Obituaries

After an engaging and accomplished life, on the 18th of September 2023, Ken(Kenny) Pinto, Jr. passed away at his home in Dartmouth, N.S. at the age of 73 due to heart failure. He is survived by his younger brothers (the three of them known as the ‘Burmese Soul Brothers’), Robert(Bobby) of Toronto and William(Billy) of Halifax, and numerous cousins and relatives in Halifax, Toronto and Boston, as well as Perth, Australia. He was the son of the late Kenneth B. Pinto Sr. of Rangoon, Burma and Ida W. Pinto(nee Skeir) of Halifax.

Growing up in 1950’s Halifax’s north end, Kenny went to Alexander McKay Elementary, St. Joseph’s Jr. High, and later St. Pat’s High. Many summers were spent in Boston and Framingham, Massachusetts. He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where he was the first Black altar boy in Nova Scotia, to be followed by his brothers. Throughout the 1960’s at the YMCA on South Park St., he joined ‘Hi-Y’ becoming an active member, where he made many long-lasting friendships with artistic and creative like-minded enthusiasts. Enrolling at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, he won a national art contest to design the symbol/logo for the First Canada Games, which is still used to this day. At Dalhousie University, he graduated with a B.A. in English literature. In 1972 Kenny traveled to Africa; touring Ethiopia in the east and Ghana in the west. He then initiated a joint project between Halifax’s and Toronto’s Black communities, called ‘Soul-to-Soul’, involving high school and university students that created lasting connections(as well as memories) for many years to come.

In the 1980’s, after starting work at the post office, Kenny organized and launched the Halifax Fringe Festival, one of the most successful in the country. Throughout the subsequent decades, the week around Labor Day was alive with numerous local and international stage productions.

His profound interest in the Titanic led him to produce and promote its 2012 100th Anniversary Commemoration in Halifax which featured artifacts and memorabilia from the ship, that drew international attention and coverage.

When Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, Kenny organized a celebration at the Halifax World Trade Centre for that historical event, allowing the local Black community to join their American counterparts.

Although Kenny’s eyesight in recent years had seriously deteriorated due to an auto accident in 2006, at the time of his passing, he was focused on writing a musical. An independent and unstoppable force of nature, he was in all respects a ‘mover-and-shaker’, and his objectiveness and unbiased assessments on politics, social issues, arts and culture were always welcomed and continually refreshing.

The son of a Burmese father and a Black Nova Scotian mother, he grew up on curried chicken, black-eyed peas and rice, sugar cookies and custard pumpkin pie. He was aspirational and inspirational, curious, energetic and creative. Yes indeed, he will be missed. Rest in grace, Kenny.