Retired US Judge Ray Funk awarded Chaconia Medal – Silver
‘Trinidad Carnival aficionado’ Ray Funk received his medal on Tuesday from the President.
Unable to attend last September’s National Awards Ceremony, American Ray Funk, Trinidad Carnival aficionado extraordinaire, finally received his Chaconia Medal – Silver at the President’s House on Tuesday.
A release from the Office of the President on Wednesday noted that in what was dubbed a mini–National Awards Ceremony, Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo pinned the medal on Funk.
According to the citation read out by Head Prefect at Fatima College, Ethan-Jude Trestrail, Ray Funk is a retired Judge; a US national, who has dedicated his life to preserving, documenting and producing works on Trinidad and Tobago culture, by faithfully visiting Trinidad almost every year since 1995 and writing a number of articles and books on the history of Carnival, steelpan and calypso.
“He has been described as a living encyclopedia of our culture, working globally to promote our culture,” the release said.
“Mr Funk has made many presentations on the Steel Pan, Calypso, Extempo Calypso, Masquerade and other aspects of the culture. He did all of this while a practicing Judge in the State of Alaska. He faithfully attends almost every type of public cultural show from calypso tents, chutney shows, traditional mas, pan whenever he visits every year, sometimes going straight to shows after landing from a long flight,” it added.
Also present were His Excellency Kerwyn Garcia SC, First Gentleman, Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert, as well as the Chief Justice, Justice Ivor Archie and Denise Rodriguez-Archie.
Photo: Retired US Judge and ‘Trinidad Carnival aficionado’ Ray Funk (center) received the Cahconia Medal -Silver on Tuesday. Photo courtesy the Office of the President of Trinidad and Tobago.