For my dear students at Africentric Alternative School To every child with big dreams one day they can come true nh For my family with love il cassava The starchy root of a tropical shrub which can be used for food mysticism and sorcery in combination with Christian beliefs Jab Molassie A carnival mas masquerade pan A musical instrument made from an oil character who is an acrobatic devil from the French Diable Mélasse or Molasses Devil drum also called a steel drum or steelpan originating in Trinidad Pierrot A carnival mas masquerade kaiso Music that originated in West Africa and was sung by enslaved people in the Caribbean containing a story with a hidden meaning It evolved into calypso music Moko Jumbie A stilt walker of West African origin whose height was traditionally associated with the ability to see evil Obeah Practices of West African origin found in the Caribbean that incorporate magic character who carries a pistol or whip and is known for long speeches and verbal dueling Rastaman A man who practices Rastafari a way of life that began in Jamaica but has African Jewish and Christian roots Soca Music that developed in the 1970s in Trinidad and Tobago when calypso music was influenced by Indo-Caribbean rhythms R B soul and disco
I close my eyes and dance I am a beautiful peacock Each feather shimmers green gold turquoise and brown Grandma say Girl I think you is definitely my granddaughter for true
This is the first carnival time with Mummy gone She in Canada Uncle Ewart say Canada’s a place where she can get a good job She going to make a better life for you and Granny
Canada is cold like an icebox and something they call snow is on the ground Mummy tell me She send me pictures too The snow look like coconut sky juice She say that children play in it and build man with it What a sticky mess
