Folklore vs Halloween

THE debate over how Halloween fits into TT’s culture and consciousness as opposed to local folklore has been floating around for some time.

While some Trinis enjoy the mostly American style celebration of the dead, participating in Halloween parties, "trick or treating," dressing up their homes and business places with ghoulish designs, the relevance is lost on many.

One of them is playwright and director Zeno Obi Constance, who has jumped on the Halloween bandwagon, but in a different way.

On November 1, the Siparia Public Library, in collaboration with Zeno’s Fyzabad Connection Theatre Company, will give legitimacy to local folklore characters through a virtual Folklore vs Halloween event.

“La diablesse, douen, soucouyant, our folklore is as official as the ghouls and goblins,” Constance said as he explained the genesis of the event.

He recalled that one of his former students at Fyzabad Comprehensive School had the idea of doing an anti-Halloween show, but he convinced her to do “our own thing. Share stories of the rich collection of our folklore characters.”

The idea is to dramatise stories and show videos that will not only entertain but also educate the younger ones about the legends of the characters which dates back to the ancestors from West Africa

Included among the stories to be dramatised by the cast will be Anansi and the Sky God, How Anansi got Thin Legs, How Anansi ride Brer Tiger, Garvin and the Lajabless, the Agouti’s Tale, and the old Man and the Puppy.

“We will be presenting two pieces of dialogue. Someone will be reading about Papa Bois. We also have a dramatisation of Kitchener’s calypso, Love in the Cemetery, a video by Nikki Crosby about a Soucouyant and a nice piece by the late Dennis Hall, 'Sprangalang,’ talking about obeah.

“We will also be sharing the dramatisation of a piece by Al Ramsawak called Papa Cuchon and the Devil’s pig which tells the story of Papa Cuchon’s encounter with a pig in the dark night."

Gather the family and join Constance and the cast of the Fyzabad Connection Theatre Company for an evening of songs and stories as they bring some favourite folklore stories to life.

It is a Zoom event and the meeting ID is 88979278984. The passcode is 465687.