Moko Jumbie Master Junior Bisnath Awarded Hummingbird Medal Bronze

After more than three decades of preserving tradition, mentoring young people and carrying Trinidad and Tobago’s Moko Jumbie culture onto international stages, Junior Bisnath has received one of the country’s national honours.

Bisnath has been named a recipient of the Hummingbird Medal Bronze for his contribution to culture as part of the 2026 National Awards.

Known affectionately as the “Constructive Termite,” Bisnath is the founder and director of the Junior Bisnath School of Arts and Kaisoca Moko Jumbies. His work has centred on preserving the art of stilt walking while using it to build discipline, confidence and cultural pride among young people.

According to reporting on his national award, Bisnath has trained more than 4,000 children free of charge over the past 30 years, particularly youngsters from underserved communities in and around San Fernando. Many of those students have gone on to perform internationally and some have been able to earn an income as professional stilt walkers.

His students have also represented Trinidad and Tobago at major events abroad, while Bisnath himself has continued to promote traditional craftsmanship through woodworking, sculpture and the preservation of cultural artefacts.

Earlier this year, his youth-development work also drew international attention when the United Nations Development Programme paid tribute to his decades of service and explored ways of supporting his efforts.

The Hummingbird Medal is one of Trinidad and Tobago’s national awards, with the annual National Awards Ceremony traditionally hosted on Republic Day.

For Bisnath, however, the recognition reflects something much larger than a medal. His legacy can already be seen in the generations of young people who learned to balance on stilts, perform with confidence and see their own culture as something worth carrying forward.