Dominica’s cultural icon Dr. Alwin Bully has died at the age of 74.
Bully was the designer of Dominica’s national flag and was bestowed the Sisserou Award of Honor, the island’s second-highest honor, for his work. He was also a famed playwright, director, graphic artist, set designer, poet and short story writer, carnival designer, and composer. He was also a former Chief Cultural Officer in Dominica.
Among those paying tribute to the late Cultural icon was Ophelia Marie, Dominica Lady of Song, and retired Chief Cultural Officer Raymond Lawrence.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill) and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters Degree from his alma mater.
He was resident in Jamaica for over 20 years, where he worked as UNESCO’s Caribbean Culture Advisor in which capacity he managed the production of a six-volume History of the Caribbean and inter-acted with Cultural Departments in all of CARICOM countries, assisting them in developing programs and policies.
He was also Chairman of The CARIFESTA Interim Festival Directorate – a regional Advisory Body to CARIFESTA. This Committee reviewed CARIFESTA with a view to enhancing the festival and increasing its visibility internationally.
On his return to Dominica in 2008, he was appointed Cultural Advisor to the Minister of Culture, a post he held for two years.
He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Cultural Council, which oversees the implementation of projects and programs of the Cultural Division in Dominica; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Dominica Festivals Committee.
Bully has written ten full-length plays, four radio serials, numerous short stories, and four screenplays.
One of his screenplays Oseyi and the Masqueraders was selected to be produced by The Caribbean Film Academy (CaFA) of New York and was shot in Dominica in 2017.
The film premiered at the 2018 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) and was up for the People’s Choice Award. It is to be premiered in Dominica towards the end of the year. His radio play “A Dance in the Dark” was selected for broadcast by the BBC in 1980.
His early comedy, “Good Morning Miss Millie” (1968), was published by Penguin Books and Macmillan Caribbean and one of its speeches appeared in Actors’ Audition Speeches edited by Jean Marlow for A&C Black/Heineman.
The Ruler his stage adaptation of the novel “Ruler in Hiroona” by GCH Thomas, was selected for publication in five languages by L’Autre Souffle Company, France.
His short stories have appeared in THE CARIBBEAN WRITER (University of the U.S. Virgin Islands), BIM Literary Magazine, and “IRON BALLOONS” an anthology by Akashic books edited by Collin Channer.
He has won several awards for his theatre work from the International Theatre Institute (Jamaica Centre) as well as a Golden Drum Award from the National Cultural Council 1997; The University of Technology’s 2006 Arts Award; A Lifetime Achievement Cacique Award from The National Drama Association of Trinidad and Tobago 2007.
Nature Isle News (NIN) extends condolences to his wife Anita, his children, and the cultural fraternity. May his Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.