A trailblazing Liverpool poet thought an email telling him he'd been nominated for a Citizen of Honour Award was a hoax.
Writer, Dub Poet and entertainer Levi Tafari said he originally ignored the email he received from Liverpool Council, believing the message was a joke. But when a second email arrived Levi, from Toxteth, finally allowed himself to believe it was true.
Levi specialises in Dub Poetry, stemming from his Jamaican heritage and culture. With over 40 years of writing and performing the accolade was a fitting recognition of his past, present and no doubt future works following a unanimous vote to grant the award.
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Levi told the ECHO: "When I received an email saying I had been nominated for the Citizen of Honour Award, I thought it was a hoax and totally ignored it. They got back to me and that confirmed I had been nominated and was not someone messing about.
"When I received the award, I was honoured and humbled at the same time. It was a momentous occasion in terms of the love and support I received from everyone in attendance, including the Liverpool Town Hall staff".
The Citizen of Honour of the City of Liverpool was introduced by the City Council in 2008. The award recognises individuals who have made significant, exceptional or unique contributions to enriching the image of the City. Levi's award recognises his cultural and artistic contributions to the city.
Levi was presented with the prestigious Citizen of Honour award earlier this week by Roy Gladden, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, in front of family, friends and guests. He was also honoured with a surprise bust made for him by an anonymous donor.
Levi said: "One of the reasons I got into poetry was because of my Caribbean and African culture mixed with my British experience. I was used to sounding out using reggae sound systems as a way to communicate and from that I progressed to writing poetry.
"Writing has taken me to some great heights in terms of the people I have met (such as Maya Angelou) and the places I have been. I visited Ethiopia, which was great and made a documentary for the BBC Everyman programme in 1996 during the celebrations of the Battle of Adwa which took place in 1896.
"My poetry took me to Jamaica when I performed at the Poetry Expo in 1994 and at the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe in New York in the mid 1990’s, where some of the first poetry slams originated. The name Nuyorican represents people from New York and Puerto Rico”.
Levi has travelled to China twice and Hong Kong. He’s also travelled to Switzerland, Germany, France and Greece as part of a 12 country tour of Europe.
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Roy Gladden said: "I’ve known Levi for many years and listened to him, he is a marvellous man. It's such a privilege and honour to be presenting him with the Citizen of Honour. It is well deserved, and so good to have the pleasure of doing it this evening".
Levi’s son Ezekiel said: "I’m super proud of my dad, I can't think of anyone more deserving. He has put in so much work over the past 40 years, perfecting his craft, doing what he does, sticking at it and being recognised nationally and internationally for what he does".
His daughter, Makeda added: "I’m so proud of my dad, he's so inspiring and it was well deserved. He should have got it a long time ago."
Co director of Writing on The Wall Madeline Heneghan said: "His contribution to literature has been trailblazing. As a dub poet he has changed the nature and the meaning of poetry in Britain.
"His words are all over the city; on the Central Library floor, Lodge Lane, Princes Boulevard and he’s inspired a whole host of young artists across the region. He is a fantastic ambassador to the city wherever he travels.
"Internationally people love him and they know that he’s a Liverpudlian".
Levi topped the evening with a rendition of his acclaimed poem Plastic Fantastic, which received rapturous applause from those in attendance.
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