Francis Edwin Paulino (deceased) Honorary Board Member
ON BEHALF OF THE GARIFUNA AND WORLD MUSIC COMMUNITY:
A TRIBUTE TO THE TRANSCENDENTAL PERCUSSIONIST AND LIVING LEGEND FRANCIS
EDWIN "Pappi Pee" PAULINO
Pappi Pee was born under mysterious circumstances. This is not being said simply to make a legend
of the man, for Pappi Pee played the part and lived the life of a legend. He was born when his mother
was beyond childbearing age. Surprisingly, Pappi Pee never told this side of his story, considering that
he was renowned for his storytelling. Rather, the circumstance of his birth was made known by his
cousin Martha “Auntie Martha” Ovado-Martinez. According to Auntie Martha, Pappi Pee’s mother
embarked on a pilgrimage to Esquipulas, Guatemala to pray for the birth of a child; her prayers were
answered and the ancestors gave us Pappi Pee. Ironically, one of the last times Pappi Pee was seen
publicly was at the annual Esquipulas celebration here in Los Angeles-a week before his transition.
Papa, Suni, Poppy Pea, the elder, the big bad wolf, the transcendental percussionist, buguya Austin-
ay: call him what you may, Francis Edwin Paulino was born an ancient one, a wise child who
intellectually challenged his father and everyone else around him. Weary of his brilliant, curious, and
talented son, his father apprenticed him to his mother’s cousin, the equally talented and legendary
bandleader and trumpeter Cervantes “Yao Bante” Velasquez. Yao Bante was so impressed with the
boy with the big, lightning-fast hands that he recruited him while still a teenager. To use a tired, old
cliché-the rest as they say is history.
Pappi Pee played everything percussion, played everywhere and played with everyone. He played
congas, bongos, timbales, claves, Garifuna drums (primera, segunda and tercera), quica, Djembe
drums, turtle shells and maracas. He played in Belize City, Cayo, Punta Gorda, Dangriga, Honduras,
Guatemala, Wolftrap, Berkeley, Stanford University, UCLA, USC,UC Santa Cruz, Contempo, 48,
Mabatuwa, the Blue Lagoon, the Roxie, the Mormon Tabernacle, in the movies, at the beach, he
played everywhere. He performed with the Lord Rhaburn Combo, the Reverend Solomon Burke, Bob
Jones, Zeke’s Combo, The Bonedaddy’s, Iranian/Armenian Star Faramarz Assef, Grammy award
winning Louisiana Zydeco artist Terrance Simien asked him to join him on stage in Johnstown,
Pennsylvania, he played with the Black Starliners, Guwie and groups too numerous to mention. In his
youth, Pappi Pee was a gayusa and sang in the dabuyaba. And who can forget his stellar
performance on Chatuye’s Ahmuti album? He leaves behind legions of fans who know every song on
his solo album and who take great pride in mimicking his unique (one-of-a-kind) voice and "chops."
None of the above accomplishments though were enough to satiate Pappi Pee’s deliberate quest to
leave an indelible mark on the time and space he was blessed to grace. He took percussion classes
at Los Angeles City College, attended the Braille Institute, he was a member of the Bahia faith and
was in the process of reinstating his membership in the Rosicrucian Order. Being ever intellectually
curious, Pappi Pee jumped at the chance to become the first Garifuna language translator of our
online magazine Dimurei.com and joined us as an instructor at the Garifuna Conservatory of Music.
He soon became enthralled with technology and the internet and arranged for computer lessons for
his good friend Fred Castillo and himself. Pappi Pee was writing songs for his first gospel album and
was in attendance at Reverend Michael Navarette’s church when a lady from Inglewood Cemetery
walked in and enjoined the audience to fill out burial insurance forms. Pappi Pee, along with several
other members of the congregation did; a week later he was summoned home.
Anyone who was privileged to bask in Pappi Pee’s light will recall his brilliant storytelling, incessant
joking and impeccable timing (musical and otherwise). But those of us who knew him personally will
remember him for his love of his people and everything Garifuna, especially his unconditional love for
his daughter Virginia and his two granddaughters.
The last months of his time with us were spent preparing, as he would say, his ‘legacy.’ He spoke in
hushed tones of the photographs, recordings, lyrics and verses he had catalogued for Jessica to one
day share with his granddaughters.
In the end, Pappi Pee effortlessly left a lasting impression on high priest and university presidents, he
performed in high and low places, he did much with very little and had few regrets except, perhaps for
one-the one he would whisper here and there to his confidants: the one regret by which he wished he
had loved unconditionally two other women who loved him: his wife Mary and Jessie.
Ayo, ayo nuwuguri.
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