One trini experience in Malaysia - Global Model United Nations 2010

Representing Trinidad and Tobago must the most difficult thing; though a small what they call a twin-island state, some a 2 x 4, some say "banana republic", but regardless of what category or description yuh give it it is by far a complex and very diverse place; we are a very complex people, some say we "happy" other we eh know what we want. But I was mulling over in preparation for this conference how I am going to represent? Should I give as much background and tell people f the wonderful, warm fun-loving people we have here, the warm climate nowadays (significantly affected by climate change; some refuse to acknowledge, others just ignorant about the reality), the warm political goings-on in our parliamentary democracy; the warm gyrations we display when "takin  whine" or on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and well everyday of the year, even during tropical storm watches, or should I just be me, the warm personality, often misperceived, but confident and with a mind that's growing and making personal strides. But more than that, whatever image or identity I portray, people would leave with their own impressions, be it stereotypical (often occurs when meeting one person from a culture) albeit nevertheless positive and let dem know we hav ting here too!

Even in setting up this blog, I ventured to download pics from the internet about Trinidad and Tobago culture and soca, musical icons, leaders, flora, fauna, artistic works etc. but I realised that there a loads and hundreds and thousands of artifacts but these still would not full represent All ah WE Trinis! It would be a snapshot or some iota of representation but there is so much to us, so much intangible things, vibes and idiosyncracies that only us can understand. This often leads us to be insular at times but we could put on a show; we does know sometimes but we good at pretending we eh know. I fed up get that from mummy, who used to know what going on with her child growing up but she always used to say nothing, till teh right time to res it on meh! And then it wasn't nice....

Anyway, back to representation, so how do I go about representin' (black American twang)? That's the other thing too, we not oneof this or one of that, we this that and everything; as they say like salt we in everything! In other words, we're hybridized, even that too simplistic or as the modern day creolists might argue that just not good enough, to represent people who have come from so many ancient places in the world, Asia, Syria, Lebanon, Africa, India, China, etc. etc. etc. So to avoid, all of that bacchanal, I just going to be myself, take me as you get me, what yuh see is what yuh get and boil dat dong like bhaggi and call that george! :)

Yuh hear!