Staff Writer - Katrin Callender
Another festival that I was happy to have visited this year was the Bocas Literature Festival. This festival celebrated the Caribbean literary tradition. Held for four days in April, it was the first such festival to be held here in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Port of Spain branch of NALIS was transformed so that our books stores had booths where they displayed the wealth of literature coming out of the islands of the Caribbean. In the audio visual room, there were screenings of films from Caribbean filmmakers. And at the entrance of the library, performance poetry delighted patrons and passers-by. There were also workshops held for the benefit of new writers, as well as veterans. Just about every part of the library was utilized for the event.
I commend the efforts of the festival organizers. It was certainly a challenging venture, but one I was terribly proud to be a part of. I so believed in the effort, as a writer and as an avid lover of literature, that I volunteered to work at the event. Comfortably installed at a table near the entrance of the library, I watched with pleasure as curious individuals walked over and asked me what was going on. And then I really got excited. I gave each enquiring mind a breakdown of the events for the days ahead. Many of these individuals seemed eager to stay on or return for the events that interested them the most.
In showcasing the literary talent of the Caribbean, the festival validated the effort and contribution of many individuals. It also encouraged new talent by providing a platform in which artists could display their work. Additionally, the festival facilitated networking between artists, networking amongst sponsors and supporters.
National Library of Port of Spain
The Bocas Literature Festival and numerous other festivals offer a similar opportunity to the talented individuals born to the Caribbean, and aspiring to or working within creative industries, as well as other industries: public recognition. These events place these gifted persons in the spotlight, encouraging them to produce work, to accept feedback and ultimately, to thrive.
Before one can comfortably stand in the middle of a crowd and withstand its scrutiny, one must first know that the time has come to do so. I an artist cannot call himself or herself an artist, work must be done. Until you own your skill no one will be able to convince you of your possessing it. This is truly a challenge. But it is also the reason that such platforms are beneficial in the long run, they allow the artist to grow. I eagerly await the next Bocas Literature Festival. And I sincerely hope that more artists step into their spotlight!
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