The life of a proud dad who was dedicated to his community and "always stood up for people" has been celebrated by family and friends.
Toni Constantine Morgan, 68, better known as "Ras T", "T" or "Toni" was remembered with fitting tributes, song, drumming and storytelling at a service at the Caribbean Centre on Sunday, January 15.
Ras T, who died on December 19, did not want a traditional send off and as per his wishes there was a drumming circle, music and a celebration of his life where family and friends came together.
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The afternoon began with an emotional and fitting song, Rasta Man Chant by Bob Marley and the Wailers, performed by his son Akil. He went on to give a moving speech about his dad and how he taught him about Black history, roots and culture and more.
Akil told the ECHO: "Dad was much loved in the community for his spirit, dedication to culture and heritage of the Liverpool Black community and its strength and energy. He carried a lot of pain in his own life as a Black man carrying the legacy of our past.
"But, his intelligence, strength, faith and love was his guide and through this, he guided me to my roots and culture on the journey to becoming the man I am today. My dad described himself as an Urban Griot".
Ras T, born January 12, 1954 in Liverpool’s Sefton General Hospital, which stood where Asda is on Smithdown Road, a small section of the complex still remains. He was born of a loving British mum Margaret and his dad Ralph from Jamaica.
Ruth, his older sister, was his only sibling, who he always treated like his baby sister. He had four children; Anton, Akil, Saffi and Hannah and between them gave him seven grandchildren.
Ruth said: "From a very young age he was always very personable and loved by so many people. He was very concerned about others and very brave when he had to stand up for people. I just loved him very much. We were always really close because there were only us two. Our parents were cut off by my mum’s family because she married a Black man.
"We don't know any family at all except his children. He was just thrilled with his kids, so proud of them all, proud of his grandchildren and thrilled to have family”.
Ruth said about the time, then, Prince Charles visited Liverpool in the early 1980's and met members of Delado, an African Dance group. Ras T said: "He had to take a risk for the sake of the people".
Ras T went to Tiber Street primary school in Toxteth and excelled. He became prefect and voted Head Prefect. Sadly this was revoked as the school at the time informed him a Black boy ahead of the white students would not be accepted. His granddaughter Maleka said: "Something tells me this is where the rebel seed in my grandad started to take shape."
He then went to Arundel Comprehensive, Sefton Park Road. He was popular at school and was described as charming. His family moved to Kirkby and Ras T would spend most of his time travelling back to Liverpool 8 where all his friends lived and to be close to his community.
Ras T was always interested in his culture and Jamaica and his interest was enhanced by the influence of Bob Marley. Maleka said: "His mother came home one day to find Toni had painted several images of Bob Marley all over the walls".
Saffi and Hannah, his daughters, spoke fondly of their dad. They poetically reminisced of the history and education he instilled in them. At the beginning of the 1970s Ras T spent a few years serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Ark Royal. He left in 1973 after suffering an injury.
After leaving the Navy Toni spent some time in Wales working the fairground in Rhyl. Maleka said: "He also worked as a gardener in St Luke’s Bombed out church and told me he imprinted his initials inside the church walls.”
Following his experiences in the navy where he complained of Black sailors being segregated, he began to study and research Black history. He compiled a personal 'Toni Morgan library' filled with many one of a kind books from source.
Some Delado members paid tribute and shared their memories of Ras T especially about his time with the African dance group. Delado was officially formed in 1981 following a visit to Liverpool by Steel and Skin, about 1979, a collaborative group from the UK and the Black diaspora.
Ras T was a drummer and the coordinator of School of Africa formed as the educational tool of Delado. As a founder member of Delado, the only Black regional dance company, he trained in traditional African drum and dance, African orchestral composition, their antecedents and instructed in the Ewe Achie Mavue Drum language.
Valreie Watson said: "Tony was director of Delado back in 1980. The love of African history had become a major part of his life by making aware to the funding bodies and Liverpool City Council the Black roots of Toxteth had risen from the ashes of the uprisings.
"He endeavoured to bring culture and awareness to education and unity with our community. His intelligence was his sword in meetings and his script was of knife edge. L8 Legend".
George Thomas said: "Toni was like a brother to me. I first met Toni in the 70's. We all went to Amsterdam to work, that was great times. If not for Toni I would have not got involved in African dance. Due to this I was able to travel to parts of Africa and around the world doing dance".
Erroll Graham said: "Tony was a man full of knowledge who always had something to teach you. He taught me about parts of the history of ancient Black Britain and much more.”
Chuku Benji added: "My condolences to his family. He was a key member in the setting up of Delado, key administrator. He was humble and never let things really get him out".
Ras T was a man always fighting for and speaking on behalf of his community, sharing knowledge. He was generous in information sharing and in deed and was known to perform workshops and forfeit his fees.
During lockdown his workshop fees were donated to providing Easter Eggs for children, which were delivered across Liverpool 8. He was a fond story teller and held many a drumming circle where he would reason and educate people.
Francisco Carrasco said: "Tony carried a rich legacy of knowledge, always something new from his profound understanding of African music and heritage to local history. He was a walking library and someone who brought a rooted insight into our lives.
"He will be deeply missed. Travel well Tony xx."
Curtis Watt said: "To me, Toni was a mentor and educator from the age of nine, when he and the Delado group visited our primary school. He and the group introduced us to African folklore, dance and poetry.
"He will remain deeply rooted in the traditions of progressing the community, sharing knowledge and striving towards balance and nature. I was blessed to be his djembe brother."
Phil Windever added: "I first experienced African dance, drumming and storytelling with him in Shorefields school in the late 80s. A pioneering artist educator, a trend setter and keeper of traditional African arts.”
Alan Marriott said: "I remember Toni when he first came out of the navy and came back to Liverpool 8. Me, him and other people like; George Thomas, Hogan Bassey and Keith Higgins, we might have been about 17 or 18 and we were all into afro combs, pointy collared shirts and flares and going out and all that. That's how I first knew Toni.
“Since then and over the years every time I have gone to see him I have always come away with knowledge, especially about Black history. Most Black history goes back to slavery, but Toni goes beyond that”.
His son, Akil said: "Dad’s experience draws on over 50 years of working practice, study and a living history that witnessed the civil rights movement in the US, the African Independence Movements, the rise of Black Nationalism, Pan African movement, the rise of Islam in Black UK and the cultural impact of Rastafari”.
Listing the movements, local organisations and groups, from the 1970s his dad was a part of, Akil said: "Local responses such as Peanut gangs, Shines, and the Green Jackets or Black Independent Army (B.I.A.} and its child the Black Caucus, Black sisters, The Front Line and others.
"50 years of study and dissemination of Black ancient history studies. Formally and informally, around the kitchen table.
“For various further and higher institutions of learning including Liverpool University exploring the Black experience in Musicology, literature and the spoken word, history, curriculum development and inclusion. In addition has acted as moderator for the Open Colleges Federation and assessor for the Open University and the Dept. of Continuing Education".
As I, Patrick Graham, wrote this piece, T as I called him had an early influence over me and my writing. My very first attempt to write a play, over 20 years ago, was based on one of the many reasonings we would have.
T told me a Haitian folktale following research and visits he made to the region. A tale of the origins of Carnival, about Oya and her three sons headed by Tijan. Due to being rebellious after being taken to the Caribbean from West Africa were later moved to Haiti, a place slaves were sent to be broken.
T was a wealth of knowledge, so much so that knowledge is still being passed on and used by his family, friends and almost anyone who he came into contact with. May he rest in peace.
Ras T had planned to visit Ethiopia in January 2023. His family will honour this wish and make his pilgrimage there in the near future.
Akil concluded: "His practice has developed over the years to include the trans-Atlantic journey and the differing forms that African art has taken and its impact. The social history and context the arts were created in. Is the only Black British artist that has represented under the Independent banner of Black Britain internationally through the auspices of the U.N."
He will be missed, but Ras T will be remembered with thoughts, deeds, actions and words.
- If anyone has pictures or videos of Ras T performing, please share and post on social media.
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