BLOGGIN' WITH NEKI -NEKI'S BLOG

  by Onica Dick (The Poetess Neki)                                   Pic 1. Meet Prenzon 'Prenzo' Bobb                                        “Prenzon means ‘born prince’ and my motto is one goal, one mission, stay focused on your goal and never give up on your mission.” Prenzon ‘Prenzo” Nigel Anthony Bobb's journey as a soca artiste is a testament to the power of focus, determination, and a unique voice.  He hails from San Juan, Laventille Trinidad, but moved to Tobago at the age of 15, where he has lived for the past 19 years. The second of 11 children, with five boys and six girls, his childhood was a vibrant mix of family life and discovering his passions. A standout childhood memory is visiting the Emperor Valley Zoo, where he was captivated by all the animals and the natural world. He emph...

by Onica Dick Shankeel 'Shanko Venam' Alleyne My first article for this Blog page was posted on September 01, 2021. It was posted on the page on November 21, 2021. However, I am marking today as the anniversary this Blog page. In recognition of this four (4) year anniversary, I decided to repost the third article, posted on February 06, 2022, which featured a very talented and versatile Tobago artiste and entrepreneur, Shanko Venam. (See the repost below). A follow-up article will soon be done on the progress of this versatile artiste and his accomplishments from then to now. He is an artiste entrepreneur who has very unique and interesting stories that need to be shared. However, the focus of this article is on 29-year-old Shankeel ‘Shanko’ Alleyne, the artiste. He is from Patience Hill and is a past student of the Patience Hill Primary School and the Pentecostal Light and Life Foundation High School.  At primary school his preference of teachers was Ms. Grant while at second...

  by Onica Dick (The Poetess Neki) Meet Listra Douglas Charles of Listra's Soup Corner  It is a beautiful Saturday afternoon with fine weather, and I am at the location of Listra's Soup Corner on the main road in the village of Black Rock. There are a number of customers making their Saturday soup purchase. Many of them are eager and happy to be here. I am told that numerous customers from "all over" come to buy the soup. I even see many familiar faces while I am there and people who I have not seen in years. Listra's Soup Corner at Black Rock Main Road, Tobago  Listra Douglas Charles, a resident of Black Rock has been in the business of cooking and selling soup for the last seven years. As we speak, I ask her what inspired her to start the business. She humbly states, "Well, it was really based on the fact that I was in the business of selling Barbeque. A lot of guys used to lime here and they started giving me the advice that soup might be a better seller, ...

 By Onica Dick (The Poetess Neki) Petronella Archer - An icon of Black Rock  at the Black Rock Sea Festival  Photo credit -Tobago House of Assembly (Office of the Chief Secretary-Facebook Page) The final village presentation on the Tobago Heritage Festival 2025 calendar was the Sea Festival which took place in the village of Black Rock. I have never been to the festival but this year I decided to accompany one of my colleagues to witness some of the activities.  A number of historians and various articles tell us that Black Rock got its name from the "dramatic volcanic rocks that line the shore; remnants of Tobago’s ancient geological past." We are also reminded that this village is "also home to one of the island’s most important historical sites: Fort Bennett which the Dutch constructed in the 1600s and was "later fortified by the British". The Sea Festival which usually has an entire day of activities, begins with a traditional Wake Up Call followed by a pro...

  By Onica Dick (The Poetess Neki) Pic 1. Tonic G  Photo Credit -Rambo As a child I aspired to be an artiste; music is an upliftment which makes me happy; every time I sing, I always feel happy" - Tonic G Shirmatt Matthias Matthew 'Tonic G' Robinson comes from a musically inclined family and is accustomed to musical instruments such as drums, guitars and even the tambourine. The 32-year-old who was born on October 29 grew up in Bagatelle, Tobago and has one brother. He is a past pupil of the Scarborough Seventh Day Adventist Primary and the Signal Hill Comprehensive School. He remembers his favourite teacher Miss Manswell at high school who was his Form Mistress. Tonic G wanted to be a fireman as a child but certain family  restrictions, religious belief and other reasons did not allow for the fulfillment of his dream. His favourite childhood memories from high school include participation in beatbox/freestyle activities with fellow peers like Kaspa Di Lyrical, Moon, KD a...