THE NEW CARIBBEAN FOLK TALES AND LEGENDS

BACKGROUND

Caribbean folktales were orally transmitted beliefs, myths and tales from one generation to another, originating (though not exclusively) from Africa, by the slaves who were brought to the region.  The folk tales were mainly about beliefs, myths, and practices of African/Caribbean people.  This is why some tales have religious figures or supernatural folklore figures, which possess characteristics that are identical to those of African deities.  But, this body of African folklore has been synthesised and influenced by English, French and to a lesser degree, Spanish and Dutch colonisers who brought their own brand of lore into the Caribbean region.  These different types of folk lore found expression in the Caribbean (the new environment) and were later used in situations that warranted use of a tale as a kind of coded message; such as in situations that needed instilling caution, warning, applying cunning, courage or good sense.  Subsequently, these tales which were fused with African lore had a new function and expression in the Caribbean environment.  Today, we have vestiges of various colonial inputs, in addition to those that have been brought by Slaves to the region, which have created many types of renewed characters like the Anancy; the trickster spider. 

The existence of Caribbean folktales shows how, over the hundreds of years of slavery, these tales have been indelibly etched in the subconscious of the Caribbean people, so that transmitting the stories from one generation to the other symbolises the transference of a kind of Caribbean cultural heirloom.  History has shown that belief in the folk characters cannot be easily forgotten, in the same way that the history of the people cannot be obliterated.  It is for these reasons that these stories find expressions within the Caribbean landscape, and evidence a fusion of Africa’s deep consciousness within the people’s psyche, through their recreated lore. 

These tales have been kept alive by the older generation; those who have transmitted them to surviving groups of Caribbean people.  But with the passage of both time and the old folks, many have ceased the practice of storytelling on moonlit nights.  Added to this dilemma, succeeding generations of Caribbean youths, both in the region and abroad, seem to have lost touch with this once vibrant traditional experience.  In fact, many Caribbean youths (especially those in the Diaspora), are completely oblivious to the very existence of the language, lore and stories of the past.  As a result of this situation, there is a need to preserve the tales and their essence in Caribbean culture, as well as their meaning in Caribbean people’s lives.  But times and the notion of a ‘Caribbean’ location have changed.  Therefore, new methods of transmitting the tales and ensuring their longevity for succeeding generations, must take on new forms of expressions in the 21^st century.  This way it is hoped they will find meaningful expressions in the lives of Caribbean people and their offspring, both at home in the Caribbean region, as well as in the Diaspora.

From a Diaspora point of view, it is true to say that the pervasive nature of electricity mostly everywhere today, has taken away the storytelling aura; the dim candle light or incandescent moon-lit setting and atmosphere, the giant dark shadows cast by the towering nearby trees, the sound of crickets and isolated croaks from frogs and the darting fireflies; all set the scene for the congregated folks in a neighbour’s yard.  However, this whole familiar scene of yester-year’s storytelling has been replaced by a number of technological means of passing on the cultural tradition, including the storytelling tradition.  For example, our once orally-transmitted texts are now made permanent in formats which ensure their permanence and means of transmission in various forms; especially via technology.  It therefore means that today the masses can be communicated with, in ways that do not need a physical gathering of people on a moonlit night because new ways of passing on information/knowledge also make it necessary for individuals to hear the tales on their own, as well as in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

But there are characteristics of the old format of transmission which had helped to garner meaning; approval, especially from live responses; the camaraderie or solidarity in the live atmosphere among the fellowship of the brothers and sisters; the generation of a heightened sense of significance, expressiveness and meaning, as well as resulting group actions; these are lost through the solitary experience of listening to a recording of a folktale by oneself.  In fact, those who have to rely on technology alone can be at a disadvantage, especially in areas where such means are not common or available.  This makes it less necessary for the sharing or spreading of interest among gathered folks, in ways that should cement the community; which are now challenged by our current 21^st century’s “indoor generation” ideals.

Additionally, there is a kind of double indemnity where the current sharing or transmitting of folktales and legends is concerned.  Firstly, in terms of legends, the world of super-power and super-human universe is currently dominated by modern-day characters, created in the 1960’s, from what is popularly called Marvel Universe.  These modern-day folk tales and legends exist in a multiverse, where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media by Marvel Entertainment take place.  Super heroes are presented in teams; Avengers, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther.  Alternatively, they are presented in Marvel’s cinematic universe as individual superheroes such as, Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Deadpool, and numerous others.  

Secondly, Marvel’s Universe is based on the real world with features of real countries, personalities such as politicians and historical events, such as World War II.  Although there are some fictional elements which introduce made-up countries, organisations, magical incantations, peculiar sorcery, monsters with cosmic powers that show an advanced technological age; all exist in the Marvel Universe. These tales are not only made indelible in great comic books but also generate big record-breaking, block-buster movies and millions of dollars ($648 Infinity War global box office net), that dominate current society’s diet of what might be seen as the ultimate in superhero tales and legends.

In addition, the dominance of these Marvel characters, in media terms, may seem to create an immense competitive edge for the lesser-known folktales and legends; contesting for the limelight today.  The fact is, to an extent this may be so, but it is my belief that they all have their individual roles to play in a society’s social and cultural development, and considering the role of The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends for the 21^st century, their didactic aims make them not rivals with Marvel’s Universe, but complementary, in their age-old objectives.

The Caribbean body of cultural knowledge, (Which I call Caribbean Orature, due to the fusion of the oral and written methods of transmissions of Caribbean texts), is very dynamic in its current stage of development.  Evident in old and new Caribbean Folktales are characteristics of folkloric icons that highlight a blend of cultural and linguistic influences.  These are shown in the inclusion of colour, humour, folk- wisdom, different language registers and thought-processes, which suggest there is still the transmission of caution, verbal defence, and attempts to instil good sense; in their didactic aims and objectives. 

However, it is the African input which has undoubtedly contributed to most of the Caribbean region’s folklore (being the largest group in the region); at times showing extensions of supernatural folklore figures, with characteristics that are identical to African deities.  For example, Anansi or  Anancy , (often called Brer Anancy), is originally an Akan God who will chastise you in African folk lore but in the Caribbean, he is a cunning spider whose job is to outwit others in order to survive; as a kind of exemplar for slaves against their fearful colonial masters.

In their 21^st century context, The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends are framed around the original structure of the old tales but are given modern day scenarios that are designed to highlight the significance and existence of folk wisdom within them.  For example, the old Anancy story has been genderised, and is given a female persona in The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends for the 21^st Century.  And whilst “new” in their current scenarios, the tales can also be seen as a means of transmitting folk wisdom in a modern context, whilst ensuring a continuum of survival of Caribbean Folktales generally; in ways that could make Caribbean folk lore more palpable in modern times.

Folk characters such as Gang Gang Sarah, has been created as a person who had embraced the vibrant tone and tempo of both landscapes (Africa and the Caribbean), in her past. Given the very minute details of her African past and the fragmented information about her existence in the Caribbean, in The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends for the 21^st Century, she has been invested with a more detailed, thought- provoking past, which attempts to piece together the fragmentary nature of her life, in ways that help to stabilise the topos of her existence in Caribbean *Orature. 

Moreover, the folk characteristics of Papa Bois may be scoffed at in the 21^st century, as just a Plantation tale, but the new tale is designed to show how the tale’s origin has linkages and relevance in the present, as it draws attention to the inter-generational strife between the older generation’s ways of thinking; whose memory and discourse is still linked to their past. This is squared against a point of convergence among the emerging younger generations, which seem to suggest they are more ready to dismiss the tales as being irrelevant to their present existence for many reasons.  These range from a question of identity, the notion of a sense of place, culture and its representation, as well as their relevance to present lifestyles. 

For example, answers to questions in the Diaspora of what or where is the Caribbean, have highlighted an interesting phenomenon, which relates to both a sense of identity and a sense of place. Diaspora locations for Caribbean migrants, attest to the fact that wherever Caribbean folks have migrated to around the globe, their ‘settled’ location seems to have created a dynamic arena of in-betweeness or a sense of place without borders; in spatial and geographical terms.  In other words, this scenario could be seen, at times, to generate an acute sense of double-allegiance or double-identity; so that those migrants are able to identify with either one or the other, or both places and cultures, at the same time.  It is a view that also highlights the inseparable linkages of people from their cultural background, in terms of cultural practices and behaviour, thinking and discourse, as well as methods of managing and solving problems.  Ultimately, it suggests, as is seen with the slaves on Plantations in the Caribbean, the absence of a geographical location, does not preclude the continuum of tradition and culture, and this is what is being suggested in The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends of the 21^st Century.  There is a prevailing notion that an individual is inseparable from his/her cultural background, in ways which continue to impact on him/her today. 

For example, the tale Soucouyant in London shows how the British-born Desiree, a second generation Caribbean child, can embrace past cultural traditions, in ways that reveal that the folk wisdom and practices are still being transmitted orally today.  It also evidences continuation, survival and the power of the folklore, as well as Caribbean discourse and thought-processes, among Diaspora communities. The story shows that it is ultimately the folk wisdom, transmitted to the Caribbean migrant’s offspring, that saves Louisa from a hellish future or untimely death; to suggest that folk-wisdom could still be used as a method of problem-solving.  

In contrast, the Papa Bois story presents subtle undertones of a clash of inter-generational culture, between a kind of old-world thinking, with its prevalence of folk wisdom via the talk and practices of the older generation, verses the challenges to the undisputed acceptance of existing folklore; from the younger generation’s new-world perspective. In the Papa Bois story, the younger generation’s way of life, represented by Dennis Brown, is shown to be more influenced by modern-day logic and scientific methods of producing answers to complex questions about our existence.  Ultimately, the story concludes that a denial of the existence of relevant folk wisdom has resulted in adverse repercussions for the young, that draw attention to the following: the story’s background, the lack of transmitting folk wisdom amongst the young, and challenges the role of the present generation to make the body of orally transmitted texts readily accessible to emerging generations; who would be expected to ensure continuation of the tales in the future. 

It is therefore in accepting the challenge of our present role as transmitters of this aspect of our culture that this writer has created The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends of the 21^st Century.  The tales attempt to show that despite the fact that their contents (our iconic folk characters) probably may have had more relevance over 300 hundred years ago, their schematic framework used in providing answers to complex problems experienced by the folks at that time, suggest revisiting these past strategic linkages which could signpost ways of dealing with our various dilemmas at present.

In other words, although the past Plantation-based environment has given way to present Caribbean Diaspora settlements; where similar problems and scenarios co-exist today, there is a suggestion that there may still be a need for such intervention of folk wisdom in finding present-day solutions.  It is for this reason that the resurrected folk icons are brought to life, and are located within the new tales in situations where they find their correlative in 21^st century situations.  Therefore, this book attempts to highlight the importance of passing on Caribbean cultural wisdom per se, and angles one aspect of such transmission as existing among the folk tales and legends of days gone by, to reflect on their continued effectiveness in our lives in the 21^st century; just as they were for our older folks, centuries ago. 

Roselle Thompson

London 2018