About
Dalton Narine Obituary
Dalton James Narine, an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker, and cultural historian, passed away on February 12, 2025, at the age of 85 from complications of vascular cognitive dementia.
He dedicated his life to chronicling the rich history, vibrant culture, and artistic expressions of Trinidad and Tobago-especially its steelpan and Carnival traditions.
His career spanned decades in journalism, film, and storytelling, leaving an indelible mark on Caribbean culture and the broader global artistic landscape.
Born on November 9, 1939, Narine migrated to the United States as a young adult and attended Howard University.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from 1964 to 1966. The war profoundly shaped his worldview and ignited a lifelong commitment to justice, memory, and truth-telling.
After his service, he became an activist, lending his voice to the fight for racial justice and sharing unflinching accounts of the Black veteran experience-including candid reflections on racism in the military and at home.
Throughout his life, he remained devoted to telling the stories of all veterans of all wars.
Narine's journalism career included award-winning work at Ebony, The Village Voice, The Miami Herald, and the Sun-Sentinel. He also wrote for The Trinidad Guardian and other Caribbean publications. His reporting gave voice to those at the margins and captured the complexity of life during conflict, celebration, and change.
Later, he turned to filmmaking, producing critically acclaimed documentaries such as Mas Fever, The Minshall Trilogy, and Mas Man, which together form a powerful archive of Carnival's visual and philosophical legacy.
He is survived by his wife, Theresa Narine; daughters, Marcia Narine Weldon and Natalie Yasmin James-Bagot; and son, Sheldon James.
In accordance with his wishes, there was no public service
and a private remembrance will be held in Vietnam, the land that helped shape his voice and vision.
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