Born on November 2, 1952, Clara Bridget Hunkins, affectionately known as “Auntie Bridget,” is a dedicated cultural contributor and respected community figure from Government Road in Charlestown, Nevis. Renowned for her warmth, generosity, and unwavering spirit of service, she has long been a pillar within both professional and cultural spaces on the island.
Professionally, Auntie Bridget serves as a Sales Manager at S. Hunkins and Sons Ltd. Funeral Home. She also engaged in woodworking through the Hunkins Woodworking Academy, where she crafted picture frames and blueprints for buildings. At S. Hunkins and Sons Ltd., she is recognized for her compassion and commitment to supporting families during difficult times.
Beyond her career, Auntie Bridget is musically inclined, having played both the soprano and alto saxophone in the Nevis Symphonic Band. She is also a choir member at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. She has a passion for singing and has written songs and poems about her family and many other subjects that inspired her. As an accomplished artist, she enjoys baking cakes and cake decorating and drawing, creating intricate works of art.
Clara has made significant contributions to youth development as Chief Commissioner of the St. Kitts-Nevis Girls’ Guide Association on Nevis, where she introduced the first Rainbow Guide Brigade and guided and mentored and organized camps for young women across the Federation. She has represented the Girls’ Guide movement at numerous conferences and has organized performing arts productions in Nevis, St. Kitts, and Anguilla.
Her community spirit is evident in her everyday actions. She is known for cooking and sharing meals with anyone who passes by on weekends and for distributing fruits and produce from her garden to nursing homes and community members. She has also worked with the Red Cross Association. Additionally, she assisted many young families by caring for infants and providing after-school care for children. Auntie Bridget has organized workshops for government departments, particularly the Department of Youth, during holiday periods. She has been honored by both the Health Department and the Girls’ Guide Association for her outstanding leadership and volunteerism.
Her impact on Nevisian culture is extensive. Clara was actively involved in and witnessed the inception of Culturama in 1974. She recalls Dudley Cleveton Harris (“Floyd”) suggesting the iconic name “Culturama” at the festival’s first meeting. Working alongside her father, Samuel Hunkins, she contributed significantly behind the scenes and within the festival through the Nevis Dramatic and Cultural Society (NEDACS), helping to shape Culturama into what it is today.
Over the years, she has supported numerous aspects of the festival, including chaperoning contestants and serving as a judge in Calypso, Soca, and Queen Show competitions. She has also served as a judge in sporting events such as netball.
Among her many contributions to pageantry and youth engagement were the innovative and creative concepts behind pageants such as Ms. Gingerette and Mr. and Miss Talented Youths. Through the Girls’ Guide movement, she also staged and chaired Flames of the Caribbean, a pageant featured as part of the Culturama celebrations, where members of the Girls’ Guide Association represented various Caribbean islands through costume and cultural presentations.
Auntie Bridget’s dedication to youth and cultural development also extended into costume arts and creative training. Through the Ministry of Youth, she helped organize costume-building workshops alongside Antiguan designer Shandy Lewis. Costumes produced during these workshops were later showcased by children participating in the Junior Street Parade, helping to nurture creativity and cultural expression among young people.
Widely regarded as a dependable and resourceful figure within the cultural community, Auntie Bridget is often the go-to person for sourcing fabrics, decorations, and chairs for various Culturama-related events and activities.
The influence of Flames of the Caribbean extended beyond Nevis and helped inspire the transformation of the Ms. Leeward Queen Show into what is now known as the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant. Auntie Bridget’s vision, creativity, and dedication to Caribbean cultural representation played an important role in shaping the pageant’s identity and regional appeal.
Behind the scenes of the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant, Auntie Bridget became known as an indispensable figure. She assisted with décor preparation, coordinated accommodations for delegates at her residence, helped recruit judges, and ensured that contestants and organizers were properly supported throughout the event. She also skillfully created sashes, pin-ons, and other accessories essential to contestants’ presentation in the pageant.
In recognition of her decades of service to pageantry, Culturama, and community development, the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant honored Auntie Bridget in 2024 for her outstanding contributions.
Auntie Bridget has also expressed her desire to dedicate the recognition of her years of hard work, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the memory of her late niece and beloved “adopted” daughter, Lorna Valarie Tessa Hunkins. She cherishes Lorna’s memory and regards this honor as a tribute not only to her own service but also to the love, support, and bond they shared throughout their lives.
On behalf of the Nevis Island Administration, the Ministry of Culture, the Nevis Cultural Development Foundation, the Nevis Culturama Committee, and the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant Committee, we proudly salute Clara Bridget Hunkins. A woman with a true “heart of gold,” she continues to embody generosity, cultural pride, and unwavering community service. We celebrate her enduring volunteerism and honor her role as Patron of Nevis Culturama 52.
