Arima artist Raymond "Whitey" Whiteman shows love for doves

Raymond "Whitey" Whiteman has an unconditional love for birds and they love him in return.

Whiteman, 75, was born in Samaroo Village, Arima, and as a boy shot at birds for fun.

But years later his disposition changed.

¨As a youth I had two slinging shots and I liked shooting birds for fun in the forest. After about two or three years of doing that, I realised I was doing something wrong, so I destroyed the two slinging shots. Although I was afraid of snakes, I loved just sitting among the tall trees in the forest of Biche Village and viewing nature. I would see rare plants, flowers and birds. It was peaceful.¨

Whiteman last visited the Biche forest in 1982 when he had an unusual experience.

¨I saw an agouti and walked up to it. Then I did the same with a lappe. Then I saw a mongoose but that one walked up to me. The mongoose was a little frightened."

Thirteen years later, Whiteman said he had a dream which moved him to care deeply for birds.

¨I dreamt I was walking on a track. I felt like eyes were on me, so I stopped and looked and walked in the direction of the eyes. I got under a tree and raised my head upwards. There were these blackbirds that rushed me.

¨They had a bright piece of yellow under the neck. Then I raised my two hands and the birds jumped in my hands. I started to stroke it. I spoke to the bird not knowing it would speak. It said, 'Yes, I can talk.' I kept stroking, raised my two hands and it jumped back on a bench

Whiteman recalled in the dream he continued walking along the track where he saw a wall about two and a half feet tall with a branch on it and he moved it.

"One of the brown doves (like in the photo), jumped into my left hand. I stroked it on both sides of my face. I moved it to my right hand and it then jumped back to where it came from. The dream ended when I started walking again.¨

The following day, Whiteman went to the Arima market to buy a newspaper as part of his daily routine, sit outside and draw whatever came to his mind.

That day was different, he recalled, as bought a pack of salt biscuits and threw it on the ground next to one of the market gates. ¨A few doves and blackbirds came and started to eat. Every morning I would drop a little Crix. The blackbirds started to stay away and the doves started to increase. Except for a one-footed black bird that came for about three weeks. The birds eventually started to jump onto my shoulders and head. That was 13 years ago. The doves even mate on my head.¨

Whiteman said at one point there were 21 birds on his body. According to his count, approximately 140 birds once surrounded him. ¨Last October, I told the guys in the market that a rare dove with white inside the wings came. It came for three weeks, disappeared for some time, came back for two days and hasn't returned since."

The bird lover stopped encouraging the pigeons to be around him owing to health concerns.¨People from the borough (Arima Borough Corporation) would bring young wounded birds for me and I would carry them home to take care of them and then release them. Butterflies come at times too. I believe God has blessed me with this.¨

Whiteman said his drawings brought him closer to birds. Some of his drawings are pinned onto the market's wrought iron frame where he sits to draw and feed his doves.

With a smile, he said, ¨My better drawings I send to my daughters in the USA to frame and sell for me. More money.¨

Whiteman can be seen every day at the Arima Public Market from 5 am until 2 pm with his friendly birds.