Mr Nanan. Teacher Lalman, Teach.. Pappy…Grandpappy
Mr. Lalman Nanan was born in 1938 in Morichal in Whiteland and lived all his life in Bonne Aventure, except of course for the times that he stayed in San Fernando to go to school and Penal to teach.
He was very active in sports at school and in the community; playing volleyball, football and cricket. Of course, from a young age he was part of the Scouting as a Member of 1st Gasparillo Scout Group (1950 – 1952) and Senior Patrol Leader of the 1st Naparima College Scouts (1955 – 1956).
But his life really started when he met a young lady by the name of Eleanor Smith. They were married on October 27th. 1962 and that is where our story started. He will always be the head of our family. He raised us, his children, Rebecca, Denise, Joanne, David and Jonathan to uphold his ideals.
There is a quote from the movie “Death at a funeral” where Chis Rock keeps saying, “my father was a great man”.
So, of course, we had to ask “What makes our father a great man?“
Firstly, from the gathering here today, it is clear that he touched the lives of many but what led this? Our father embodied duty, decency, reliability, honour, diginity, respect. These qualities that make him “a great man” are really the Scout Laws.
He was Trusted.
When we were young, there was always someone from the village or relatives at our home seeking his advice. Just yesterday, Mrs. Chadee from Princes Town Scouting said that it was his advice that helped her in a low time and led her back to a fulfilling life of giving back to her community for which she will always be grateful.
He was Loyal.
He loved his family, and not just the ones at Bonne Aventure, as he treated everyone as part of his family. But the love of his life was our mother, they showed us what a happy marriage was all about. We think that he loved her so much that he left us on her birthday to be reunited with her.
He was Friendly and Considerate.
He was exceptionally kind to strangers and some of you would know the story of him inviting strangers he met to stay with us. But, that also proves that he was Brotherly and Courageous. Brotherly to strangers, but courageous to trust them in his family home.
Most importantly, however, he made good use of his time.
He worked to support his family but never forgot to give back to his community. He founded the 2nd Bonne Aventure Scout Group and led them to be the most respected group in the country. He was an Educator. Aside from his teaching career he supported his siblings, nieces, nephews, neighbours, and children in all their educational efforts. He found time to fulfill his own tertiary education goals.
He did all of this and was an amazing father and grandfather at the same time.
It is said that a Teacher has two jobs:
- Fill young minds with knowledge
- Give those minds a compass
In both his teaching and scouting careers, our father did both.. He came from very humble beginnings and he learned early on the value of the little had. He made it stretch very far and always had some to share with others. But it is not just his physical possessions. Most of all, he cherished the love of his family that was given to him by the Lord. His love extended to all those who knew him. He exuded the love of Christ in his dealings with everyone. I guess you can say He was careful of his possessions.
And he was Respectful
He taught all of us that earning respect starts with respecting others. I am often amazed at the respect he commanded from everyone he met. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word.
But there is more to the man than just this…..
I would love to tell you about our pappy, but, the truth is ever since the grandchildren came, he has always been “grandpappy”. To everybody, even my in-laws and their children. He taught us to only say good things, if you can’t say the good, say nothing. He may appear too good to be true, but many of you will remember some of the things that make you go “hmm”….
First the grandpappy-isms:
These are the things that all us kids have drilled into our sub-conscious that will never leave us, the things we have found ourselves telling our own children now:
“Do not do what you feel or believe is right, just do the right thing”.
“Read everything, analyze and do it quickly”.
“Scouting is not something you practice, as practice comes before the real thing”.
“Service before self”.
“Did you do it well? Then lets aim for better and then the best.”
Is it a Need or a Want?
To understand grandpappy, you have to appreciate that he lived through colonialism, independence and the republic. He remembered sleeping on the floor on a “pal”. I remember the stories about riding a bicycle in the rain when he taught at Penal Rock Road Presbyterian School. In spite of this he also dined with Presidents, from Hochoy to Richards.
What about the intricate dynamics of eating bread soaked in Pepsi and milk without having the soaked portion of the bread fall into the bottom of the glass? The man is talented. Not so much with dancing though, because he only knows one dance.
Growing up, I remember there were Lots of charts, assembling papers and fixing training team boxes. If you have met him, you know every shirt must have a pocket and every shirt pocket must have at least 2 pens. And in full event-planning mode, a clipboard was also mandatory.
Yet, he also enjoyed his down time. I remember if he was sleeping in front of the TV he would wake you if you changed the channel. Also don’t you dare make noise during the news on TV or radio.
But all of us – his children – know, that what grandpappy loved most was “shaking hands” – sorry…. NETWORKING! But while he may be a personable, friendly, trusting, helpful and loving soul, and while he may be playful and have his quirks …. for those of you who know the unwritten Scout law, he was not a fool.
In retrospect, I will admit that I was wrong when I said “my father was a great man”…
OUR father IS a great man - an ideal of what we could only strive to be.
He will live on in our hearts.. Forever..
The Nanan
LEGACY