Rhodessa's Diary April 18, 2007, St. Augustine, Trinidad On the other side of the world, poetically speaking, here in the Caribbean to teach, perform, and move the community to find action in the rush to face the problems that plague all communities- hunger, addiction, despair, homelessness, the journey to reclaim our young! Trinidad is a climate of cultures-Africa, Asia, Spain and India. The roots of history are etched in the faces of the people in the communities here. In the spices that fuel the taste buds-massala, scotch bonnet, soy sauce, curry, garlic and sugar. Since arriving Sunday, Idris and I must have surely consumed at least ten pounds of meat, starch sugar and spices. We have been overwhelmed at the amounts of food we're given. The weather is hot! We like it mostly. The Caribbean is always the first choice for either one of us. So we're standing, sweating, squinting, and smiling in the face of the morning's sultry grasp. It is a different place and time unlike Jamaica the folks can be indifferent, distant, and on about their business. The faces and forms are lovely! The green fauna, floral and palm is exquisite bowing and waving along the street pathways, mountaintops and even along the side of freeways. There's nothing new. These images are my first real love of the emerald light of the Caribbean. This is the land of the humming bird. All kinds of birds mating constantly. Flickering tips of white tail feathers. Burnt oranges. Top feathers. The flock of the silver egrets. These magnificent birds still fly in flocks over houses back to the river . . . to the sea to tell tales of the town. Last night we ate supper with Clyde and Kathy at their lovely hideaway. The tree frogs sang . . . the bats flew low . . . and the night sky twinkled with all the bright lights. Food under a cerulean night sky! Glorious! Monday morning I arose and was picked up by Lennox, my cab driver for the morning. Lennox took me to Gaylle, a television station, to appear with Errol a local personality. It was surreal! I had just flown in the night before. I got to bed Caribbean time around 10 PM to wake up at 5 AM to take a ride across Port of Spain, Trinidad to be interviewed in support of our residency "The Trini Experience". It worked! Several women stopped me to tell me how moved they were by my interview. Then I was met by Dani, professor of theater and costume construction here . . . a white woman born in Australia, met and married a Trinidadian in Nigeria, Africa. She took me in hand up to her beautiful house on the mountainside with a secluded sun filled garden and swimming pool et. al. There we spoke of children, our work, our lives, and the death of her husband so suddenly at Christmas. Tuesday to Toco - the farthest southern point of the island. There we swam with giant sea turtles, body surfed, lying on our backs staring up at the mountains far from tourism and high above the towns. As always my body called for coconut water and the flesh of sweet pineapple. All day we rushed up and down the rough narrow roads spying forest glens and glades peering out at ancient trees standing and dropping purple flowers! Are they too the queen of the forests like their scarlet sisters in Jamaica? Wednesday, first day of community workshops in Laventille we worked with community leaders and organizers. Later that night we feasted with the Orishas! White cladded black women and men singing their prayers in the inner sanctum: Hail Mary please hear our prayers . . . relieve us of our worldly sufferings. Oil, limewater, sugar, rum and incense laced smoked was offered to the Orisha. The hour of Shango was upon us! The Drums came to encourage the soul's song. I fell asleep listening to the drone of voices. Call and response! The male voices barrels . . . rolls over the heart . . . spilling into the corners, the hallways, even the kitchen. Food with the spices of massala promise curried goat, chicken, barrata and Indian bread. [ photo gallery ]