Unpopular Opinions and Not So Random Facts

Challenging dominant narratives promote cultural transformation and make accessible historical, social and cultural facts and truths.

This podcast seeks to promote the voices of ancestral forms in the ritual martial tradition of Kalinda in Trinidad and Tobago.

It is a lavwayic (lavways are ritual songs in Kalinda) artistic intervention, a chant of call and response, a portal of prayers to protect and announce extra/somatic presence, a sovereign signal, and a proverbial imprint forming multiple actions. While the opinions potentially unpopular, the facts remain, not so random, well researched and ethnographic.

This platform is an intervention for cultural education and archival practice through reflection and reversal of privilege and cultural power.

This work is important, as the Kalinda community in Trinidad and Tobago is often excluded from the provision, process and presence of art that concerns their histories, identity, movement and voice.

In what ways can the main ritual actors of the Kalinda tradition (which includes biodiversity) write/right the story?

This work is seated in what we have learned from colonialism, as we must be informed by our resilience through multiple traumas, understanding that who holds the pen makes the mark. 

TRANS/CRYPT

Episode 1 Transcript: 

INTRO: Lavway plays (Image of logo for podcast) 

Diggin’ Ginger by Anim “Kongo Bara” Cooper

Tiny Winey: Good morning and thank you for joining us on UnPopular Opinions and Not So Random Facts, I am your host Tiny Winey.
Today we have a very special icon, who is often seen publicly but rarely interviewed. We want to find out more about this icon and their thoughts on their involvement in the Kalinda community in Trinidad and Tobago. We caught up with this iconic figure on tour in Ireland. Please welcome to the show, Shadow Bois.

Tiny Winey: Shadow Bois, thank you so much for being here. We are so honoured to have you on the show. Such a pleasure indeed. 

Shadow Bois: You are most welcomed mi lady. Yea, this is not really my kinda ting but I like yuh vibes.

Tiny Winey: (giggles)

Shadow Bois: Ah just wondering though, allyuh pack Trinidad water problem and bring it to Ireland? 

Tiny confused.

Shadow Bois: Allyuh have ting tuh drink? 

Tiny: Oh Shadow Bois, my apologies let me get you something to drink. Anything in particular we can get you?

Shadow Bois: No need for sorry mi lady just bring ting. I is hard wood not dry wood. So sometin’ to wet de’ skin, if you follow meh.  

Tiny: Yes of course. 

Shadow Bois:  I doh drink nuttin’ open so from strangers eh. Bring meh something so I could crack it open na. 

bottle pops*

Shadow Bois: Yuh go take ah little ting. Yuh had to take a little something with meh, man. Like ah here by myself ah wah. 

Tiny: Whew. 

Now, Shadow Bois.

I wanted to begin by finding out more about where your family is originally from. 

Shadow Bois: Well I am from the Poui family. Most people think we are from Trinidad. But hardly any Trinidadians from Trinidad eh. We come from more tropical Americas, Venezuela and some other parts. 

Tiny: Really? I had no idea. 

Shadow Bois: Yeah, plenty doh realise dat. Meh mother side is Pink Poui, apamante or Tabebuia pentaphylla and meh father family is yellow poui, Tabebuia serratifolia. They grow side by side when they come Trinidad. Meh cousin Anare get lock up cause she real deadly. Police and government ‘fraid she bad. She have plenty skill though. She used to build tapia house an’ ting. Just like humans we have plenty different species. Olive, Tamarind, Teak, Swivel (Supple) Jack, Gasparee, Cayenne Guava and others. But we go talk more about dem history and lineage another time. We here long time. Dey make all kinda art about we, plenty poem, theatre play an’ ting. Big timers like Earl Lovelace who write ‘The Dragon Can’t Dance’. 

Tiny: Wow. I see. Speaking of theatre plays. You, yourself are involved in the arts for a long time. Our Carnival and theatre landscape are filled with your presence. Tell me about the cloth that you tie your head with.

Shadow Bois: Miss lady, I is not no theatre bois eh, I is a gayelle bwa. There is a difference. We doh tie we head with no piece ah cloth. Sacred tape and ribbon, yes, but never no ole cloth. We come from a sacred tradition. We ting is ritual. That is not to say what the theatre bois an’ dem doing is not ah kinda ritual eh. Is just not we kinda ritual. 

Tiny: Oh ok. I didn’t realise there was a difference. 

Shadow Bois: Plenty difference! Meh long time fren, King Kongo Barra used to say ‘yuh cyah serve two masters” and although I have participated in some ah dem people theatre productions, I does like to ease dem up because they doh know how to respect meh. Throwing meh on de ground. Dragging meh head and foot like I is ah broom. Dey doh take de time to understand what I really all about atall. And dey ‘fraid to get lash. But who doh ‘fraid that? Ent?

(Shadow Bois laughs then coughs)

Plenty time when I have participated in theatre productions, I just dey for show. To bring out whatever narrative dem want to express. Very rarely, I ‘dere for the logic and intent of de’ tradition I come from. Plenty time dem does be posing with me like dem name Poser. Is like I not ah living thing. Yuh know?

Tiny: Very interesting. So the cloth wrapped around your head that we see in our national historic plays has no significance?

Shadow Bois: Miss lady, I cannot tell you what de’ significance is for dem. I only know what is significant for me. And dat piece ah ole cloth does be stifling meh vibes. Killing meh breathing space. Ah next long time friend of mine, King David Matthew Brown, Acid we does call him, find ah set ah we with dem ole cloth wrap round we head, from a well known play in Trinidad. He sit down cool cool and one by one undress all ah we. That was a great man. He understand how to take care of we body and soul. They kill him, yuh know. Then that same well known play turn around and hang him, nine months after he gone, take he picture and make it a logo. Telling we, ‘what better warrior to represent dem play’, when de’ man was never involved, or associate he self with dem people event. Dey never ask nobody permission, not even he family. Then get boldface vex when dey get call out for their egregious acts. Make ah whole bacchanal, ah rallying conspiracy. (Steups) But dais ah next story. 

Point is, Everybody always want to play bwaman and bwawoman but nobody doh ever want to learn how to play bwa. 

Tiny: That is very interesting. (quoting Shadow Bois) “everybody wants to play bwawoman and bwaman but nobody wants to learn how to play bwa. Strong words. Strong words, indeed. And a good time for us to take a break.

When we return, we will talk a bit more about Shadow Bois’s role throughout history and additional movements in Trinidad and Tobago and of course the role of bwa in the gayelle. Stay tuned folks we will be right back with Part 2 of our conversation with Shadow Bois on Unpopular Opinions and Not So Random Facts. I am your host, Tiny Winey. 

OUTRO: Lavway plays 

Moan Chirren by Anim “Kongo Bara” Cooper