Ralston Nettleford
Professor Ralston Nettleford remains a national icon and cultural ambassador thanks to his contributions to Jamaica and all of the Caribbean as an international scholar, dancer, choreographer and the first alumnius to hold the Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies.
Born on February 3rd, 1933 in Bunkers Hill, Trelawny, Nettleford grew up under modest living conditions, often having to wear the same pair of pants for the entire school week. Later, he earned a scholarship to Cornwall College to pursue secondary level studies. At Cornwall, he showed an aptitude for choreography and dance and participated and choreographed several school dance routines. He maintained such an outstanding academic record that he, alongside a handful of other students, were awarded a scholarship to the University of the West Indies upon graduation. There, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in History in 1953 and was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship which he used to pursue an MPhil post-graduate degree in Politics at the University of Oxford in London, England. When he returned back to the island in 1959, he was immediately recruited by the founding father of the University College of the West Indies, Sir Phillip Sherlock to spearhead the now School of Continuing Studies. His role in expanding the department's influence led him to establish the Trade Union Education Institution in 1964.
In 1964, Nettleford headed the Trade Union Education Institute at the University College of the West Indies to improve the lives of the nation’s underprivileged by uniting factory, farm and other unionised workers with scholars to help article their interests. In 1962, he co-founded the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) and acted as its artistic director and main choreographer to preserve Jamaica’s cultural heritage through dance. By fusing both traditional Jamaican music, dance and rituals with European ballet framework, he believed he would retain Jamaica’s cultural identity and foster a national identity. He reintroduced multiple religious rituals to Jamaica such as Pocomania and Kumina. Since then, the company has gained fame for its well-established ballet repertoires and dance dramas.
Nettleford has also been council for almost every Government in the Caribbean and an advisor for numerous international organizations including UNESCO, the International Labour Organization, the International Development Research Council and the World Bank. He also holds several honorary degrees from universities across the world including the University of Toronto and the University of Oxford who inducted him as one of the 69 Fellows. For his contributions, Nettleford was awarded the Order of Merit in 1975 and appointed the first-ever graduate to become the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies in 1986 and was later promoted to Vice Chancellor in 1998. His image as an international cultural icon was cemented in 2008, Nettleford was awarded the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC).
During his twilight years, Nettleford continued to work and travel, speaking at multiple engagements and UWI-related initiatives. On January 27th, 2010 in Washington DC, United States, Nettleford suffered a heart attack and was admitted to the George Washington University Hospital, passing away on February 3rd, just four hours before his 77th birthday after several days in the intensive care unit. Today, Nettleford’s vast array of academic and artistic achievements continue to inspire countless individuals. As the quote that many use when remembering his legacy goes: “Rex Nettleford, a nation, his monument.”
Professor Ralston Nettleford : Taken from the Jamaican Information Service