Addae, 2017. Courtesy of Liverpool Tritons RUFC
This Black History Month we celebrate diverse voices from Liverpool’s Black community.
The first is Addae, a member of Liverpool Tritons Inclusive Rugby Club. The Tritons, founded in 2016, is the first gay inclusive rugby team on Merseyside. They encourage new members from all backgrounds, ages, fitness levels, and rugby experience.
Liverpool Tritons Inclusive Rugby Club t-shirt worn at Liverpool Pride, 30 July 2016; the day the club was officially launched. You can see this t-shirt on display in Tales from the city exhibition
Addae, tells us more about what the Club means to him:
“When I recently relocated to Liverpool from Trinidad & Tobago, via London, I realized that I wasn’t particularly fond of the area. Liverpool was cold, damp, and windy, and understanding the Scouse dialect seemed more of a task than a pleasure. I didn’t feel like I belonged here.
Frequently bored and uninspired, the only solace that I found was from running and reading, until I got the opportunity to leave. One day while I was leaving the Liverpool Central Library (which I consider a literary oasis), and although I had been there innumerable times, on that day my eyes were drawn to a flyer that had the holy words, ‘Liverpool Tritons: Inclusive Rugby’.
I held the #80, 5.5″ x 3.25″ gloss stock in my hand, and little did I know that it would change the course my life forever. I have had an on and off love affair with rugby since I was 12 years old in secondary school, and I have since trained, played, and coached rugby at every level up to the international divisions. I’ve never enjoyed being part of rugby in any capacity for a very long time until I met and joined the Tritons on the first day.
I migrated to the UK just over a year ago, and for the first time I can confess not only that I belong here, but that I can really feel included — regardless of my age, my sexual orientation, race, beliefs or status, I can stand and walk proud. The Liverpool Tritons are responsible for all of that!”
The Tritons are included in our exhibition Tales from the city at the Museum of Liverpool. And don’t forget to download our trail exploring how Liverpool’s Black community is represented in our displays and check out the Black History Month events across National Museums Liverpool’s venues throughout October.