Moko Jumbies graduate - Masquerade - Christopher Pinheiro at Dundas Public School in Toronto

A CLASS OF 45 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AT TORONTO'S DUNDAS PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATED as "Moko Jumbies" one Friday afternoon following a five-week program developed by the multitalented Trinidadian-born Toronto resident Christopher Pinheiro through his Swizzlestick Theatre.

The awesome stiltwalking spirit derives its proud ancestry from West African tribal ritual, and, more recently, Caribbean Carnival celebration. A walking totem, the Moko Jumbie is both a frightening and a protective figure whose presence--both in Toronto and Trinidad--is making a comeback.

In a fifteen-minute show titled "Splendour of the Rain Forest" the new Jumbies exhibited all they had learnt, much to the delight of the audience. The cast of performers included three Korean boys who received their instructions through an interpreter. Making up the rest of the rainbow ensemble were children of Chinese, East Indian, African, Caribbean, Canadian and various other heritages.

At the conclusion of their presentation, a number of excited participants spoke anxiously about the experience. Anastasia Bickram, said she liked "the stilting because you could learn how to walk on them and when you grow big you could learn too."

Elizabeth Longola initially learned about stilts during summer camp but she did not get to perform until graduation day at Dundas Public School. "It was a weird feeling. I was nervous because I haven't performed in a long time and I was afraid that I might make a mistake and ruin the whole thing for my group." But fortunately, there were no incidents. No spills! "It was hard, trying to keep your balance. It takes a lot of work and you get tired after awhile," the new Moko Jumbie concluded.

Takira Ahmad admitted she had lots of fun and excitement performing on stilts because she had a captive audience made up of classmates, teachers and parents. "I want to do it again," she remarked.

"In a large respect it's a very true development of their spirit. There is no question in my mind that the excitement, the confidence that they gained out of this whole experience is a gift that no one can give them underneath the Christmas tree," Cemp Ricketts, then principal of Dundas Public School, said of his students.

Elated with the outcome, Ricketts admitted that the Swizzlestick Theatre had left some resident skills with the children that he hoped could be built upon. "They've planted the seed. I think it is now our job to take it a little bit further. They need to go on somewhere else and plant the seed," Ricketts said.

Terming the program an incredible endeavour, the school principal hoped Swizzlestick Theatre and the Ontario Arts Council, which funded the enterprise, would continue the initiative. In emphasizing the importance of developing a partnership between the artists of the community and the school system itself, Ricketts said some teachers don't have that creative, artistic flare but there are many children who have that inside them. Overall, a satisfied Ricketts would love to see the project continued in schools.

Trinidad-born choreographer Ronald Taylor, who worked with the students over a thee-week period, felt like a stage parent. He had to co-ordinate the 45 children who would naturally want to do their own stuff. Taylor, Artistic Director of Canboulay Dance Theatre, appreciated the opportunity to participate in the exercise, which involved the sharing of an aspect of his culture with young Canadians.

Taylor's satisfaction emerged from the possibility of giving the youth an appreciation for Trinidadian culture in terms of the stilt and costume making, which stems out of an indigenous Caribbean folk tradition.

"It also lets the younger kids appreciate our culture and not look at it as the older folks might see it, as being degrading." Taylor visualizes positive benefits accruing from more efforts like this, where various types of disciplined artists are encouraged to share similar experiences.

For Christopher Pinheiro, the beauty in the school project was seeing his Swizzlestick Theatre evolving from entertainers into educators. His pleasure was derived from the ability to impart the Moko Jumbie skill and share the traditions. That is an assurance of its not only being preserved and maintained, but expanded and shared. Also, interesting mutations will happen inevitably, he says.

This is only one of the many avenues in which Pinheiro's talent with this art form is being felt in Canada. Almost anywhere and at any time you could see these images appearing before your eyes, swaying effortlessly without music and most definitely with music, when it is available. However, Pinheiro has trained his students, irrespective of age, to appreciate the freedom of the stilts.

Peter Minshall and his Callaloo Company in Trinidad, Toronto's Caribana Festival, Shadowland Theatre productions and Kensington Festival of Lights, and Montreal's Carifete have all been the beneficiaries of Christopher Pinheiro's artistic madness.

So whether they appear at the Harbour Castle Hilton accompanying revered Trinidad calypsonian David Rudder, or stage an outdoor performance beneath the starlit skies on Toronto Island, their presence is always a beauty to appreciate. One finds oneself with that queasy feeling, wondering what it would be like if one could be brave enough to get up there in the air and not wonder but feel the air in that rare space.

As some well known and longtime critics of the Moko Jumbie would argue "you have to be mad to want to walk on those stilts." But it is something to experience. If you never have, it is time to seek out the opportunity and join in the expanding Moko Jumbie fraternity that has become a part of the Toronto artistic landscape.

William Doyle-Marshall ([email protected]) has immersed himself in the North American arts scene, publishing and broadcasting internationally. In Toronto he hosts "My Data Bag" weekly on CHRY 105.5 FM. He has published columns in the Ghanaian News, Pride News Magazine, Word and the Jamaica Weekly Gleaner. For more on Swizzlestick Theatre, visit http://torontoisland. org/swizzlestick.

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