Owen Bussue-Hendrickson, affectionately known as Owen “Mate” Bussue our honored patron for Culturama 35, was born in Butlers Village, St. James’ Parish, Nevis. From a very early age Owen developed a keen interest in the string band. His father Cyril Bussue, who was himself a musician and maker of string band instruments, taught his son Owen how to play the stringed instruments and similarly taught Owen how to play the fife as well. Owen subsequently became an accomplished fife player and a player of the stringed instruments and over the years he has played these musical instruments in several string bands through out Nevis.
Mr. Bussue recalls that at age 16 when he left school he had a very keen interest in the banjo and subsequently bought his first banjo from Mr. Will Lanns of Hanley’s Road who at that time was also in the business of making and selling stringed instruments. With in a short time Owen became an accomplished banjo player. Whenever his banjo needed repairing Owen, with some supervision from his father, would do the job himself and by so doing he began to understand how the banjo was crafted. Having mastered the skills in repairing the banjo he then decided to take a try at making his first banjo. Owen recalls going to the mountain with his father to cut the white cedar tree which was used to make the pot and neck of the instrument and going into the village to collect goat skin from the villagers when they slaughtered the animals. The goat skin was used to make the head of the banjo. It was shaved and then soaked in water and while damp it was pulled tightly over the pot of the banjo, completely covering the top portion of the pot while leaving the bottom section open. As the skin dried it shrunk to give a tight fit over the banjo’s pot. Owen was successful at his first attempt at making the banjo and continued getting better and better at the craft with every subsequent banjo that he made.
As the years rolled on Owen’s interest in the other stringed instruments grew and he ventured on to make all of the other stringed instruments of the string band – guitar, ukulele and mandolin. He confessed that the only stringed instrument which he has not made is the violin but he is confident that if challenged he would accomplish that feat.
Owen also became very proficient at making the fife instrument and today he is well known as the “only” maker of all of the string band instruments in Nevis. Besides fishing and carpentry which he does on a part time basis, Owen makes a full time living from the making of the string band instruments which are in use and can be found in diverse parts of the world. Mr. Bussue’s trade mark instruments can also be found throughout Nevis and St. Kitts in homes, string bands, schools, club-rooms, museums and other institutions.
Mr. Bussue is also well known as a musician having mastered the art of playing all of the instruments in the string band and at one time he formed his own musical group, the Humming Birds String Band which originated in his home town Butlers Village. He has also taught his three sons Montclair, Ray and Rodway to play the stringed instruments and today they are all members a string band.
Mr. Bussue vividly recalls that in the early days, the string band played for free and says that only in recent times the string band is being paid for their engagements. In spite of this, Owen used to play for weddings, parties and festivals, sometimes getting food and or drink as pay. The motivation then was simply the joy of playing and entertaining all those who the string band played for.
Mr. Bussue not only makes and repairs the string band instruments but he also repairs the kettle drum and bass drum which makes up the Big Drum Band.
Today, he can be seen riding his motorcycle with banjos, guitars and other instruments strung to his motorcycle as he goes from village to village to deliver his orders.
On behalf of the Nevis Island Administration, the Ministry of Culture, the Nevis Cultural Development Foundation and the Nevis Culturama Committee we proudly salute Owen Bussue-Hendrickson for his dedication towards the preservation and perpetuation of folk music on Nevis and for his overall efforts at promoting and preserving Nevis’ rich cultural heritage. We are proud to present this master craftsman and folk musician – Mr. Owen Bussue-Hendrickson - to all nationals, residents and visitors as the Patron for Culturama 35 in Nevis this year.
Long live Owen Bussue-Hendrickson and may you have a fulfilled and enjoyable Culturama 35!
