PERFORMER: PEARL A.L.

HAMILTON

CHARACTER’S NAME: PELAU DE PIERROT GRENADE

PIECE: ‘THE PORTMANTEAU OF CULTURE’

EVENT: LIGHTBOX PERFORMANCE

Bon lapwe midi.

Sa ka fete? Mwen la!

I am PELAU,

De portmanteau of culture,

De sitcom of Carnival

A warrior for justice

And we cultural legacy is of greatest interest.

I AM,

A Descendant of de West African griot,

Pumpkin vine relative to Pedrolino

Quarter spice of Grenada

Not to be mistaken for Princely Pierrot, mih half brodder!

Roasted in Trinbago but seasoned all de way in Palo Seco

Where ppl say I livin quito quito.

I do not spell words one by one,

It is true satire, puns and allegory, I show how it is done.

So I will give you a little taste without haste!

If you living in Trini,

And you have a Dad.

What do you call him? A Trini Dad.

That’s de way you spell Trini-Dad.

It have twin sisters; Cotton and Castara.

That fall in love wit d same man from Bucco

He met one sister in Great Fete

And de odder one inn Jazz Festival

Not realizing dey were a twin

He set up a date in Scarborough

So when both a dem show up

He tongue tie up like market crab,

With no place to go, he get caught two bae

And that’s how yuh spell Two Bae Go.

We cyah naval

Is de cane reaped from de harvest

Is de cane burning we reminisce

Deep In de navel

String tied two roots

Of de natives, the people who came here

With our traditions and culture

Is de Moko Jumbies majestic

On stilts, clearing the path of evil spirits

Is de Rope Jab whip fighting

And de Kalinda we call Stickfighting

Is de west African griot ancestry

That Forged the Midnight Robber mystery

Is de Waroi escaping through de Orinoco river

The Burrokeet with East Indian and Spanish flavour

The Bats writhing to calypso, extempo, parang and soca fever

The chanting of the Black Indians

The Gorrillas foraging through the vineyards.

Is de ball of the Dame Lorraine

Piss en lit, ma che moun, gwo lolo, gwo patat, ma bunda and gwo tete

Miss Mary and Baby Doll

And all de others in Jammette mas

And longtime Bear mas

Neva to be forgotten!

Is de Fancy clowns, Minstrels, Fancy Sailor and Dragon mas

Legend say de imps does taunt de dragon

To jump over de water when ppl pass

But is not as frightening as when de Devils coming

With dey firebreathing and screams

And Bookman noting all offenders who show up on de scene

While over yonder de Soumaree dancing to de beat

Of pan round de neck and tamboo bamboo on Picadilly street

Where de re-enactmant of Kambule took place every year

On a Carnival Friday morning,

Where ppl used to gather without fear.

Now in dis pan dem mic

Depending on de gimmick

Pon every street

Ppl walk wit face mask

And so shall dis dance

Be 3 feet close and 6 feet further

From de chupid ppl who refuse

To wear mask in public.

So all we have in this melting pot

For traditional carnival characters

Is to show we card in safe zone

Or choose to go virtual at home, on we own

Needless to say
Who fraid Jab Jab

Love de mas

Love de culture

Keep de flambeau of hope

Burning in dis light box

To remember de ancestors!