Trini wants to start moko jumbie school in Australia

TRINIDADIAN Anthony Coryatt wants to take local culture to Australia, where he has migrated with his family.

Coryatt is in talks to establish "down under" the Junior Bisnath Kaisokah School for the Arts. Here he plans to teach the art of stilt-walking and other aspects of Trinidad and Tobago culture.

Bisnath started the School of the Arts, Sports, and Culture, popularly known as Kaisokah School of the Arts, at his home at Henry Street, San Fernando, where he specialises in stilt-walking, drumming and woodwork. He's excited about this new prospect.

He said he has taken stilt-walking to Cuba, England, Panama, Zimbabwe, Germany, the US and other countries, but is yet to establish links with Australia.

In an interview with Newsday, Coryatt who was in Trinidad for a month to do business and vacation, said he has made his home in the coastal city of Gladstone, Queensland. The population there numbers approximately 35,000.

Originally from Tabaquite, Coryatt moved to Australia to work with Score Group Ltd, an international company providing engineering technology services in the oil and gas industry. After working there on two occasions for a few months each time, he developed a love for the country and persuaded his employer to relocate him, his wife and their two daughters.

“It’s been a year since we have been across there as a family, and we like it.”

One area of attraction which helped him fit in was the richness of Gladstone’s culture. Each year, he explained, there is a cultural festival in which immigrants are invited to showcase some aspects of their indigenous culture.

“I went there and was impressed with (what) the different cultures’ other immigrants, from China, India, Brazil, had to offer. (But) there was nothing from Trinidad, which has such a rich culture.

“People asked me where I was from and when I told them TT, they had never heard about my country. When I told them it is part of the Caribbean, they immediately identified me with Jamaica and reggae music.

“I tried to explain we are the inventors of soca and calypso, but they never heard about our music, pan or Carnival.”

Proud of TT’s culture exported around the globe and which attracts tourists to its shores annually, Coryatt said he was a bit disappointed TT was not well known in that region.

It sparked a yearning to have TT’s culture represented there by way of its food, fashion and music.

“I thought about all the information I could pass on to spark an interest in them to know more about TT to the extent that they would want to visit. I mean, their style of living is different, they love to travel and are always looking for new places to explore."

Specialising in Latin dancing, even entering competitions and taking to the professional stage, Coryatt said he also dabbled a bit in soca. While he can carry a note, he is not a great singer.

Based on his dance background, he joined a Latin dance class.

“It was the closest thing I found to music back home. This is a Brazilian outfit, they teach Latin dances and when they are finished with their music, they encourage me to play soca and calypso, which has similar rhythms and beats.”

He explained this group gets funding from the government of Australia to teach and bring instructors for workshop.

Seeing this as an avenue to get funding to spread TT’s culture, Coryatt said he started exploring the possibility of stilt-walking.

He was introduced to a school in Port of Spain, but coming into San Fernando to pay a bill and driving through the side streets, he came upon Kaisocah School for the Arts.

“I stopped and spoke to Mr Bisnath, explaining to him my vision and my desire to get involved, learning to walk on stilts.”

Bisnath invited him to return the next day. At that session he was given a brief history, “and then Mr Bisnath made a bet with me.

"He said if he was not able to teach me to walk on stilts in half of an hour, he would buy my ticket to go back to Australia. If I lost, I had to give him my phone, but he insisted that he does not accept cheap phone in exchange.”

Not one to run from a challenge, Coryatt was assisted by the master himself to get on beginners’ stilts – and took the first steps to euphoria.

“In ten minutes, I was walking on my own, on the beginner’s stilts, which are about 12 inches off the ground. He showed me how to set it up myself, how to build it to increase the heights – I can build the stilts.

"I will continue to practise, as my dream is to be able to walk and dance on the tall stilts like the moko jumbies who belong to this outfit.”

While he has not yet identified a space for a moko jumbie school in Australia, Coryatt plans to introduce the art to the schools that his daughters, nine and 12, attend.

Discussions are ongoing to have some experienced moko jumbies travel to Australia to help set up the school.

He is also considering having a karaoke kaiso and soca night to get folks acquainted with the music.

“I see a lot of potential for our culture down under and I know it would redound to the benefit of TT as well.

Bisnath welcomed the opportunity.

“I have not gone to Australia – yet,” he said. “But I see this cultural exchange happening. I want to take stilt-walking to the world. Always ready and willing to fly the red, white and black across the globe.

“I have taken it Miss Universe 2024 when our local representative, Faith Gillezeau, walked on stilts in the finals of the international competition."

He and three stilt-walkers represented TT at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. They have become a staple at cultural and Carnival events, for occasions attended by diplomats and heads of state, walks for community and social activities.

Bisnath who retired after 43 years from the Ministry of Works furniture department, says he has dedicated his life to making this country a better place that he met it.

He has opened the doors for many, especially those in the lower socio-economic bracket, to transform their lives while preserving the cultural tradition, at no cost to them.