President: Trinis are amazing storytellers

President Paula-Mae Weekes is encouraging primary students to explore the joys of reading, writing and performing. The president was addressing students at NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest at the Central Bank Auditorium, Port of Spain, on Wednesday – Universal Children’s Day.

“We Trinbagonians are an exceptionally creative people," Weekes said. "We are the most amazing storytellers. Nobody could tell a story like us. We tell stories in many art forms.

“We do it in our calypsoes, in our dances, in our spoken word, in the arts and most splendidly in Carnival. Many of our calypsonians, dancers, writers and musicians are well-known and admired internationally.”

Weekes told students from eight primary schools in Trinidad they are fortunate to have been part of a workshop and trained in the timeless art of storytelling.

The programme started with a teachers' workshop at The Writers Centre on October, 1, aimed at teachers from schools involved with the programme. It was facilitated by actresses Penelope Spencer and Cecelia Salazar. This was followed by weekly workshops, two hours with students at their school with the drama facilitators leading up to the final Page to Stage event. These facilitators included Spencer, Salazar, Avion Crooks, Afi Forde Hopson and Louris Lee-Sing.

The schools and their stories were:

Carenage Boys' Government Primary School – The Corbeau Who Wanted to be Beautiful

Carenage Girls' Government Primary School – The First Trini on Mars

Four Roads Government Primary School – A Troubled Boy Comes to School

Moulton Hall Methodist Primary School – The Vagrant's Secret

San Fernando Girls' Government Primary School – What's in our Backyard

St Margaret's Boys' AC School – The Hammer That Made Music

Upper Carapichaima Presbyterian Primary School – Adventures of a Baby Turtle.

Weekes said after seeing the performance of one school, she was convinced the exercises developed children's literacy and creativity.

She told the students some of TT’s most inventive and innovative artistes have given of their time and talent to make sure students understood and respected the process of telling great stories.

“They have developed skills that you already possess. How we walk, how we talk with our hands, our sing-song voices, how we put out hands akimbo, how we cock our heads and roll our eyes – all of these are raw materials for storytelling. Our facial expressions and body language can speak volumes without our saying a word, so far more when we add our rich language to the performance."

Weekes said the best storytelling is the kind that comes from real-life experiences combined with vivid imagination.

She said the workshop is a valuable investment of the children's time and talent, as it allows them to develop important skills that will be helpful in the future.

“In order to pull off this showcase, you would have learnt discipline, time management and the ability to accept constructive criticism.

“Participation in these plays will give you confidence, good elocution and the ability to think on your feet – qualities which will come in very handy throughout your lifetime. You are citizens of a nation well known for the arts, and are now equipped to ensure that our rich culture and heritage is secure for generations to come.”

Weekes said literacy is truly one of the greatest gifts a person can possess. For although rapid technological advances will change the how of communication, literacy will always be the basis upon which that communication rests.

Marcelline Peters, Ministry of Education curriculum coordinator for visual and the performing arts, told students any topic can be brought alive and made memorable if is placed in the field of art.

"We work with teachers showing children how to lift words out of these books spinning them into dramatic form. Whether it is singing, art, drama, it brings alive the education to you."