Barbudan youths learn the art of Warri board-making under the guidance of cultural advocate Asha Frank and master craftsman Uncle Roddy.
(Photos courtesy of Asha Frank)
What happens when a national project pauses while a new funding agreement is being negotiated?
In Barbuda, local cultural heritage advocates step in to keep the work moving forward.
We salute barbudanGO’s Asha Frank and master craftsman Rodman “Uncle Roddy” George, who generously volunteered their time in May to facilitate training in the art of Warri board-making. Their efforts set in motion the passing of this important cultural tradition to the next generation, a process that will continue when the National ICH Project resumes in the coming months.
Photos: from left to right: Uncle Roddy and Asha Frank. Uncle Roddy explaining the basics to young trainees.
The training sessions were enthusiastically received, with participants showing remarkable dedication as they learned to carve Warri boards by hand. Following Uncle Roddy’s traditional method, participants completed much of the work with a chisel, a process that requires patience, skill, and perseverance.
As Uncle Roddy puts it, “The Warri board is more than carved wood. It is a classroom, a memory archive, and a bridge between elders and children.”
Asha Frank was pleased with both the turnout and engagement of the young trainees. She noted that the group grew to eight participants as other youths became curious after observing the sessions.
The gallery and video below highlight the participants’ dedication, patience, and developing craftsmanship.
Trainee applying finishing touches to a Warri board.
Finished Warri Boards.
Enjoying the fruits of their labour.
The recently concluded training in Barbuda is in keeping with the broader effort to revive and sustain Warri across Antigua and Barbuda. When the National ICH Project and Warri Revival Programme resume in the coming months, several key initiatives remain on the agenda:
• Train 18 young people in Warri board-making to increase the number of local craftspeople producing boards for purchase. Participants will be drawn from vocational programmes and the prison system.
• Conduct tree-planting exercises led by the Antigua and Barbuda Warri Academy to increase the number of Caesalpinia crista trees, whose seeds are used in Warri.
The progress made so far demonstrates the growing momentum behind the revival of Warri. Between August 2025 and May 2026, the Warri Revival Programme:
• Surpassed its target by training more than 550 youths and students and more than 50 community members in the history and sport of Warri.
• Secured Cabinet approval for the commissioning of 168 Warri boards for distribution to schools across Antigua and Barbuda.
For an overview of the National ICH Project and the Warri Revival Programme, led by Cultural Advisor Dr. Hazra C. Medica with support from Dr. Reginald Murphy (Secretary-General, National UNESCO Commission), please visit: https://cpoise.gov.ag/2024/01/12/abs-ich-project/
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