PORTFOLIO

Essays, Criticism & Presentations

  1. Adult other than Teacher in the Classroom ‑ A Good Practice, Teacher's Advisory Centre, London Borough of Ealing 1982
  2. Oral Storytelling: The Calypso as Oral Narratives, University of North London, UK, 1986
  3. Caribbean Oral Traditions, University of North London, UK, 1987
  4. The Portrayal of Landscape as a Quest for Personal and Regional Identities, Society for Caribbean Studies, UK, 1987
  5. A Voice of One's Own: Evolution of a Regional Language in Caribbean Poetry, University of North London, UK, 1987
  6. Oral Narratives, Commonwealth Institute Jubilee Conference, UK, 1987
  7. The Quest for a Voice in Caribbean Poetry: Braithwaite, Walcott and the Dub Poets, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, (University of London), UK, 1987
  8. The Dynamics of Creole Dialect in the Classroom ‑ BBC World Service Radio, London, 1987.  
  9. West Indian Literature in the Mainstream Curriculum – A Proposal for Ealing's Multicultural Education, London Borough of Ealing, UK, 1988
  10. Passion, People and Politics ‑A socio‑historical analysis of the Calypso as Orature, Association of Caribbean Studies (ACS), Brazil 1995
  11. From Silent Beneficiaries to Active Participants, Association of Caribbean Studies (ACS), Belize 1996
  12. The Development of Orature, A Conference Presentation: Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK, 1997
  13. Caribbeanness and the Caribbean Woman, University of North London, UK, 1998
  14. The Black Presence in Britain, Spelman College, USA, 1998
  15. Education and Training – an imperative for strengthening Community Partnerships, West Indian Cultural Centre, West London, UK, 1999
  16. Excellence in Business Education and Training: Solutions to Underachievement, Business Symposium, Harrow Civic, Centre, October 2001, UK.
  17. Solving The Problems of Underachievement in Black Caribbean Children in The London Borough of Harrow HCRE Cultural Diversity Event, October 2001, UK.
  18. “Champions Of the Millennium: The Contribution of African and Caribbean Businesses to The London/British Economy”, London 2001, UK.
  19. Education and the Black Child, Gold Onyx London Launch, October 2001, UK.
  20. Memorial Lecture on T.A. Marryshow, London, November 2002, UK.
  21. Spotlight on Supplementary Schools, Supplementary Schools Symposium, London 2002, UK.
  22. Beyond Saturday Schools: London Supplementary Schools Symposium: London 2002, UK.
  23. “Supplementary Schools and their Future Governance”, London 2002, UK.
  24. Educating Black Pupils: The Legacy & Coping Strategies, INSET Presentation to Teachers, London, 2002, UK.
  25. Caribbean Peoples Education in Britain – a 21st Century Strategy, London, 2002, UK.
  26. The Creolisation of Language in Anglophone Caribbean, West Indian Cultural Centre London 2002, UK
  27. Revealing Pathways for Potential among Underachieving Black Boys, London 2003, UK.
  28. Essence of the Caribbean: A Symposium, London 2003, UK
  29. Educating Black Families, Harrow African-Caribbean Association, London 2004.
  30. Caribbean Orature in Britain: Identity, Selfhood and Territorialism, London 2004
  31. “Exclusion, a cog in the wheel of Achievement” – London 2004
  32. Women in Lionism: Solutions to Membership Growth, London, 2005
  33. The Legacy vs. Diaspora Settings for Black Women in Business, Loughborough University, UK, 2005
  34. Understanding the Development of Caribbean Orature: A Fusion of Oral and Literary Traditions, (unpub. MPhil Thesis), 2006
  35. “Your Life in Your Hands: Celebrating Success” Leicester African Caribbean Education – Leicester, September 2006
  36. Raising Achievement through Partnership – NIEC Conference, Croydon, London October 2006
  37. Education – Raising the Stakes – Education Conference, Harrow Civic Centre, April 2007
  38. Researching Complementary Schools in London, a Research Proposal: Feb. 2008
  39. Creative Approaches to Education, London 2008
  40. British Youths Speak: A Voice of Their Own, Conference, Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London 2008
  41. Overcoming Boundaries: Crossing Borders, Youth Conference Harrow, Civic Centre , London 2009
  42. SEN Inclusiveness: An Approach to Achieving Commonwealth Education and MDG (Millennium Development Goal) Targets, Oxford, 2009 
  43. Memorial Lecture – T A Marryshow CBE, November, London, 2020.
  44. Resistance & Resilience: Shaping Identities in the Caribbean - A Symposium: University of the West Indies, St. Augustine’s Campus, Trinidad, 2021.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Dreams of a Far Off Land, Capitol Press, USA 1996
  • The Interview, Commonplace Workshop, London, 1982
  • Blackness is a Source of Strength, Dragon's Teeth, UK 1981
  • Blackness is a Source of Strength, Dragon's Teeth, UK 1981
  • The Last Wish, Staunch Publishers, UK 1982.
  • Dreams of a Land Far Away, ACER Publications, UK 1982.
  • Adventures of Kuta the Brave, Ceddo Films, UK 1988.
  • The Quest for a Voice in Caribbean Poetry: Brathwaite, Walcott and the Dub Poets, Journal of Caribbean Professional Scholars, USA 1998.
  • Passion, People and Politics A socio historical analysis of the Calypso as Orature, Journal of Caribbean Studies, USA 1995
  • T A Marryshow CBE – Caribbean Greats Series – TCS Press, London, Nov. 2001
  • Rufus and the Snake – A Caribbean Play – TCS Press, London, July 2002.
  • A Woman of Destiny: A Calypso Novel – Eagle Publications, London 2014.
  • Mama La Diablese – (A Short Story): The Caribbean Writer (2015), US Virgin Islands
  • Spelling & Word Power Skills Book 1 (2018): Eagle Publications, London.
  • Vocabulary Skills for Students & Teachers: A Practical Learning Tool Kit (2018), Eagle Publications, London.
  • English Grammar: A Students Companion (2019): Eagle Publications, London.
  • The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends for the 21st Century (2018), Eagle Publications, London.
  • Rhythms of Life: An Anthology of Modern Verse (2019): Eagle Publications, London.
  • Mastering Comprehension Skills (2019): Eagle Publications, London.
  • Phonics & Spelling Workbook 1 (2020): Eagle Publications, London.
  • 11+ English Preparation Tests for the CEM Exam (2020): Eagle Publications, London.
  • Shakespeare for Children: Macbeth (2020): Eagle Publications, London.
  • Gang-Gang Sarah: A Caribbean Sensation (A Caribbean Play): (2020), Eagle Publications, London.
  • The Phantom of the Great House (A Caribbean Play); (2021), Eagle Publications, London
  • Poems to Navigate Caribbean Diaspora Disruptions (2021), Eagle Publications, London

AWARDS

  • Young Black Writer’s Award, l981 UK
  • Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education, 1999, UK.
  • Among 500 Achievers in the first “ Black Who’s Who”, 1999,UK.
  • Achievement Award for “18 years of tireless service to young people in  difficulty”, 2001,UK.
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, 2000, UK,
  • Award of Merit, for Educational Services, 2002, UK.
  • Award of Excellence in Education Services, 2002, UK.
  • Business Achievement Award, 2002, UK.
  • Business Woman of the Year January 2003,UK
  • International award for Women’s Development, 2004, UK
  • Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Black Heritage, March 2011, UK.
  • Outstanding Service Award for Dynamic Leadership, 2016; Commonwealth Africa Initiative, London.UK.

NOMINATIONS

  • Teacher of the Year Award2007
  • Prowess Award 2007
  • Woman of the Year 2007
  • Author Academy Awards 2019

Membership

  • Royal Society of Literature
  • Royal Society of Arts
  • Society of Authors
  • Authors Licensing and Collection Society
  • Poetry Society
  • British Library Public Lending Rights
  • Founder Member - UWISta Artists & Writers Society
  • Founder Member - Let’s Write! Collective

CIVIC AMBASSADORIAL ROLE

Roselle Thompson was appointed in 2003, as the first UK District (105A), Chair, of the Women’s  Membership Development and Participation Committee (a position formed for the first time since l917, by the International President Tae Sup Lee). This necessitated developing women’s participation in civic responsibility globally, in a male dominated organization that needed a fresh look on gender balance and inclusion. Roselle Thompson’s strategies for women’s involvement brought vision and inclusion as well as membership increase among females who wanted to serve the global community in the true spirit of the   motto of the Organization, “Ordinary people – Amazing things!”

 

As a past President of the Lions Club of London Hornsey, (2004), Roselle Thompson formulated and delivered ground-breaking initiatives to include women in this international organization, which involved partnering with various local, national, and international charities to raise awareness of women’s developmental issues.

Her passion for the disadvantaged was again brought to the fore, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan’s devastation to her beloved island of Grenada. She appealed to Lions Club International and worked with many to support the dispossessed and homeless, when 90% of Grenada’s infrastructure was damaged in 2004.

GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES

1. NETWORK FOR WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

Today, via her Global Network for Women’s Empowerment (GNWE) initiative, Roselle Thompson’s passion is to expand the provision of Special Education Needs delivery among disadvantaged communities.. Roselle’s Global Empowerment Network aims to:

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Global Network for Women’s Empowerment is to support women in order to reduce poverty through economic and social  programs, that create opportunities for sustainability and self-determination, whilst addressing inequality.  At the same time, we aim to build livelihood, strengthens families and communities. 

 

STRATEGY

Our strategy is to provide women with the opportunities that create self-development.  Through our network’s grassroots strategies, marginalized women are given the necessary tools to alleviate poverty, thus enabling them to create a brighter future of sustainability for themselves. 

It is Roselle’s strategic approach to creating new vistas for empowering the disadvantaged in the 21st century, in her quest for progressive human development

2. EU - YOUNG LEADERS’ RIGHTS CHAMPION

A global champion for children’s rights, Roselle is often called on to advise on issues to do with children generally, including Violence Against Children, Convention for the Rights of the Child: (July 2009). 

3. FRANCE – DEVELOPING LIFE-SKILLS IN BLACK YOUTHS

Through her community networking, Roselle Thompson has worked with Disaffected young people, especially young boys to reduce social exclusion, and reduce crime levels (responding to the wave of crime and rioting in Paris 2005, involving black youths. By arranging Cultural Exchanges and life-skills building programmes, her strategy was aimed at alleviating social disaffection.

4. AFRICA - SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS (SEN)

Her passion for ensuring the Voiceless is heard, has always been the mainstay of Roselle Thompson’s mission, in Sierra Leone.  Her Sierra Leone’s Orphans and Disabled (SLOD) initiative, which provides Life Skills Development Programmes (LSD), in order to enhance the quality of life for orphaned Sierra Leonean children, who are displaced, disabled, and are experiencing a range of difficulties (physically, educationally, emotionally, and socially).  Her project in Sierra Leone focuses on  working towards a Gold Standard for African countries, as far as Special Education Needs is concerned.  Her work in Sierra Leone as an NGO embodies:

  1. Empowering children and young people, via Special Education Needs (SEN) programmes, to manage and develop personal, social, and communicative skills for wider community interaction.
  2. Offering personal support measures to help Sierra Leonean children create a vision of successful attainment for themselves and enhance their quality of life via Enterprise Skills Training (EST) projects
  3. Providing a Strategic Curriculum Plan for Special Education Needs Development in Sierra Leone, to include a SEN Code of Practice,
  4. Providing a Policy on Special Education Needs that would influence and enhance Sierra Leone’s Disability Rights Laws and promote the effectiveness of such legislations
  5. Life Skills includes a wide range of knowledge and skill interactions that are needed for independent living. Current projects include life skills training in Bakery and Tailoring. 

ROSELLE CREATING “FIRSTS” IN THE UK

1. FURTHER EDUCATION – UNIVERSITY OF NORTH LONDON

Roselle Thompson was a member of the University of North London’s, (formerly Polytechnic of North London, now London Metropolitan University), Centre for Caribbean Studies, formation, in 1988, where she was also a Research Assistant in Caribbean Studies. Roselle was a former Undergraduate student, of the University, where she achieved an English Honours Degree and later gained a Master of Philosophy. 

 

Roselle was very instrumental in helping the University set up the Centre for Caribbean Studies, a first in London, and engaged with diverse communities, including professional organisations, in the late 1980s. She enabled the validation of the Centre for Caribbean Studies, by helping to pilot Caribbean short studies programmes, to attracting an adult or mature cohort of students, needing assistance with general university entry criteria.  Roselle taught at the University and helped to market it, using their slogan “A University for the Community.” Roselle was the only female on the Caribbean Studies Teaching team, thus enabling inclusion of a gender balance, in both staff and courses’ content. 

2. THE FIRST MARRYSHOW DAY IN BRITAIN, 2002

Roselle is a firm believer in “Celebrating Milestones” by highlighting Caribbean people’s contribution to British society:  During research into the development of Caribbean culture, it was noticeable that the lack of cultural understanding and appreciation accounted for the low sense of self identity, and cultural heritage among her students.  Responding to this need, she adopted her grandmother’s motto, “I am Somebody Great!” as part of the motivating factors in their learning.   the “I” of the motto was interrogated to re-emphasise the person making the statement, “I am somebody Great!” It also necessitated why there was a need to affirm greatness and questioned who had or provide role modelling to that effect.  Providing answers to young people meant that they needed to acquaint themselves with the pioneers of progress, or Caribbean historical personages who would assist them in contextualising their own need to progress as part of their personal goals.

 

Due to the lack of available books and resource materials for this reality to be actualised, Roselle Thompson began a series of writings, entitled Caribbean Greats. This began with biographic profiles of Caribbean leaders, in an attempt to pass on knowledge, enlighten and empower pupils to have a sense of belonging, and to imbue a sense of Greatness, as it related to their immediate heritage. The first biography was on T.A. Marryshow, “the Father of West Indian Federation,” from Grenada.

 

The express aim of the 2002 Marryshow Day, was for London to observe its first-ever Marryshow day on the 115th anniversary of T.A. Marryshow’s birth (Thursday November 7th, 2002). Underpinning this, was the strategic aim of stemming the flow of underachievement among African-Caribbean children in Britain, seen as a direct incentive of the event.  It was thought that by sharing knowledge of how greatness can and has been achieved, was a way of challenging the black community to be more aware of their history and identity and to foster a sense of pride and the building of self-esteem in themselves to inspire personal success, by emulating successful role models. 

3. HONOURING CARIBBEAN GREATS SERIES

The A5 sized text books, which accompanied their cultural learning, provided evidence of facts they would not have come into contact with, since these were not in the public domain in libraries and bookshops in the UK.  In other words, because the objective conditions were not available, these had to be created, in other to achieve the holistic aims of self-development.   It became clear that students who had been given the opportunity to participate in cultural learning, had developed a strong sense of self and purpose, with also a strength of character that have taken them beyond university levels.  This milestone was the celebration of the first event in the UK, celebrating TA Marryshow, in an event known as Marryshow Day, 9 years before Grenada itself instigated its own Marryshow Day Celebration! 

 

4. MEMORIAL LECTURES

As was attempted with creating the Caribbean literature for teaching and learning , Marryshow Day (an event which honoured the life of  the Grenadian, T A Marryshow  and Memorial Lecture, celebrating the life of Trinidad’s Dr Eric Williams, were aimed at instituting measures to educate via events.  This brought alive the vast array of Caribbean pioneers, who contributed to an end to the Caribbean region’s colonization by Britain, and the Movement to Federation or self-determination.

These initiatives are ongoing in their missions and purposes.

A MEMORIAL LECTURE & TRIBUTE TO

“THE FATHER OF THE NATION”

T A MARRYSHOW (1887-1958)

“The Distinctive Attributes of Good Leadership”

By Roselle Thompson B.A (Hons), MPhil, FRSA

RESEARCH AND NEW KNOWLEDGE

ROSELLE’S RESEARCH ON CARIBBEAN ORATURE

Roselle’s work on Caribbean Orature has covered a very extensive period of study which embodied; reviewing literature; pre-piloting questionnaire; pre-testing the interview mechanism; attending seminars, workshops, Interviews, consultations; lecturing; conference presentations and field visits around the Caribbean, UK & South America.

 

Her role in course-planning, assessing, examining, and teaching Caribbean Studies Courses, continues to offer profound insights into the dynamics of Caribbean Orature, in evaluating Caribbean materials, and its vast potential in terms of being applicable to our understanding of present-day literatures around the world.

 

The initial study was based on Roselle’s prior research assisted by her position as Research Assistant to Caribbean Studies Department at the University of North London (now merged to form London Metropolitan University), teaching on West Indian Literature Course, Popular Culture and investigating, “An Introduction to Caribbean Oral Traditions.”  Previous work on this subject was largely exploratory, thus making research on Caribbean Orature a formidable task. 

ORATURE DEFINED

The research examined the relationship between Caribbean oral traditions and their interactive impact on European literary models imposed on the region.  This relationship, the research argues, has produced a fusion of genres identified, as Caribbean Orature.  Through action research, the findings research shows that Orature is a fusion of SOUND of the spoken word, (which may embody a variety of Caribbean forms), and WORDS as PRINTED TEXT or presented in the form of live PERFORMANCE, on cassettes, CD’s, or records.  The SPOKEN WORD or PRINT may be accompanied by MUSIC (drums, amplified, steel band, acapella, percussion); FILM and DANCE, resulting in materials which highlight generically fused characteristics.  As a result, the research suggests that to begin to understand the meaning of Orature, is to acknowledge that its characteristics are unavoidably linked to auditory, visual, rhythmic, dramatic, electronic, technology, media, tonal and scribal elements, in Caribbean literary praxis.  In conducting this interactive examination, the research traced the evolution of Caribbean Orature, and its common features resulting from interference between West African linguistic habits, syncretised via the Creolisation process, and various colonisers to the region.  This interference is manifested culturally, historically, socio-economically, politically, linguistically and on all psychological levels of thinking and discourse. 

 

The research therefore mapped out some of the paradoxes that are visible in the interface between Caribbean artistic expressions (fiction, poetry, drama, music – all which share common roots), and an imposition, via colonization and domination, by European-centred aesthetics in the region. Its main focus was on the tension created between the fusion of the grassroots/folk/proletarian and generally black aesthetics and European standardized forms/elite/bourgeois/Euro-centred aesthetics; vis-à-vis the continuum of creative possibilities of art and culture, projected in individual and collective concerns, within the Caribbean canon.  

CENTRAL ARGUMENT

Consequently, a large body of emergent Caribbean artistic materials is defined in the research as Orature – a fusion of oral and literary traditions.   For this reason, the central argument in Roselle’s research, is that verbal creativity does not divide neatly into categories of oral and scribal, because one sees frequently the oral feeding into the literary as “types,” in ways which suggest textual similarities between the two, hence the fusion perspective.

ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH

Therefore, Caribbean Orature, presented as a fusion of both oral and literary traditions in Caribbean works of art, is offered as a new generic approach to existing knowledge on the subject.  The characteristics of Orature reflect a multi-disciplinary approach, spanning literature (oral and textual), history, geography, culture, sociology, economics, and anthropology, to name a few.  To date, the separate genre approach to evaluation negates vital elements relating to the fusion in Caribbean works of art, especially in Caribbean emergent forms.  

 

The idea that there was interaction between oral traditions and European literary models is commonplace in discussions of Caribbean literature.  However, this research deviates from the general overlap of oral/literary dichotomy, to show that evaluation of Orature should include a combination of methodological approaches, to encompass Orature’s full range of expressive means. The research differentiates ways in which various cultural interactions have, and continue to influence Caribbean expressions, confirming the view that Orature’s development is an ongoing process of transformation.  Through dialectics Roselle Thompson has explored the historically determined relationship between Caribbean people and the impact of European colonization in the region.  This relationship is seen as a contest of power relations shown as the link between history, Caribbean artists and the resulting power relations which have influenced both Caribbean art and society.

 

The relationship is presented as a tripartite one, and shows how history is mediated by writers through their art, and their art, in turn, offers change or a positive direction/redirection to society.  Additionally, via methodological pluralism, actual practice and forms of signification used to analyse texts, the research suggests, give rise to an equality of plausible meanings and interpretations, especially from the fusionist perspective of Caribbean texts.  As a result, methods used to evaluate musico-dramatic, characteristics in Caribbean texts are as relevant as those used in evaluating audio-visual or oral-scribal and performance texts.  Relevance is based on acknowledging the interplay between these characteristics and using them to make meaning of Caribbean Orature.

RELEVANCE TO THE CARIBBEAN CANON

Roselle Thompson’s research follows 50 years of post-Ramchand’s seminal work on the West Indian Novel and its Background (l970), presented “in pure literary terms” and E.K. Brathwaite’s A History of the Voice (l984), almost 40 years after Ramchand; which drew attention to the primacy of the “voice” in the Caribbean canon.  These two schools of thought have been merged in this research to show the importance and relevance of the fusion, especially in emerging works; represent another milestone in the Caribbean canon.

IMPACT OF CARIBBEAN ORATURE IN ROSELLE’S WRITING

EXAMPLE 1: A WOMAN OF DESTINY: A CALYPSO NOVEL (2014)

“THE ROLE OF CALYPSO MUSIC IN THE TEXT”

In the context of this novel, Calypso music disrupts the reader’s conventional approach to the reading the literary text.  As with Calypso music, the narrative structure of A Woman of Destiny: A Calypso Novel (2014), disrupts expectations that the reader has developed while reading conventionally written texts.  The difference in the book’s narrative structure, calls for a distinct reading strategy, where the musical framework is the inter-textuality of the text. The narrator Joanne’s story is her Calypso being composed and includes the essence of a total of 14 Calypsos introduced at the beginning of each Chapter.  They exemplify a Calypso composition in the making – beginning with a solo composition when she introduces both the Prologue and Epilogue.  As a master Calypsonian herself, Joanne’s dialogue/story is her Calypso art-form.

 

The church congregation, at the beginning of the novel, projects the call and response, structure of the calypso, evidenced by Reverend Blackman’s prayer in the church service.  Within the novel, the bass percussion instruments are provided by the men who are hardly audible, mainly around the rum shop; with bass solos playing in and out of Joanne’s medley to either praise or abuse.  These are mixed in with the alto and soprano percussion of the women voices in the Calypso band. They are very vocal, loud, sometimes playing as solos, duos (Irene and Gran-gran; Gran-gran and Miss Mattis, Cleothilda and Irene) or as a whole syncopation, as provided by the initial introduction of a two-piece band/duo percussionist provided by Dessima and Jean in the street fight.  In their mêlée they were joined by bass instruments (men’s intervention) and added to by a whole band; the men and women who intervene and stop the fight.  The bacchanal the fight produces is carnivalesque, reminiscent of the Calypso performance in the making…….

 

NB: For a full discussion on this element of Caribbean Orature, please read The Text Study Guide companion to A WOMAN OF DESTINY – ISBN 978-0-9542325-8-0

EXAMPLE NO. 2: The Play entitled: GANG-GANG SARAH: A CARIBBEAN SENSATION (2020)

“THE LANGUAGE ISSUE”

At the start of the play, Anancy introduces herself to the audience, as Mrs. Anancy, and makes it clear that she has a limitless licence to use any language register and all the languages of the world;  “including Twi, Ga, Fanti, Yoruba, Creole, French Patois, Nation Language, the European languages, as well as Chinese and Japanese” – in both their standard and non-standard forms!  (Act 1 Sc.1).    With this  seemingly bold assertion, Anancy is hinting at the language of the mixed tribal groupings that would have made up the body of captured slaves from the African Continent and shipped to the Caribbean, enforced European languages, which makes up the culturally and linguistically mixed environment today.  As one who has inherited a variety of linguistic backgrounds, Anancy therefore claims the freedom to interject in any form, and any time, depending on the situation her choice of response merits, showing her adaptability to it. 

 

When Anancy mentions Chinese and Japanese influence, there is a sense that Mrs Anancy is both modernising and expanding the international sphere of Caribbean folkloric influence, which the folktale enjoys generally, their length of time in existence, and acquisition of various language registers from the locations where the tale is told.  At the same time, she draws attention to the Caribbean languages, which in the play have different styles.  This can be based on the age of the person speaking, and the closeness of interacting with European speakers, since formal education was an impossibility.   For example, Edith and Ade’s spoken language is presented as being closer to Standard English, because of their close working environment, as House Slaves, to the Plantation Owner and his family.  This is compared to the elder slaves, who lived only among the plantation slaves, and whose style of speaking show a shortened version of English, with different forms of English utterances.  Noticeable language features used among the characters of this play, are presented in Caribbean English, as follows:

  1. Different sets of pronouns are used to alter the slaves English language utterance, e.g. mi= for my; ah = for I; all-you = all of you; dem = them; deh = they; dere = there; dis = this.
  2. Consonant changes in the slaves’ speech, like dropping th, or the g in present continuous verb tenses, are also common.  E.g. “Well yes, dey say Ol’ Joe pass out two littl’ stones, all de way from his kidneys, by drinkin’ medicine from de tree; leaves, bark and flowers – everythin’.  (Act 4 Sc.5)
  3. Repetition helps to convey a sense of immediacy.  For example, the 1st Canecutter who visits the Obeah man shows his fear when he says: (Act 4 Sc. 5); Yes sah!  Hurry! Hurry! sah!  Another example is, “So is ‘fraid, I ‘fraid oh!  ‘Cause ah no go cut down no tree, Baba!”  (Act 4 Sc.5).

    (Notice the pronoun interchange of ah and I in the same sentence; used for emphasis, together with the double negative use of “no go cut down no tree” – instead of,  “I’m not going to cut down any tree,” in the same sentence.

  4. Word-order, accompanied by the tone of voice for emphasis, generally adds meaning to the utterance.  Here is a general example found in the Caribbean: “Wey the bwoy iz?” = Where is the boy?  Wey dat bwoy dey?  = Where is that boy?

    Likewise, Anancy in Act 4 Sc.3 says: “All-you better watch out too, eh!”  and “All-you doh joke with our silk cotton tree, eh!”

  5. Inconsistency in past-tense and plural forms – In Act 4 Sc. 7, Edith says to Gang-Gang Sarah, “Ma-ma, you mus’ come quick!  Massah children, dey dying, bring medicine now!”

 

In the Caribbean today, whether a speaker is from a rural or urban area, the examples will vary more, as well as whether the language is uttered by an Afro- or Indo-Caribbean descent speaker.  However, the language issue is a complex one, and in Act l Sc. 1, when Anancy first greets the audience, she addresses them directly with a series of language varieties that reflect the language complexity in the region.  Mrs Anancy’s forms of greeting make the theme of language a first consideration for the audience.  Notice how the fusion of language and its influence is subtly alluded to, as follows:

  1. “How-de-doo!  How-de-doo!  (a variety of Creole English – the speech pattern of the older generation).
  2. “Welcome!”  (Standard English greeting)
  3. “E Kaaro o!”  (West African -Nigerian – greeting)
  4. Wha’ happenin’ deh?”  (Creole English greeting)
  5. “Que passa?” (Spanish greeting)
  6. Anancy adds a further input from the French colonials when she calls the audience’s attention to the French-based Creole language with “Bonswar” instead of “Bon soir,” meaning good night, in Standard French.   Today, this type of vernacular is spoken in Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.
  7. Anancy then deliberately adds a Standard French greeting, “Bon jour” meaning “Good day/morning”; which is the official spoken language in some Caribbean islands such as Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Barthelemy and St. Martin.
  8. Finally, bringing more modern forms of greeting found in the region, she asks the audience if they would prefer to be addressed in Americanism, prevalent in modern Caribbean language versions; “How you guys doing” or “What’s up?”

 

Therefore, Anancy’s tactical opening gambit alludes to the language transformation in the traumatised environment, to its present-day versions, aims to show that we are not dealing with a homogenous group with a single spoken language, but the development of Caribbean Orature, in an ongoing process of development.

NB: (Taken from “The Introduction” to  the play: Gang-Gang Sarah: A Caribbean Sensation – 978-1-8381068-3-6), which has an expanded discussion on the language issue, and other characteristics of Caribbean Orature in this text, e.g. the role of music and songs e.g. the Call-and-Response, vocal influencers, synthesism of religion, dances and many more.

EXAMPLE 3: The Play, THE PHANTOM OF THE GREAT HOUSE (2020)

“THE CARIBBEAN STORYTELLING TRADITION”

This tradition with which the old folks have grown up, is an age-old traditional experience.  These “crick-crack!” story-telling sessions are framed in the following setting:  It is a warm, moonlit night in a Caribbean village as crickets and fireflies dance in the tropical air. Under a damsel tree in a neighbour’s yard, eager village children gather for a story.  The nearby trees, casting giant shadows around them, create a mood of camaraderie and expectation.  Everyone is seated on the ground, in a semi-circle and a Caribbean folktale, from one of the old folks, is told to the delight and participation of its eager audience. 

 

However, in modern times, the traditional mode of transmission, images of the folks and the physical story-telling sessions, have diminished. This dilemma, has been blamed on succeeding generations of Caribbean youths, both in the region and abroad, who seem to have lost touch with this once vibrant traditional experience.  In fact, many Caribbean youths (especially those in the Diaspora), are somewhat oblivious of the very existence of the language, lore, and stories of the past.  As a result of this situation, there is a need to preserve the tales and their essence in Caribbean culture, as well as their meaning in Caribbean people’s lives.  But times have changed and there is a suggestion, voiced by Anancy in the Chorus, (Act 5 Sc 3), that the environment must adapt to the changes, in order for this aspect of the cultural tradition to survive. Therefore, new methods of transmitting the tales and ensuring their longevity for succeeding generations, have emerged in the 20th century, with the use of technology and electronic devices.  The tales are now recorded, making their existence permanent, and easier to share with a global audience.   

In the Phantom of the Great House, (Act 2  Sc5), this concern is articulated by each member of the Chorus, (Anancy, Cricket, Firefly, Frog, and Papa Bois).  These night-time creatures, symbolically, represent the older generation, or those who have, and continue to participate in this cultural activity. Their first-hand experiences of the transmission of the language and lore of the people, make them credible witnesses and judges of the waning nature of this cultural stabiliser. Their evaluation of the status of the folktales and the peoples’ attitudes to them are presented as a lament, that seeks to interrogate their dilemma, as a call to revitalise interest in the story-telling tradition.  Simultaneously, as a Chorus, they appear to recognise the need to adapt to the changing environment.   With the disappearance of the folks from the traditional story-telling setting, Anancy and Cricket in Act 5 Sc 3, highlight the interest shown in the folktales by academia, could suggest all is not yet lost.  Strategically, the tales’ ‘permanent’ formats, would enable masses to be acquainted with them, in ways that do not necessarily need a physical gathering of people on a moonlit night, because technology makes it possible for individuals to both hear and see the tales, in the comfort and privacy of their own spaces.

 

One element of ‘advancement’ in the landscape that impacts on storytelling at night, is presented as the pervasive nature of electricity everywhere.  In Act 2 Sc 5, Cricket claims, it has robbed them of the storytelling aura.  Added to the loss of the story-telling atmosphere, are other characteristics of the old format of transmission, these “live” characteristics were helpful in creating meaning.  They took the form of voicing approval, especially from “live” responses; ensured camaraderie or solidarity, in the live atmosphere among the fellowship of brothers and sisters; generated a heightened sense of significance, expressiveness, and group actions.  Therefore, the group dynamics are lost through the solitary experience of listening to a recording, alone.  Throughout the play, this sense of loss is demonstrated by the Chorus’ alternative, isolated, activities; playing dominoes by themselves, having a cook-up or just liming; as a push against current 21st century’s “indoor generation” ideals.  

Evident in Caribbean storytelling are characteristics that highlight a blend of cultural and linguistic influences.  These are shown by the inclusion of colour, humour, folk- wisdom, different language registers and thought-processes, which suggest there is still the transmission of caution, verbal defence, and attempts to instil good sense via their didactic aims and objectives…….

NB: (Taken from “The Introduction” to  the play: The Phantom of the Great House – ISBN 978-1-8381068-4-3), which has an expanded discussion on the storytelling issue, proverbial sayings characteristic features of the Creole languages, and the polylingual environment, other characteristics of Caribbean Orature in this text and many more.