Trinidad and Tobago is a multicultural island beyond just the people that are from the island. Our food, the words we use, the songs we sing - are all intertwined and make us Trinbagonians. One of the funniest things to witness was when my mother was upset and would yell out “Ai ai ya karu mai kya suku suku!” My older sister would take off running. She wanted ZERO PROBLEMS. I also thought that this was a Trini saying just like “mauvaislang” or “bacchanalist.” Y’all. It is from a song in an Indian movie that a few of our neighbors used to sing. In laymen’s terms, it means “Oh help me, I don’t know what to do.” All I knew was that if an adult said it, the kids were in trouble.  

Though our origins differ, we shared our cultures so closely that our everyday life, down to the words we chose to use, represented a mixture of both identities. They all tell a story of how we as an island have created a culture that represents all who were bought here years ago. 

Jamaica is one of the Caribbean islands that is commonly known to the outside world. The food, music, athletes, and stars have influenced more people and places than I can count. In addition to the “mainstream” idea of Jamaica, the influence they have had on movements regarding the culture and treatment of Black people around the world is indisputable. Jamaica is THAT GIRL.

Before starting on Storytelling II, Elle took time to diagnose what does it mean to be Caribbean. Inspired by Earl Lovelace, she combs through the resources she has available to share those stories of the island, making sure each account is by those who share our experience.

The Work of Boscoe Holder is transformed into carnival costumes to tell the story, through an assortment of poems, of how a young woman discovers that sensuality has a long lasting legacy that promotes freedom, self love and the celebration of our bodies. A young, Trinidadian artist, continuing the legacy, is featured at the end.