Mr. Mohammed Emamali - Honoree 2004

Picture a village where a maze of dirt roads and dirt canals which unsteady bridges gave access to mud or wood houses; and area where everybody knew everybody; and children were identified, not by their names, but as "so and so" son or "so and so" daughter. such a picture is the St James in which Mohammed "Hamdo" Emamali, the St. James Community Improvement Committee's Honoree for 2004 was born on Christmas day, 25th December 1928. It was in such a place that we would be thrice detained at the ST. James Police Station for his pursuit of things cultural - Hosay, Shango and Pan.

Hamdo's father, Popo "Balma" Emamali, started building the Balma or Clarence Street Hosay in 1916 on the advice of two people from India after he was struck with a serious wart disease. His father was shunned and left home having to sleep on two crocus bags on a floor. He approached old man Gulham Hussain, builder of the Hosay that carried his name, so advice on what to do. Legend has it that on the third year of building, as the Hosay was returning to the yard on big Hosay day, the warts simply disappeared. Mohammed took over the building of the Hosay from his father in 1946, later passing it on to his younger brother Bunny.

Hamdo recounts that one time over fifty Hosays were built in St. James and that various innovations caused them to evolve from small ones carried on the head, to a little larger ones carried on bamboo poles placed on the shoulders, to the large tadjahs that we see today, carried on wheels.

Mr. Emamali attended the Mucurapo Boys R.C. School, under the principality of Mr. Mangatal, then located opposite where Crosby's Music Centre now stands. His father, however was advised that Nelson Street Boys was a more prestigious school to sit for a scholarship, and promptly made arrangements for Hamdo to attend there. For the occasion, he got his first pair of Raleigh washicongs, clutching them fiercely as he walked back bare feet from town to St. James after purchasing them. He would daily make the same trek walking from number 2 Clarence Street, St. James to school at the bottom of Nelson Street and back.

His father contracted with one "Big Head Madray" who owned a restaurant on Charlotte Street to give him lunch at the prevailing cost of a penny (2 cents) a day. This invariably consisted of Buss Up Shot, curried potato and a glass of water, which he shared with his classmate, former Prime Minister George Chambers.

Three thousand boys sat the exam the year he did to gain three places into Queen's Royal College. He was not among the chosen and since his father could not afford the princely sum of $16.00 per term, he had to yield to the demands of the times and seek employment. He followed his father's footsteps by selling papers and carrying them on his head from St. Vincent Street to St. James. He would rear cows and clean graves in the cemetery all until he got a job in downtown Port of Spain paying $5.00 per week. He subsequently gained employment with the government as a messenger paying $1.24 per day for 5 1/2 days weekly. From this Hamdo was able to save and buy an old wooden house for $600.00 which he rebuilt and sold to Teacher Van, and another legend of St. James. Mr. Emamali went on to build over eighty-four houses in St. James and environs while at the same time opening the Emamali Gift Shop on Tragarete Road. He started the shop with one showcase and one dozen machetes and that too evolved into an Oriental Empourium of tremendous success.

Hamdo takes special pride in being able to provide materially and intellectually for his children. But in spite of his achievements, it is his lectures in the history and significance of Hosay that has given him growing influence both locally and abroad. He still does what he has to do with Balma, but is now more preoccupied with research and telling the story, and giving generously of his time and talent to those who seek help.

Mrs. Shareefar Emamaly, Honoree Mr. Mohammed 'Hamdo' Emamali and son Hamid.

Even through his father imbibed liberally from the watering holes of St. James, he inculcated the value of hard work to his son. Mohammed believes that part of the problem the youth face today is that they get things too easily. He beliaves that the provision of better amenaties and development came with a price - "hardness from the younger ones. They don't appreciate the work we did. The situation would get worse before it gets better because the youth are entering a changed job market without the requisite education and skills". He believes the advertisements for masseurs and escorts are simply recruitment for the sex trade.

His advice to the youths is that it pays to be ambitious in life. That they should keep away from bad company, from crime and from drugs. He understands that in today's society, "you must have strong will power to keep away from these things, for it is easy to get involved. But at the end of the day it is most important to have respect for yourself to enable others to have respect for you." True words from a sage who lived it. That is why the St. James CIC is proud to have Mohammed 'Hamdo' Emamali as Honoree for 2004.