The late Rev. Dr. Hervis Bain in 2013. Rev. Bain was the designer of The Bahamas' Coat of Arms. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)
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The Ministry of Youth, Sports and
Culture wishes to extend sincere condolences to the family of the late Rev. Dr.
Hervis Bain, a great cultural legend, who has made numerous outstanding
contributions to the nation of The Bahamas.
As a nation builder, he ushered The
Bahamas onto the scene with his exemplary creation of our National Symbols, the
Flag and the Coat of Arms; for an Independent Bahamas in 1973 which gives him a
special place in our national history.
Dr. Hervis Bain was a significant
fixture in the worlds of Education and Culture, particularly Junkanoo, having
influenced many of the past Great Icons we now know.
He served as the Arts Master at
Government High School influencing
renown persons such as Peter "Gold" Turnquest and Dr. Emmanuel
"Manny" Francis during the early 1960's. He was later appointed to
the post Education Officer for Arts and Crafts in the Ministry of Education and
Culture (1969 - 1972) and represented The Bahamas on many occasions at Art/Art
Education Conferences, Exhibitions and Festivals.
He was also instrumental in the
development of Junkanoo and Junkanoo
legends such as Brian "Boldy" Gibson and Percy "Vola"
Francis, who consulted him on many occasions for advice on various aspects of
the Junkanoo production during the 1960's and 70's.
He began his direct involvement in
the management of Junkanoo parades in 1967 when he served as an integral member
of the 'Masquerade Committee', a body formed by The Bahamas Development Board
in 1933 to manage the parades on Bay Street.
His perception of Junkanoo as "social drama" was based on the
belief that "true" Junkanoo was an experience predicated upon social
interaction between performer's and spectators alike. Using this concept as a guide, he articulated
and strengthened the management foundation that as created to promote the total
involvement of Junkanoos and their audience.
In 1973, Dr. Hervis Bain was asked to
serve as a member of the organizing committee for an Independence Junkanoo
parade. This special event was the
highlight of the independence celebrations and worthy of the innovations and initiatives
put in place by members of this management committee.
Following the success of the 1973 Independence
celebrations parade, Dr. Bain was asked to join a new committee, the National
Junkanoo Committee, appointed under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism in
1982 to manage Junkanoo. During his more
than a decade long tenure on the committee, he was influential in improving the
production of the parades: the route was extended and the direction flow was
reversed, prizes were increased, new categories for competition were added,
first aid stations were added, rule of governance of the parades were clarified
and documented, the judging system was improved by adding quantitative measures
for more objectivity and a Junkanoo Awards banquet was implemented to celebrate
and honour groups and individual winners.
His curriculum vitae includes the
following: Graduate in Art Education and Fine Arts from Nova Scotia College of
Arts and Design -1967, Post Graduate Diploma in Arts Administration Harvard University-
1971 and M.B.A. Degree (UM - 1978).
His many highlights are as follows:
·
Designer of the
National Flag
·
Designer of the
National Coat of Arms of The Bahamas
·
Designer of several Insignia of the Royal Bahamas Defence
Force
·
Honoured by Queen
Elizabeth II as a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
·
Founding Chairman
of The Bahamas Art and Crafts Exhibition
·
Chairman of One
Bahamas 1995
·
Bahamas
Representative, Carifesta
·
Bahamas
Representative, Carib Art
·
Bahamas
Representative at the XIX Cultural Olympiad in Mexico
·
Bahamas
Representative and winner of the "Gabriela Mistral" InterAmerican
prize for Culture in Plastic Arts and Sciences at the Organization of American
States 1993
·
Member of The
Bahamas National Junkanoo Committee 1973 - 1983
·
Member of The
Bahamas National Advisory Committee
·
Lecturer at the Extra Department of the University of
the West Indies
·
Recipient of the
Sir Lynden Pindling Award for Excellence
·
Recipient of the
Commonwealth of The Bahamas Silver Jubilee Award for Public Service
·
Recipient of the
Horace N. Wright Award of Excellence for art Design and Education
·
Inductee of the
National Junkanoo Legends Circle for the advancement and development of
Junkanoo.
His accomplishments extend further to
holding many positions in various organizations and his receiving many accolades
during his lifetime, including the 1960 Art Prize of his Alma Mater, St. John's
College. He was an ordained Minister, Marriage Officer and Counsellor and Justice of
the Peace serving as Pastor for St. John's Native Baptist Society of Churches. He was also the Chief Personnel Officer at
the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, the General Manager of The Bahamas
Agriculture and Industrial Corporation and finally the President of the
Swarovski (Bahamas) Ltd. He served as
Governor and made contributions to the Kiwanis organization in The Bahamas ,
the Caribbean and Canada. His paintings
have been displayed both privately and publicly throughout the Caribbean and
Canada. He also published several books,
manuscripts and articles.
Rev. Dr. Hervis Bain, married to the
former Beverly Blair, father to Hervesa, Revered Hervis III and Heather,
A TRUE BAHAMIAN
LEGEND.
May His Soul Rest
In Peace.