, he does this because of the love he has for brukdown and for Belize. That's one thing I would want to like him when I get older, He is extremely talented because to be performing playing an instrument and being a band leader is a lot of work. Myself I am only a performer and a manager, I don't play instrument on live shows and it's a lot of work for me so I could imagine the amount of work he does on that stage doing all those things."
Greg Vernon
"Mr. Peters was like a father to me. He and I toured a lot going through Mexico, Caribbean, Europe and America so we have grown very closely. He was also a friend of my family so with Mr. Peters lost it is devastating, yesterday I couldn't operate, I couldn't think I couldn't do anything I just had to deal with his lost. But I know that I have a country man to send off and I will do my best to give him a good sending off. "
Dianne Haylock
"These things happen because there is this great leader in the forefront and you have to give Mr. Peters, you have to give him the kudos for having been the preserver the keeper in a way of this tradition call brukdown music in Belize."
Peters grew up in a family of thirteen children in Gracie Rock and moved to Belize City when he was 12.
He had been with his wife Martha for fifty seven years up until the time of his passing. They are the parents of fourteen children.
In his lifetime, Peters performed throughout the Caribbean, in the United States, Mexico and in Europe.....
