>Ronny Saldenah
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(Through my Eyes)
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> It all started in 1952. My Grandfather, Harold ‘Sally’ Saldenah brought his first band in Trinidad. Obviously I have no recollection of that; in fact, I don’t remember any of his bands because when he began producing costumes I was not even born yet. I wish I had been though, because lately when it comes to mas all people talk about is how mas was “so great in those days”. Everytime I go back to Trinidad for Carnival, I hear stories about my Grandfather and the good ole days. A constant and consistent opinion that I hear from the elders is that ’mas now a days is not mas, too much beads,feathers and bras. Mas is when your Grandfather came for competition’.
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> Harold Saldenah was known for his intense research when creating costumes. He loved history. For the making of his first band, ‘Quo Vadis’ he used still pictures distributed by the movie studios to guide his costume designs, even prompting him to write to Hollywood for more pictures.
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> There are two bands that my grandfather is well known for and that are still talked about to this day. The first is ”Imperial Rome” which won him Band Of The Year in 1955. Grandfather had centurions, gladiators, vestal virgins and 12 Caesars including Nero in a 20 yard cape of purple velvet. He insisted on accuracy having his soldiers in short skirts and also, he used tooled leather and real copper breastplates.
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> The second band that he is well known for is his presentation of ‘ El Dorado,City Of Gold’ in 1968. I have heard from people who were in the Queens Park Savannah that day, when the sun was setting, that the foil he used on the costumes created a glistening spectacle. It created a roar of approval from the crowd. I can just imagine the scene- must have been awesome!
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> In 2008, I was in Trinidad for Carnival. My uncle had a section in a new band called ‘D Krewe’. This was the first time I ever played mas. I was always content to make the costumes and never thought I would put one on, but I’m glad I did! It was so fun! Anyway, back to my story. So, when you are playing mas you must have wrist bands so security can keep non-masqueraders out of the band. I thought since it was my uncle’s section that I didn’t need a wrist band- I was wrong. As we approached the stage, the police were now trying to help security keep the non masqueraders out. Because I didn’t have a wristband the police were trying to keep me out of the band as well. Suddenly an older cop who looked to be in his 50′s or 60′s tapped me and asked ”who is that on your arm?” referring to my tattoo of my grandfather. “My grandfather” I replied. ” Harold Saldenah is your grandfather?” he asked. ” Yes Sir” I said pointing to his name on my arm. The cop told the other officers to let me through. At this point, I felt like a king, lol. My chest high, walking proud. I remember thinking at that moment, he must have known my grandfather or had heard of him. Thats when I realized how much respect Harold Saldenah had in Trinidad.
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> I know people in the family are upset that my Grandfather never got the recognition he deserved, despite having an award named after him ’ The Harold Saldenah Award’ which is awarded to the most colorful band each year, but what people don’t know is that in the 60′s as more women played in his bands, he had to split up the mass of revellers into sections. Each section depicted one aspect of the overall portrayal of the band. So everytime you hear a DJ or a announcer say ‘Get in your section’ maybe you’ll smile like me because you know who created that. Harold Saldenah was also the first to have standards in his band. I know a lot of people don’t like holding standards, but it does complete the band and from a far and it looks breath-taking. Check out footage of Carnival from the 1990′s and you will see how amazing it is. So, heads up, if you ever play with Saldenah expect to be holding a standard! lol. It would be like wearing a nike shoe without a swoosh, or eating roti with no curry. You get my drift?
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> I do remember him though. I have pictures with him. Sadly, what I remember the most is when he was sick. I remember that like it was a minute ago. He would go to the washroom a lot. I knew he was sick. I also remember when he died. It was a real sad time.
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> As my parents moved to Toronto in the 70′s my father, Louis Saldenah followed in his father’s footsteps. He brought his first band in 1977, ‘Shangri-la’ to Toronto’s own Caribana. Caribana was not as big as it is now. Those were the days when the parade was on Yonge Street,then on University Street ,and now on the Lakeshore. At the age of 9 I was in the mas camp. I remember all the kids would run around and cause trouble, stepping on costumes, pull out glue guns etc. We were bad! lol.
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> The Saldenah name is all over Caribana. My father helped build Caribana to what it is today. We were the only band in the 80′s and 90′s to have over 1000 people playing mas. Personally, my 2 favourite presentations my father did are this past year’s (2009) ‘ A Tribute To Harold Saldenah’ and in 1988 ‘High Mas-k’. Mas in the 80′s was fun. I remember when we never had people storming the bands. Also, people never broke away from their sections. Well now, it’s chaotic.
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> My father has been in Caribana for almost 30 years. And in those years, he has won 15 Band Of The Year titles. He has the most wins for Band of the Year in Caribana history. I feel that 2009 should have been 16 but I won’t get into that…maybe later in a blog. Most Bandleaders you see in Caribana today started in the Saldenah Band, bet you didn’t know that! lol. Let’s see…Carnival Nationz, Bandleader Marcus Eustace. Marcus brought a section with us for years and built our Kings and Queens costumes. Tribal Knights, Bandleader Dexter Seusahai. Dexter built and played Male Individual and King and he also brought sections with the band. Callalloo, Bandleader Marlon Singh who also brought sections with the band. Fantazia International, Bandleader Will Morton. who as well brought sections with Saldenah. The reason why Caribana is so big is because of all these Bandleaders who had talent and is now showing it to the world. You can thank the Saldenah Legacy for that. If there was no Harold Saldenah I would not be writing to you. And now there’s my father, Louis Saldenah. If there was no Louis Saldenah know Carnival Nationz, Tribal Knights, Callalloo, Fantazia wouldn’t be what they are because each band started somewhere.
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> That is the History of Saldenah and it’s legacy.
