August 22, 2024 • 45 mins
What inspires a man to uncover the stories of others? Our special guest, Kervin Thomas, founder of Traveling Mako, reveals how his curiosity and love for storytelling led to the creation of his vibrant brand. Join us as we explore the meaning behind "Mako" and how Kervin’s journey has evolved, especially during the challenging times of COVID-19. We also celebrate the resourcefulness and ingenuity of Grenadians, illustrated through delightful anecdotes like the creation of sorrel jelly from leftover ingredients. This conversation is a tribute to the resilience and creativity that define the Grenadian spirit.
Transport yourself to the sun-soaked memories of childhood in Grenada, where music, art, and family traditions shaped our lives. Kervin and I reminisce about the influence of our parents on our musical tastes and the lasting impact of iconic soca artists. From school days filled with tree-climbing adventures to savoring local snacks, we paint a vivid picture of the simple joys of island life. We also reflect on how different but complementary experiences of growing up in rural versus urban Grenada contribute to the rich tapestry of our culture.
Our journey wouldn't be complete without celebrating Grenada's iconic Carnival, or Spice Mass, and the cultural phenomenon of Jab Jab. Kervin shares his insights on the evolution of traditional costumes and the symbolic power behind the Jab Jab culture. We delve into the ecstatic energy of Carnival events like Monday Night Mass, which honors our heritage with an organized and electrifying celebration. Listen as we discuss the contributions of notable Grenadian artists and the humor and creativity displayed during events like Fancy Mas and Old Mas, capturing why Grenada remains a cherished destination for all. Don't miss out on this vibrant and heartfelt exploration of Grenadian culture and resilience.
Thanks for listening to Nutmeg Nation - I would like to thank my Editor Sean for helping with the audio of show, thanks to my Designer Yim for creating the logo and images for the show and thanks to my Guests!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene Humphrey.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hi, I'm Carlene and this is Nutmeg Nation.
I have with me a fellowGrenadian.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Oh, greetings to the world, you know.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes, yes, it's a small world.
You know what I mean.
But let's do our introduction.
His name is Kervin Thomas.
He is Grenadian.
He's also a digital contentcreator, a video editor.
He's well-versed in a couple ofthings.
Well, I mean, you can tell memore in detail what Traveling
(00:39):
Mako means?
I know from what you saidtraveling through people's
stories.
Right, that's your story.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
So it's actually funny.
The name came when I reallystarted to like dive deep into
audio production and videoproduction and stuff.
And I was looking for a name.
And I spoke to one of my bestfriends from since I was young
Samuel or Gilvey and I was like,yeah, I'm looking for a name
for for a company.
And he's like, okay, well, whatare you?
And I was like, yeah, I'mlooking for a name for a company
.
And he's like, okay, well, whatare you thinking?
(01:06):
I was like, well, you know, wedo a lot of travels.
I want to vlog.
You know, I want to capturewhen my wife and I travel and
stuff.
And I want something that hasto do with Grenada.
You know, something inherentlyCaribbean, inherently Grenadian.
And he was like, well, why areyou doing something like Mako?
I was like, ah, I was liketraveling Mako.
(01:27):
And I was like that doesn'tsound too professional.
And he's like it doesn't haveto sound professional.
It encapsulates everything Iwant to do.
So that's how traveling Makocame to be.
It's actually a conversationstarter Because people is like
you know what's Mako?
Well, most Americans will sayMako.
It's like what's Mako?
I was like no, it's Mako.
Like what's that?
I was like it's somebody that'salways in people's business.
(01:51):
So when I travel I would meetpeople and like ask them you
know, how'd you get here?
Like what brought you here?
And you know, it really kind offit in with the traveling Mako
stuff.
So when I actually startedinitially, I would interview
people that was not originallyfrom the Rockford area that's
where I currently live now and Iwould ask them like you know,
what brought you to Rockford andstuff.
(02:11):
So that's what got me into notreally podcasting, but it was
just like interviews wherepeople could talk about
themselves and share theirjourney and stuff.
Because I'm always interestedin people's journey.
And that kind of got shut downwith COVID and then it just
moved into more of a backgroundkind of work.
So I would have right.
Currently I help otherbusinesses that get a podcast
(02:33):
started, get their social mediagoing and stuff.
So I do more of the backgroundwork than actually the front end
stuff.
So that's this is where I'mmore comfortable in the shadows.
So that's.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
This is where I'm more comfortable in the shadows.
No-transcript.
(03:08):
So, yeah, it's like people backhome and say why are you so
nosy?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't know the people business.
They use that Mako.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, but the thing is in the Caribbean, people are
always in your business.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Grenada is a small island, right, and I see that
you're wearing a t-shirtrepresenting yes.
So, um, speaking of grenada,and actually let's start from
the beginning, because you'retalking about the name of your
brand- right and someone helpedyou create your brand and
(03:41):
someone helped me too.
So nice, not magnation.
Um, I'm pretty sure there's.
It's been used other places orwhatever.
But someone said to me this isa colleague, his name is Phil,
and I met him when I was atHumber college when I was
studying radio, and I always hadthis idea for this podcast.
It just took COVID to kind ofcreate the idea and streamline
(04:06):
and and think, do all theresearch.
You know what I mean.
And he's the one that was likenot magnation, like like what's
on the flag.
I'm like not meg, and he's likenot magnation, I'm like that's a
good name yeah you know what Imean, because I I'm not good
with names, but I was like Ilike that because it is.
It encompasses what grenade isall about.
It's a small community ofpeople 100,000 people but we're
(04:27):
a nation and I feel like a lotof people from Grenada are so
humble they really are yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, I mean, you know we don't have all the
resources that bigger countrieshave, but you know, we know how
to be resilient, we know how touse the resources that we have
in every capacity.
Let me give you a story.
So I found sorrel in asupermarket and I decided I
would make sorrel.
And after I got done making thesorrel, I still had the stuff
(04:57):
in the pot.
So I remember my mom when I wasyounger.
She would use that and cook itdown with sugar and make jelly,
but most people would just throwit away.
You know, but we, because ofyou know, trying to use
everything that we had to maxcapacity.
Then we just knew how to makestuff out of everything that we
(05:19):
have so that we're not wasteful.
So, yeah, that just you know.
Yeah, grenadians are a veryresourceful people.
We make it anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yes, we do.
We do what we can.
I guess it makes us resilient.
I feel like even just gettinghere, you know what I mean.
Like I think you said you'reinterested in people's stories
and I think you're really goodat telling stories too, you know
what I mean.
You have your story to tell andthrough your stories and
through your journey it probablyhelps enlighten others.
(05:49):
Like even the story like it'snot even like a, it's not like a
big story yet to tell, but it'ssomething small, like sorrow.
But I'm pretty sure ifsomeone's from the Caribbean and
they don't even have to be fromGrenada they could be from
Jamaica, because Jamaicans makesorrel too.
Yeah, Trinidad you know they'relike thinking about sorrel like
that, and I'm like wait a minute, I didn't know you could make
(06:10):
sorrel like.
Eat jelly with sorrel, you knowwhat I mean.
Or maybe you could even make anice flavored snow cone too.
You know what I mean.
Put some sorrel on top of that,right.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
It's just knowing, like I don't know.
It's like we have this innateability to to know what to use
and when to use it.
You know, it's like you cookand it's like it misses
something and I just just put alittle this in it and then when
you put out, it's like boom, youknow the meal, it just fire,
you know, you know, yeah, yeah,so this thing you talk a little
(06:41):
bit about your background andhow your parents are musicians,
but you don't necessarily havethat music background because
you're talking about your mommaking sorrow right, and so when
we talk about stories like if Ialways say this, I'm never
going to stop saying it, it'slike it's not where you're going
(07:01):
, it's where you came from, andwhere you came from kind of
helped you become who you are,right.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And so why do you think you never really followed
in their path?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Because I can't sing.
Oh, so they're singers.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, I thought they played like instruments, like
what did your mom do?
Your mom was a singer.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, my mom sings.
My dad is a guitarist, he playsa guitar things.
My dad is a guitarist, he playsthe guitar and he used to be a
calypso and big time calypsoback in the 90s and OK tell me
who this is.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
His name was Upgrader .
Speaker 3 (07:35):
A lot of, a lot of during the time when I was in
school and stuff like that wasmy nickname To this day some
people still meet me and call meUpgrader but he had this one
song back in like 95, 96.
It's like give them cat, theygo talk.
Oh, it's cat they want.
Give them cat, they go talk.
Yeah, so that just likefollowed me.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Oh, my God, I hated it.
Oh no, and you know what?
With Calypso, it's like all youneed is two words.
Yeah, you don't want to jumpthe line.
Know what with with?
With calypso, it's like all youneed is two words.
Yeah, you know, and you canjust put a song together.
You know, I'm like how manywords are?
You always listen to the wordsand you're like how many words
did they put together to createthis song?
Like even war donkey.
(08:16):
Well, you know, yeah, you know,but yeah, you know what you
don't?
You said you can't sing.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
No, I don't sing.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
No, but you are given the gift from them in a way,
because without the engineer,without the editor, like without
the background, you don'treally have like it takes a lot.
Like if you look at a musician,they have a, they have people
in the background making themsound good, like you're the
person that helps create thesound.
You know what I mean, whetherit's from the beginning, when
they are writing the lyrics oryou're singing or you're helping
, you know, create the album,produce the album.
Like the background stuff.
I mean it doesn't get as muchrecognition as it does all the
(08:59):
time, but those things areimportant, like in film and in
life and in music.
It's like who wrote the lyricsto the song or who Like?
I mean you know what I mean.
It's like those lyrics, likeyou know what I mean, did he
like?
It's just like did, did yourdad, mr Upgrader, write the
lyrics to that song or didsomebody else just put it
(09:20):
together?
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
He wrote it.
Let me blow your mind a littlebit, a little bit more, so you
remember the song um the bigtruck come and let it come.
The big truck come and let itcome from around 20 oh, 2015,
2016 okay okay, uh, bobby, saysmy uncle what's the oh?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
so everyone's thomas, or?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
no, no, uh, so wait a minute.
There's a thomas?
No, no, wait a minute.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
There's a Thomas I met, but I don't know if you
guys are related, james, me, isit?
I mean there's a lot of Thomas,right?
Yeah, there are a lot, yeah,yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Bowen.
On my mother's side it's aBowen.
So Bowen I'm related to On mydad's side is Thomas O'Geese.
So I'm related to my dad's sideis Thomas O'Geese.
So I'm actually Blackadan is mycousin Like you know how people
say yeah, I'm a cousin.
Now Blackadan is actually mycousin, cousin Like my father,
(10:19):
nephew, my aunt's son.
You know, black two dollarbread.
I'm a cousin.
So music running my family.
You know music, music and artrun in my family.
I just took a different routewith it.
I used to like writing.
When I was growing up.
I loved writing dancehall music, hip hop.
Never wrote a calypso, neverwrote soca.
They wanted me to do it.
When I was in school, becauseI'm a dad, my mom, who was a
(10:41):
strong Christian woman, was likeyou are not getting into
Calypso and Soka.
I was like, ok, cool, and I'mnot doing it.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
You're such a good son.
You listen to your mom.
You're like no, I'm going towrite you weren't a rebel, you
weren't like.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Nah, I'm not listening to her, I'm going to
write some lyrics, you know.
What's funny is actually I wentto school with a lot of the
well-established, well socaartists.
Now, like Letanati, I went toschool with Letanati.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So question we didn't talk about this, but where are
you now?
You are not in Grenada, you areobviously in the the us and I'm
here in canada right I'm in uhin rockford, illinois.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
That's just outside chicago.
They went to, went to school ingbss, so oh my goodness, harani
james went to gbss.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
A lot of people went there, you know yeah yeah, big
up lindon, victor for gettingthat yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
It says the Moragi spirit, as we all call it.
You know what I mean.
Yeah, big them, big them, man,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So how old were you when you left Grenada?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I left Grenada when I was 29, actually.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Oh, okay.
Okay, you know, the accentdidn't leave you.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It's still there.
I tell people I come here, Icome here too old for the accent
to leave me.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Yeah, no, but it's.
I love it, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I'm conforming to the US accent.
I will not.
I refuse.
I would talk bad aboutAmericans right in their face
and they wouldn't understandwhat I'm saying.
Why would I want to give thatup?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
though, yeah, yeah, tell me why I go give that up.
Oh, my goodness, but you leftwhen you were 29.
I left granada when I was six,so I am, I'm canadian.
I tell people, you know, likehere it's they still, you know,
because you're caribbean or it'sall about where you were born,
or where you grew up, or orwhere your parents were born,
right?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
so I just tell people I was like what, what makes you
caribbean or grenadian orwhatever is?
If you used to run through thecocoa when it was little, if it
didn't used to oh, it didn'tused to do that, then nah, you
can't you can't see.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Wow, oh my goodness, you're bringing it back.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I love it, yeah dog and and climbing mango tree and
skin of tree and them kind ofthing.
So it's like you can't talkabout the.
You know you can't talk aboutthat, so you know.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Oh my gosh, yes, yeah , you're bringing it back.
You know what?
I don't remember a lot, but Ido remember.
I do remember Tamarind balltree, I don't know Like running
through the.
I remember, yeah, climbing thetree, causing trouble.
I was a troublemaker from timeand I remember like recess or
(13:27):
what do they call it back home,but break time Same thing, right
.
So, anyways, you know how youget money for your bus fare and
for your snack, right, and therewere some good snacks.
Let me tell you Curvin.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Oh my goodness, One time, Curvin, you know what?
I didn't even save my bus fare.
I used all my money on myrecess snack and I didn't have
money to get home.
Wow, I got so much of it I hadto ask.
I don't know what.
I think I had to ask.
I don't remember who.
I was so young I think I waslike I was five or six and I had
(14:00):
to ask for help to get home.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
So yeah, Nah, I had to ask for help to get home.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So, yeah, I probably would have to sell something or
do something to get back themoney to make it home.
But I was too young, I didn'teven know what I was going to do
.
I was like they gave me the busfare, but I think I got in
trouble.
When I got home they're likewhy did you spend your?
We gave you the money for both.
You know such a troublemaker,but yeah, you know, and so you
(14:26):
used to climb trees.
Huh yeah, 100% man.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I used to especially them cashew tree on them that
never tree on them.
I used to climb to the top andthe breeze go be swaying.
I just on top of it, eating the, eating the cashew hunting,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You're talking as if that was yesterday.
You know those are fun memories.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah yeah, I grew up in the Bocas, st Paul, so that
is just before library.
So big up Dash Another GBHS fanfor winning the Soka Monarch
this year.
Big up, big up, big up library.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
All right, all right.
All right, all right, all right.
Yes, so I haven't met anyonefrom your parish, I'm from grad.
Like I grew up in granite, mymom, my grandmother's house is
by the foliage, close to wherethe old texaco gas station used
to be yeah, yeah yeah, so, yeah,so tell.
(15:19):
For those who don't know aboutyour parish, tell them, tell
them, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I grew up more in the bush.
You grew up on a nice road andthing.
I grew up with a bunch ofpothole and you had to walk with
two pair of shoes.
You know, want to get throughthe road and then want to change
when you reach up by the mainroad.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Tell me, why do people do that?
I never.
I was like why, yeah, becauseroad.
Tell me, why do people do that?
I never I was like why yeah?
Why, guys?
Because your shoes are going toget ruined or what From school
you didn't want to ruin yourschool shoes.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
I didn't want to ruin that.
Yeah, when they go and tell mehow to flex, you know what I?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
mean oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Okay, convent girl and them.
High school girl and them.
You know it was a bunch ofpotholes.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Yeah, I know there's more traffic now in Grenada.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I haven't been in.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Terrible, terrible, terrible.
Once you touch on top LotusLane, once you touch up there,
you have traffic.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, I feel like I'm already in Grenada just talking
to you.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You're listening to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene
Humphrey.
Listen, learn and be a part ofGrenada.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
I'm Carlene and this is NotMagnation.
I'm talking to Curvin Thomas, areal green studiboon.
You know he's not.
Yes, yes, and you know you'rein Illinois.
Well, actually you saidRockford, rockford.
I know there's Rockford in NewYork too.
Anyways, rockford, I knowthere's Rockford, New York too.
Anyways, Rockford, and yeah, Isaw that video that you did on
(16:45):
that and it's interestingbecause that's what you're known
for as someone who is behindthe scenes and does a lot of,
you know, video editing.
I mean, it takes a certainskill to do that.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
That was a decent project.
I visited back home in 2020.
And while I was there, I knewwhat I wanted to do, so I just
took a day and drove around theisland Went to Granite Hang,
went to Annandale, went to BBCBeach, a lesser known beach in
Grenada, more quiet, the wateris calmer.
It's really good for kidsbecause the water is a lot
(17:21):
shallower than Grand Andes.
You know, grand Andes get allthe praise and stuff, but BBC is
the beach to go to, so thelocals go.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
You know what.
You're right.
I have to say, like I haven'tbeen to BBC, Wait a minute.
Elaborate what BBC stands for.
Is it the shore form?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Honestly, yes, I don't.
I don't know what I mean.
Yeah, most locals don't knowwhat I mean.
It's just BBC Beach, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
But where's BBC Beach ?
What is it close to?
Because I know Bathway Beach, Iknow Grand.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Anse, but Bathway Beach.
You don't want to bringchildren to Bathway Beach unless
you want to.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, because the waves are really strong.
If you're listening for thefirst time and you haven't been
to Grenada and like Kervin wassaying, grand Anse is always the
number one beach that getsmentioned you know because it's
in the city you know what I mean.
And some people, when they'revisiting Grenada for the first
time, they're most likely goingto go to the city park, you know
(18:13):
, and go to the Esplanade Malland do things in town, versus
going to the country.
Because, kervin, I got to tellyou, you know, you have a story
to tell.
I have a story to tell too,because, kirvan, I got to tell
you, you know, you have a storyto tell.
I have a story to tell too.
So last time I was in Grenada,we were having a reunion and the
reunion started off in thecountry and there's just
something about the road all theway up to Grenville.
(18:35):
It's just.
I can never get used to it.
The winding road, oh, yeah.
It does something to my stomach.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Let me tell you, because my sister will laugh
(19:07):
no-transcript granada's roadsand stuff, so yeah yeah, I just
can't I I if I yeah bbc beach isactually close to grand and so
okay, is it close to the airport?
No.
So when you're going to let'ssay you're going to Grand and
Beach, you just continue drivingstraight up the hill by where
(19:32):
Flamboyant used to be I thinkthey're renovating it now Down
to where Fantasia 2001 is andthat beach right there is BBC
Beach.
It's so quiet, it's rightbetween quarantine point, so
that little cove is just areally nice peaceful beach.
That's where most Grenadians go, you know, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I know yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
We go to Grand Isle.
We typically go to BBC Channel,some Fontenoy Beach and other
beaches on the island.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
There's so many nice beaches that you know.
I even say to my aunt I'm likeAuntie Jo, how come you never
take me to Magazine Beach?
I don't understand.
Work because I'm so close whenI'm in Grenada and I'm visiting.
My grandmother's house is soclose to Grand Isle Beach, so
obviously I'm always going there.
But Grenada has other nicebeaches that should get a little
bit more recognition.
(20:25):
You know what I mean.
Like, next time you go down,maybe that should be another
thing that you share.
You know That'd be cool, yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Because we have four different types of beaches.
I think we have the white sandbeach, pink sand, volcanic beach
and rock.
Yeah, I think we have four.
So, depending on the side ofthe island that you go, that
you're on, you could hit, I know, on the on the western side by,
like san marco area, that'sblack sandy beach, as a volcanic
(20:54):
beach is.
The southern side, have the,the white and the pink and
there's some on the northernside that has the rock.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
So, yeah, yeah, no yeah, there's, there's a lot to
do, but I mean, obviouslythere's always the top 10 and
the most recognized and you know, at least we're, we're on the
list of places to go and like alot of tourists like grenada
because it's peaceful, thepeople are nice, they're
(21:21):
friendly, you know, andobviously Curvin Thomas is.
Grenadian right.
I'm Grenadian.
That's why we're here, that'swhy we're talking and we're
going to do a segue a little bitbefore we get back to you.
But tonight is.
Monday night carnival and it'sMonday night, mass and Curvin,
(21:41):
because you're a local and youknow everything about Carnival
season.
You know Grenada Spice Mass haspicked up.
I think it's got a bigger vibe,like even on YouTube, like
there's a lot of people that aregoing to Grenada.
It's a popular time to go downto the island, you know what I
mean.
That's why a lot of people goto Grenada it's for Carnival
(22:04):
right yep, yep, and what what's?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
what's funny is that there was actually a rivalry
between trinidad and grenada, uh, for who had the best carnival?
And trinidad has the biggestbecause they have more people,
but grenada has the bestcarnival in the in the world, in
the caribbean, because ourmusic just have a vibe, like
it's.
It's just a vibe because wereally kind of condensed it to
(22:28):
the Jab Jab.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Oh, I love the Jab Jab.
I love the Jab Jab.
Yes, they've, they've created aculture.
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Like the.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Jab Jab culture, like the social media presence, the
amount of work they put into thecostume, everything it's taken
off.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
And what's funny is that actually started back in
the 80s where the band MossInternational, when they sang
Jabalassi Rule.
Let's talk about roots, let'stalk about tradition.
You know they were the onesthat really introduced conch
shell.
So the poop, poop, poop.
You know they were the onesthat really introduced that.
Dominica picked up on it.
(23:05):
They sang what kind of fishyday.
That was the rhythm of the song,but they had the shell in it
too.
But Grenada was the one thatoriginally brought the shell and
we in the 80s and 90s we haddifferent bands.
We had the devils or blue,devil, green.
The green devil, or alien Alien, was primarily like Jongle,
(23:27):
belmont area, those those areas.
They were the, they were thegreen devils, they were the
aliens.
Jab Jab was pretty small duringthe 90s and early 2000s.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I feel like when I was talking to a colleague of
mine about, you know, spice Maskand the origin of Carnival,
that I think the one thing thatGrenada does that is different
is that we stick to thetraditional costumes, yeah Right
, and the one you like.
You said Jab Jab started in the90s and it's still very popular
(23:59):
now and very prolific, but alsoShortney.
Shortney Shortening yeah, likeyou don't see it a lot in
mainstream carnival now, like Iremember seeing it as a kid and
like, visually speaking, I couldstill see shortening now
because they made an impact theyhave.
(24:20):
You know what I mean.
It's the way that it's done andthat it's consistently done in
Grenada, like they didn't stopdoing jab jab.
You're talking about the, sohold that thought.
So you're talking about a jabjab.
And even one of the artists Idon't know it wasn't this year
that she came out with the song,I think it was last year, but
it's called crocus bag yes, andI had to look up what it meant
(24:42):
because I was like what's acrock of bag?
No, no.
But I learned through the songwhat it is.
But you know, getting back towhat you said with Jab Jab, and
you were talking about theculture, right?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So yeah, yeah.
So with Jab Jab Short Knee andShort Kneney, it's very much a
call and answer.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
They would have a leader and the leader would make
a call and then the rest of theband would answer.
Shortney was very much thenoise, so they had the bells,
they had the stuff that jinglesand they would dance and powder.
That's where the term it can'tplay mass and freight powder
come from, because Shortneywould always have powder.
Shaking powder come frombecause shortening would always
(25:25):
have powder shaken, making thishuge cloud, and they used to go
through our villages and like,do that chant and stuff?
I was afraid of shortening whenI was, when I was younger yeah,
that's what I was saying.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
It's shortening is scary like I I can relate with
that, like as a kid.
I still remember because, like,I left grenada when I was young
.
But if we're talking aboutCarnival, I remember them and I
remember I don't know if it waswith my mom or my aunt and I'm
holding on because I'm like,because they're coming after me,
they come with a partner, likethey're there, that's what
(25:55):
they're known for scaring you inthat way and it's kind of like
it's Carnival, but it's kind oflike Halloween at the same time,
because I was, yeah same time,because I'm like it was yeah,
jab jab, like you're scared ofjab, jab jab.
They're not friendly either, Imean like what they represent
you know like if we're talkingabout meaning, but it is so well
choreographed, the video, thestop, it's like you said,
(26:15):
they're going around likecarnival.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
It's all about the lead-up yeah, I mean this week's
carn, but yeah, I was big intothe lead up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, I didn't even realize how big.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Jab Jab, jabolassi.
Jab Jab is just a shortenedversion of Jabolassi, and
Jabolassi means the devil inmolasses.
And where that came from isduring slavery days, when
slavery was abolished and theslaves actually ran through the
streets.
They covered themselves inmolasses to enhance their
(26:46):
blackness and they ran throughthe streets with chains and like
machetes, or we call it cutlass.
Back home, and when we coverourselves with oil, it's
portraying the same thing.
The reason why they coverthemselves with molasses is
because it was something thataffected the slave owners.
It was an expensive thing, soit's like we're free, you know,
(27:08):
so we're just going to use thisthing.
And when we cover ourselveswith oil, it's for the same
reason to enhance our blacknessand show that we're strong.
We're powerful and we're black.
We're proudly black.
And the chains is to show thatyou know, we're done with this,
we're no longer in chains.
The horn is to show them thatyou know, you call us devils,
(27:28):
but we're proud, despite of thedeprivation that you try to put
us through.
The red food coloring with asmoke, herring in the mouth is
just all like to enhance ourlook.
Because they're afraid of us.
You know, let's just put ithonestly.
They were afraid of us.
You know, let's just put ithonestly, they were afraid of us
so they tried everything tobelittle us.
So now that we were free, wewere just trying to enhance our
(27:50):
look.
They were like oh, you're black, big lips and all that stuff.
So the red food coloring is tomake our lips look even brighter
and the old engine oil is justto make us look even blacker.
And grenada is not the only onethat does that, but we're the
one that does it in suchvastness.
Because in the in the late 90s,amidst all the other devils the
(28:12):
blue devil, red devil, greendevil jab jab was still small.
Jab jab was predominantly incertain areas.
Pedmortown, saint david's areawas predominantly the Jab-Jab
nation of Grenada, to be honest.
And then you had the WildIndian.
You had the Veko, which ispredominantly in St Mark.
It's a craft that is handeddown so it's not well known
(28:33):
throughout the nation.
There's certain craft makers inSt Mark that makes Veko.
It wasn't until the mid-2000swhen Talpree started really
promoting Jab-Jab, becausebefore Jab-Jab Topri was big
into Wild Indian, big into WildIndian.
And then he came in and he Ican't remember Old Woman Alone
when he sang Old Woman Alone OldWoman Alone was a Jab-Jab.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
For those that don't know, that song Old Woman Alone
Like that is so popular, likehow that is so popular, like how
are?
We taking home?
Are we taking home oh?
Speaker 1 (29:09):
man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man,
oh man, oh man oh man, oh man,oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man,
oh man.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Hey this guy, how did you make a song about doo-doo
and make it?
Speaker 3 (29:27):
interesting.
Just like you know, I'd ratherfall in love than oh my goodness
.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And like the music video too.
Like you know, it's so catchy,but I was like yeah, big up
Slata.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
and X-Bird Big up Slata.
Yes, definitely Slata.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
You know, you really went through like I don't know
the creative ideas, like that'ssome of these ideas.
You know what I mean.
And he's the only one like thatis on a garbage truck.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
In one of his I was like really Slata, like I mean,
it's different, it is you knowwhat I mean, but that's all part
of in Grenada, that's all partof like the jab jab culture.
That's all part of like the jabjab culture because it's very,
it's very much taken, yeah, andidioms and stuff that we have
locally and turning it into asong, you know.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
But do you do you think we're talking about the
jab jab culture and how it hasjust exploded?
Exploded over a short period oftime.
It's, you know, every year justgets bigger and bigger.
But do you feel, like you knowhow they say, like you said,
like we're talking about, evenlike your mom said to you, she
doesn't want you to be aCalypsonian because she doesn't
(30:36):
want you to.
You know, get into thatlifestyle, because once you're a
music artist, there's a certainthing about in music and the
kind of lifestyle you have.
So, getting back to the jab,okay, so that's the idea there,
and so where I'm going with thisis jab jab.
It's not.
It doesn't have a positivemessage, it's more on the darker
(30:57):
side.
You believe that there's thathidden message, because we're
going back in history with jabjab and how it's known for being
associated with the devil, thedevil's horn, the devil, like
you know, in society today, youknow, we have Christians and we
do believe in the afterlife, andthen there's those that think
(31:18):
that the devil is alwaystempting us to do things that
are wrong.
And so carnival is, you know, acelebration, but it's also, you
know, you've got Jab Jabculture and Jab Jab is, you know
, jab Jab is not wearing brightcolors.
They're not wearing brightcolors that symbolize a positive
.
You know what I mean?
(31:38):
It's a bit of both.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
So, like I said, the black is to enhance our black
skin and the devil horn is toshow them.
Yes, you call us devils, butwe're going to own it.
You know, it's like somebodygoing to growing up and going to
school.
In GBSS there were three kindsof people.
There was people that coulddish out the insults, but they
(32:03):
could never take it, so theywould get angry if you insulted
them.
There were people that wouldtake the insults, but they could
never take it, so they wouldget angry if you insulted them.
There were people that wouldtake the insults, but they could
never dish it out becausethey're not good at rebuttals.
And then you had people thatcould give and take, so you
could throw talk for them theentire time and they would just
give you and give you and giveyou.
What I've learned from thatexperience is if you insult me
and I agree with you I just tookaway your power, right?
(32:25):
So if you call me black andugly and a devil, right, and I
cover myself in old oil and Iput a helmet on with devil horns
on it, you have no other insultto throw at me, not one,
because I just showed you howpowerful I am, because you tried
to insult me and I'm like well,this is what you said I am and
I agree with you.
Know what I mean.
This is who I am.
(32:45):
Yes, I am black and I'm likewell, this is what you said I am
, and I agree with you.
Know what I mean?
This is who I am.
Yes, I am Black and I'm a devil, so I'm a Wimahant.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
It's kind of like it's in life.
You know, we're always, there'salways going to be people who
are going to provoke you.
They're going to try and get inyour way.
There's always going to bepeople and you know the Jab
Whatever it's known for inhistory doesn't mean that that's
necessarily what they're doingnow.
But as far as culture isconcerned, grenada has left an
(33:13):
impact, definitely through SpiceMass, and it's exciting.
You know what I mean.
It's like I haven't been back ina while, but when I went to
Grenada years ago, like it'sbeen like over 10 years now.
But when I went back, you knowjust Carnival itself, the
respect for the masqueraders andthe fact that you know, in
(33:34):
North America it doesn'tnecessarily work the same way.
People aren't always lettingyou perform in costume.
You know what I mean.
I go on and on, but I'm justsaying for me it gave me a
different look on how people aresupposed to behave during
Carnival, like let the peoplewho paid for their costume enjoy
themselves, you know.
But even still, monday NightMass, I think out of everything,
(33:56):
I was like it's a differentthing.
I haven't seen it here inToronto and you know, carabana
here in Toronto is a big, likeit brings on a lot of people,
like a lot of people visitToronto during that time.
But I still feel, like you said, between Trinidad and Grenada,
like we're neighbors and weobviously know how to throw a
good party.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Yeah, Monday night I told my wife I was like, if we
ever go to visit around Carnivaltime, Monday Night Mass is like
the best introduction toCarnival, because it's more
organized, it's like being in arave kind of, because it's all
you know, you have the DJ on thetruck telling you like, give
instructions, and they havecheckpoints throughout the trip.
(34:38):
So you start down Grand Lens,by Wall Street, by the
Roundabout, and then you go allthe way to the Caranage.
So it's a long trek, right, butyou have drinks, you have the
music going, the music pumping,and Monday Night Mass is a night
where you could tell as aspectator which song is going to
(35:01):
win Roadmatch.
Oh yeah, hands down, it's themost popular song and I'm going
to throw my hat in the ring.
Yes, who is it?
Who are?
It's a popular song I want tothrow my hat in the ring.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yes, who is it?
Who are you calling this year?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
The guy's name is Soka ET.
I think he's from Cherryville,which is kind of southwestern
side, but it's 473 in the westIndies yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Well, I want to say, since we're bigging up everybody
, I want to big up Tris.
Tris, I hope you're still goingto come on the show.
Tris is a new artist as well.
He's very young and I've beenfollowing him and, yeah, he's
doing well.
So I think, like you said, themusic it's.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Yeah, Grenada has a lot of good.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Grenada yeah, we have a lot of good artists.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
A lot of good producers.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Big producers, yeah, big Up Adigan who's in Canada.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Yeah, Big Up Sandman, who's been doing his thing.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Big Up Expert and Carol and Big Up Mr Killer.
I hope you know.
Yes, he's always very humbleand you know those dance moves.
They never get old.
You know what I mean?
That guy is doing everythinghe's like singing dancing.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
You know the one that actually started the whole.
Well, not music video, but likethe video introduction for Soka
Monark, he's the one thatstarted that.
Yeah.
For him.
You know people would do theirlittle skit and stuff.
But no, he did one and afterthat, like everybody, just
started doing it yeah, yeah,film my movie, film, my movie.
Yeah, I think that was a song.
(36:27):
He started that yeah, big up,big up.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
He songs Saki, is you remember Beast the Calypsonian?
Speaker 2 (36:34):
There's this one artist oh my gosh, he's very
young and, yeah, you know thesong Six Runs, six Runs, six
Runs.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Six Runs yes.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I mean they're even coming in.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
So obviously that song came outmaybe a year or two ago, but
anyways, it was so catchy for meand I'm like what that's a
Grenadian Good for him, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, but tonight is big and then tomorrow they have
the fancy mask.
That's why all the Grenadiandesigners would say their
designs and stuff.
We just have a ton of creative,innovative people.
Man.
I'm always proud to see thecostumes and stuff that they
come out with.
My favorite is Old Mass.
That's where people like youand I would actually take in it
(37:22):
and we would come out withdesigns ourselves it's very
funny, but I would poke fun ofthe government by the way.
Like, just by the way, thatdress symbolizes something that
happened in the government andstuff.
So just to kind of put it inperspective, it would be like
somebody dressing up like DonaldTrump and they have like you
know, oh right, right, yes.
(37:45):
Yes, it would have, like thisplacard oh right, right, yes,
yes, it would have like thisplacard.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Oh, it's like a spectacle.
So Grenada has this thing.
I don't know exactly what youcall it, but it's like a
political site, maybe, like I'veseen it at Jews, is it the
carnival, like the parade itself, or Juve morning?
I find Juve morning they do ittoo.
Where the mind my French.
But I remember this onepolitical statement where the
(38:09):
guy said pussy will kill a man.
And my goodness, I shouldn'teven be saying that.
but remember that oh, my gosh,steven, you remember that?
Yes, and I asked my aunt I waslike auntie joe, how come that's
?
Why, she's like there's areason there's a story, there's
a story behind that.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Yeah, it was actually a guy.
It was actually a guy.
His nickname was Pussy.
No way, yeah, wow, he killedthe hornet man.
Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah, we tellstories and everything,
everything, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Yeah, yeah, look at that.
We've just went down the, the,the history, and like just the
stories that come up in Carnival, you know, and all the
excitement and the memories,because you remember and I left
when I was young too but westill remember being scared by
short, short knee.
If you're hearing this, I'mstill scared of you.
You know what I mean.
I shown Sharni.
If you're hearing this, I'mstill scared of you.
(39:06):
You know what I mean.
You know carnival, like yousaid, the, the mass you were
talking about those masks thatpeople make.
But what's exciting is that Ijust read this so the underwater
sculpture museum, we have thefirst one that was created in
2006, and kudos to Karakul.
(39:28):
You know it's unfortunate, whathappened, the hurricane that
happened, that just changed thewhole.
You know the little.
The island itself, karakul'slike got 10, about probably
10,000 people.
But the fact that they're goingto be creating a sculpture
museum for you know Karakul, andit's amazing.
(39:48):
I'm just just like, oh my gosh,caracoo is gonna get, you know,
a little underwater haven, it's, you know it's amazing,
especially around sandy island,which is has been rated as one
of the best northland in theworld.
One of them.
Yeah, oh, in the world, wow 100yeah yeah, yeah, I mean I spoke
to the creator.
He's amazing.
I mean, grenada allowed him todo a lot that he wasn't allowed
(40:12):
to do.
Like people don't realize thatthe reef is a living thing.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
And the particles actually would attach to stuff
under the water.
So having those sculpturesplaced in that particular
location it's in Dragon Bay justby a mauling, there it's
enclosed, it's a cove, so it'swell protected from any waves,
from any natural disaster thathappens, and the reef would
actually be able to establishitself.
(40:53):
I've been snorkeling there.
I free dive that area.
It's freaky oh is it.
Oh, okay, yeah, when you diveunderwater and you just go
around the tail like this isweird, like why are there
sculptures on the hair?
This is.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
I should be here.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
It feels weird yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
No, you know what?
Because it's different, it'sout of the ordinary and because
he created Grenada's firstunderwater world.
It kind of led the way to otherunderwater worlds and you know,
I feel like Kervin, you got tocome back and we got to talk
more, because you are a greatmind to talk to and I love your
(41:34):
passion for creating stories.
And you know, tell me, fromwhen you were a child, do you
have a memory that has helpedyou create this vision?
Because I think, for me, Iremember why I think I liked
radio so much.
There's a memory I have, but doyou have a memory or something
(41:55):
that made you realize that youlike creating stories?
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Oh, that that would have to be from like, since I
was like a kid, since I couldwrite, I would write stories, I
would write.
Oh yeah, I used to do a lot ofpoetry and stuff when I was
growing up and fast forward tomy teenage years.
One of my friends had a Sonycamera and it could record video
.
So we used to every time wewent on the beach we used to
(42:23):
like record stuff like fightscenes and all that stuff run
through the mall and just, youknow, be boys.
I tell one of my friends allthe time, if we knew how big
YouTube would have been like, wewould have capitalized on that
ever since, because we used tomake a lot of content and there
wasn't really anywhere to put it.
Yeah, so I got into music, intowriting songs and stuff
(42:47):
producing, so I've just beenblessed to be around a lot of
other creative people.
I think that's the one thing Ireally appreciate about going to
GBSS for, because there's justa ton of creative, a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
GBSS.
Let me tell you GBSS obviouslyis a great school.
Some great teachers.
When did you go there?
Speaker 3 (43:09):
I went there between 96 and 2001.
So wow, yeah, yeah, 96 to 200196.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
I mean, when I think of 96, a lot had happened in 96.
The olympics was in atlanta anddonovan bailey you know yeah
about anything that washappening outside oh, okay, okay
, that, okay, that's where weknow we're across the border.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah .
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Kervin yes, kervin is in the USA.
You were just talking about howyou're like, yeah, have you
been across?
Have you been here?
Have you been to Toronto?
Speaker 3 (43:46):
I haven't been to Canada yet.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Okay, don't knock it until you try here to can't have
you been to toronto.
I haven't been to canada.
Okay, don't knock it till youtry it or don't knock it.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
You know it's ominous I actually have a family in in
british columbia, victoria okay,well, that's a little bit away
from me, that's on yes, I'm inontario.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
it's been a pleasure talking to you about Carnival
and what you do, so if anyone islooking for you on social media
because that's what we'redealing with how can they find
you?
Speaker 3 (44:16):
You could just go to my website, wwwtravelingmackocom
, and from there you'll find allmy social links.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Yeah, because he knows you like that.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Yeah, half of them.
I'm teasing you.
So what I can say is theTraveling Mako.
Did I say it right?
I said it wrong.
Traveling Mako.
I can't.
Anyways, what we have to sayabout your brand is that,
traveling, you like to travelthrough people's stories and you
like to create a story, andhere we are creating a story
(44:54):
right now and hopefully, if youare listening, you've learned
something about Grenadianculture, because this is not
magnation egg nation and I feelthat you know the whole point of
this show is to help share withyou and the rest of the world
that we're a spice island, butwe're also a community of people
(45:15):
that you know.
We've done a lot, we've createda lot and we're still going and
we're still sharing with theworld.
You know what I mean.
It's it.
All it takes is one person andit's it, and it's amazing how
humble a lot of Grenadians are.
I have to say, like we are anation in that way, right.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
Yeah, awesome, well said.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
Well said, thank you.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carlene
Humphrey.
Welcome to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene Humphrey.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hi, I'm Carlene and this is Nutmeg Nation.
I have with me a fellowGrenadian.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Oh, greetings to the world, you know.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes, yes, it's a small world.
You know what I mean.
But let's do our introduction.
His name is Kervin Thomas.
He is Grenadian.
He's also a digital contentcreator, a video editor.
He's well-versed in a couple ofthings.
Well, I mean, you can tell memore in detail what Traveling
(00:39):
Mako means?
I know from what you saidtraveling through people's
stories.
Right, that's your story.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
So it's actually funny.
The name came when I reallystarted to like dive deep into
audio production and videoproduction and stuff.
And I was looking for a name.
And I spoke to one of my bestfriends from since I was young
Samuel or Gilvey and I was like,yeah, I'm looking for a name
for for a company.
And he's like, okay, well, whatare you?
And I was like, yeah, I'mlooking for a name for a company
.
And he's like, okay, well, whatare you thinking?
(01:06):
I was like, well, you know, wedo a lot of travels.
I want to vlog.
You know, I want to capturewhen my wife and I travel and
stuff.
And I want something that hasto do with Grenada.
You know, something inherentlyCaribbean, inherently Grenadian.
And he was like, well, why areyou doing something like Mako?
I was like, ah, I was liketraveling Mako.
(01:27):
And I was like that doesn'tsound too professional.
And he's like it doesn't haveto sound professional.
It encapsulates everything Iwant to do.
So that's how traveling Makocame to be.
It's actually a conversationstarter Because people is like
you know what's Mako?
Well, most Americans will sayMako.
It's like what's Mako?
I was like no, it's Mako.
Like what's that?
I was like it's somebody that'salways in people's business.
(01:51):
So when I travel I would meetpeople and like ask them you
know, how'd you get here?
Like what brought you here?
And you know, it really kind offit in with the traveling Mako
stuff.
So when I actually startedinitially, I would interview
people that was not originallyfrom the Rockford area that's
where I currently live now and Iwould ask them like you know,
what brought you to Rockford andstuff.
(02:11):
So that's what got me into notreally podcasting, but it was
just like interviews wherepeople could talk about
themselves and share theirjourney and stuff.
Because I'm always interestedin people's journey.
And that kind of got shut downwith COVID and then it just
moved into more of a backgroundkind of work.
So I would have right.
Currently I help otherbusinesses that get a podcast
(02:33):
started, get their social mediagoing and stuff.
So I do more of the backgroundwork than actually the front end
stuff.
So that's this is where I'mmore comfortable in the shadows.
So that's.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
This is where I'm more comfortable in the shadows.
No-transcript.
(03:08):
So, yeah, it's like people backhome and say why are you so
nosy?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't know the people business.
They use that Mako.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, but the thing is in the Caribbean, people are
always in your business.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Grenada is a small island, right, and I see that
you're wearing a t-shirtrepresenting yes.
So, um, speaking of grenada,and actually let's start from
the beginning, because you'retalking about the name of your
brand- right and someone helpedyou create your brand and
(03:41):
someone helped me too.
So nice, not magnation.
Um, I'm pretty sure there's.
It's been used other places orwhatever.
But someone said to me this isa colleague, his name is Phil,
and I met him when I was atHumber college when I was
studying radio, and I always hadthis idea for this podcast.
It just took COVID to kind ofcreate the idea and streamline
(04:06):
and and think, do all theresearch.
You know what I mean.
And he's the one that was likenot magnation, like like what's
on the flag.
I'm like not meg, and he's likenot magnation, I'm like that's a
good name yeah you know what Imean, because I I'm not good
with names, but I was like Ilike that because it is.
It encompasses what grenade isall about.
It's a small community ofpeople 100,000 people but we're
(04:27):
a nation and I feel like a lotof people from Grenada are so
humble they really are yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, I mean, you know we don't have all the
resources that bigger countrieshave, but you know, we know how
to be resilient, we know how touse the resources that we have
in every capacity.
Let me give you a story.
So I found sorrel in asupermarket and I decided I
would make sorrel.
And after I got done making thesorrel, I still had the stuff
(04:57):
in the pot.
So I remember my mom when I wasyounger.
She would use that and cook itdown with sugar and make jelly,
but most people would just throwit away.
You know, but we, because ofyou know, trying to use
everything that we had to maxcapacity.
Then we just knew how to makestuff out of everything that we
(05:19):
have so that we're not wasteful.
So, yeah, that just you know.
Yeah, grenadians are a veryresourceful people.
We make it anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yes, we do.
We do what we can.
I guess it makes us resilient.
I feel like even just gettinghere, you know what I mean.
Like I think you said you'reinterested in people's stories
and I think you're really goodat telling stories too, you know
what I mean.
You have your story to tell andthrough your stories and
through your journey it probablyhelps enlighten others.
(05:49):
Like even the story like it'snot even like a, it's not like a
big story yet to tell, but it'ssomething small, like sorrow.
But I'm pretty sure ifsomeone's from the Caribbean and
they don't even have to be fromGrenada they could be from
Jamaica, because Jamaicans makesorrel too.
Yeah, Trinidad you know they'relike thinking about sorrel like
that, and I'm like wait a minute, I didn't know you could make
(06:10):
sorrel like.
Eat jelly with sorrel, you knowwhat I mean.
Or maybe you could even make anice flavored snow cone too.
You know what I mean.
Put some sorrel on top of that,right.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
It's just knowing, like I don't know.
It's like we have this innateability to to know what to use
and when to use it.
You know, it's like you cookand it's like it misses
something and I just just put alittle this in it and then when
you put out, it's like boom, youknow the meal, it just fire,
you know, you know, yeah, yeah,so this thing you talk a little
(06:41):
bit about your background andhow your parents are musicians,
but you don't necessarily havethat music background because
you're talking about your mommaking sorrow right, and so when
we talk about stories like if Ialways say this, I'm never
going to stop saying it, it'slike it's not where you're going
(07:01):
, it's where you came from, andwhere you came from kind of
helped you become who you are,right.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And so why do you think you never really followed
in their path?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Because I can't sing.
Oh, so they're singers.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Okay, I thought they played like instruments, like
what did your mom do?
Your mom was a singer.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, my mom sings.
My dad is a guitarist, he playsa guitar things.
My dad is a guitarist, he playsthe guitar and he used to be a
calypso and big time calypsoback in the 90s and OK tell me
who this is.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
His name was Upgrader .
Speaker 3 (07:35):
A lot of, a lot of during the time when I was in
school and stuff like that wasmy nickname To this day some
people still meet me and call meUpgrader but he had this one
song back in like 95, 96.
It's like give them cat, theygo talk.
Oh, it's cat they want.
Give them cat, they go talk.
Yeah, so that just likefollowed me.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Oh, my God, I hated it.
Oh no, and you know what?
With Calypso, it's like all youneed is two words.
Yeah, you don't want to jumpthe line.
Know what with with?
With calypso, it's like all youneed is two words.
Yeah, you know, and you canjust put a song together.
You know, I'm like how manywords are?
You always listen to the wordsand you're like how many words
did they put together to createthis song?
Like even war donkey.
(08:16):
Well, you know, yeah, you know,but yeah, you know what you
don't?
You said you can't sing.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
No, I don't sing.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
No, but you are given the gift from them in a way,
because without the engineer,without the editor, like without
the background, you don'treally have like it takes a lot.
Like if you look at a musician,they have a, they have people
in the background making themsound good, like you're the
person that helps create thesound.
You know what I mean, whetherit's from the beginning, when
they are writing the lyrics oryou're singing or you're helping
, you know, create the album,produce the album.
Like the background stuff.
I mean it doesn't get as muchrecognition as it does all the
(08:59):
time, but those things areimportant, like in film and in
life and in music.
It's like who wrote the lyricsto the song or who Like?
I mean you know what I mean.
It's like those lyrics, likeyou know what I mean, did he
like?
It's just like did, did yourdad, mr Upgrader, write the
lyrics to that song or didsomebody else just put it
(09:20):
together?
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
He wrote it.
Let me blow your mind a littlebit, a little bit more, so you
remember the song um the bigtruck come and let it come.
The big truck come and let itcome from around 20 oh, 2015,
2016 okay okay, uh, bobby, saysmy uncle what's the oh?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
so everyone's thomas, or?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
no, no, uh, so wait a minute.
There's a thomas?
No, no, wait a minute.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
There's a Thomas I met, but I don't know if you
guys are related, james, me, isit?
I mean there's a lot of Thomas,right?
Yeah, there are a lot, yeah,yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Bowen.
On my mother's side it's aBowen.
So Bowen I'm related to On mydad's side is Thomas O'Geese.
So I'm related to my dad's sideis Thomas O'Geese.
So I'm actually Blackadan is mycousin Like you know how people
say yeah, I'm a cousin.
Now Blackadan is actually mycousin, cousin Like my father,
(10:19):
nephew, my aunt's son.
You know, black two dollarbread.
I'm a cousin.
So music running my family.
You know music, music and artrun in my family.
I just took a different routewith it.
I used to like writing.
When I was growing up.
I loved writing dancehall music, hip hop.
Never wrote a calypso, neverwrote soca.
They wanted me to do it.
When I was in school, becauseI'm a dad, my mom, who was a
(10:41):
strong Christian woman, was likeyou are not getting into
Calypso and Soka.
I was like, ok, cool, and I'mnot doing it.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
You're such a good son.
You listen to your mom.
You're like no, I'm going towrite you weren't a rebel, you
weren't like.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Nah, I'm not listening to her, I'm going to
write some lyrics, you know.
What's funny is actually I wentto school with a lot of the
well-established, well socaartists.
Now, like Letanati, I went toschool with Letanati.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So question we didn't talk about this, but where are
you now?
You are not in Grenada, you areobviously in the the us and I'm
here in canada right I'm in uhin rockford, illinois.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
That's just outside chicago.
They went to, went to school ingbss, so oh my goodness, harani
james went to gbss.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
A lot of people went there, you know yeah yeah, big
up lindon, victor for gettingthat yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
It says the Moragi spirit, as we all call it.
You know what I mean.
Yeah, big them, big them, man,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So how old were you when you left Grenada?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I left Grenada when I was 29, actually.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Oh, okay.
Okay, you know, the accentdidn't leave you.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It's still there.
I tell people I come here, Icome here too old for the accent
to leave me.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Yeah, no, but it's.
I love it, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I'm conforming to the US accent.
I will not.
I refuse.
I would talk bad aboutAmericans right in their face
and they wouldn't understandwhat I'm saying.
Why would I want to give thatup?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
though, yeah, yeah, tell me why I go give that up.
Oh, my goodness, but you leftwhen you were 29.
I left granada when I was six,so I am, I'm canadian.
I tell people, you know, likehere it's they still, you know,
because you're caribbean or it'sall about where you were born,
or where you grew up, or orwhere your parents were born,
right?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
so I just tell people I was like what, what makes you
caribbean or grenadian orwhatever is?
If you used to run through thecocoa when it was little, if it
didn't used to oh, it didn'tused to do that, then nah, you
can't you can't see.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Wow, oh my goodness, you're bringing it back.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I love it, yeah dog and and climbing mango tree and
skin of tree and them kind ofthing.
So it's like you can't talkabout the.
You know you can't talk aboutthat, so you know.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Oh my gosh, yes, yeah , you're bringing it back.
You know what?
I don't remember a lot, but Ido remember.
I do remember Tamarind balltree, I don't know Like running
through the.
I remember, yeah, climbing thetree, causing trouble.
I was a troublemaker from timeand I remember like recess or
(13:27):
what do they call it back home,but break time Same thing, right
.
So, anyways, you know how youget money for your bus fare and
for your snack, right, and therewere some good snacks.
Let me tell you Curvin.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Oh my goodness, One time, Curvin, you know what?
I didn't even save my bus fare.
I used all my money on myrecess snack and I didn't have
money to get home.
Wow, I got so much of it I hadto ask.
I don't know what.
I think I had to ask.
I don't remember who.
I was so young I think I waslike I was five or six and I had
(14:00):
to ask for help to get home.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
So yeah, Nah, I had to ask for help to get home.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So, yeah, I probably would have to sell something or
do something to get back themoney to make it home.
But I was too young, I didn'teven know what I was going to do
.
I was like they gave me the busfare, but I think I got in
trouble.
When I got home they're likewhy did you spend your?
We gave you the money for both.
You know such a troublemaker,but yeah, you know, and so you
(14:26):
used to climb trees.
Huh yeah, 100% man.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I used to especially them cashew tree on them that
never tree on them.
I used to climb to the top andthe breeze go be swaying.
I just on top of it, eating the, eating the cashew hunting,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You're talking as if that was yesterday.
You know those are fun memories.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah yeah, I grew up in the Bocas, st Paul, so that
is just before library.
So big up Dash Another GBHS fanfor winning the Soka Monarch
this year.
Big up, big up, big up library.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
All right, all right.
All right, all right, all right.
Yes, so I haven't met anyonefrom your parish, I'm from grad.
Like I grew up in granite, mymom, my grandmother's house is
by the foliage, close to wherethe old texaco gas station used
to be yeah, yeah yeah, so, yeah,so tell.
(15:19):
For those who don't know aboutyour parish, tell them, tell
them, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I grew up more in the bush.
You grew up on a nice road andthing.
I grew up with a bunch ofpothole and you had to walk with
two pair of shoes.
You know, want to get throughthe road and then want to change
when you reach up by the mainroad.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Tell me, why do people do that?
I never.
I was like why, yeah, becauseroad.
Tell me, why do people do that?
I never I was like why yeah?
Why, guys?
Because your shoes are going toget ruined or what From school
you didn't want to ruin yourschool shoes.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
I didn't want to ruin that.
Yeah, when they go and tell mehow to flex, you know what I?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
mean oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Okay, convent girl and them.
High school girl and them.
You know it was a bunch ofpotholes.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Yeah, I know there's more traffic now in Grenada.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I haven't been in.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Terrible, terrible, terrible.
Once you touch on top LotusLane, once you touch up there,
you have traffic.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, I feel like I'm already in Grenada just talking
to you.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You're listening to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene
Humphrey.
Listen, learn and be a part ofGrenada.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
I'm Carlene and this is NotMagnation.
I'm talking to Curvin Thomas, areal green studiboon.
You know he's not.
Yes, yes, and you know you'rein Illinois.
Well, actually you saidRockford, rockford.
I know there's Rockford in NewYork too.
Anyways, rockford, I knowthere's Rockford, New York too.
Anyways, Rockford, and yeah, Isaw that video that you did on
(16:45):
that and it's interestingbecause that's what you're known
for as someone who is behindthe scenes and does a lot of,
you know, video editing.
I mean, it takes a certainskill to do that.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
That was a decent project.
I visited back home in 2020.
And while I was there, I knewwhat I wanted to do, so I just
took a day and drove around theisland Went to Granite Hang,
went to Annandale, went to BBCBeach, a lesser known beach in
Grenada, more quiet, the wateris calmer.
It's really good for kidsbecause the water is a lot
(17:21):
shallower than Grand Andes.
You know, grand Andes get allthe praise and stuff, but BBC is
the beach to go to, so thelocals go.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
You know what.
You're right.
I have to say, like I haven'tbeen to BBC, Wait a minute.
Elaborate what BBC stands for.
Is it the shore form?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Honestly, yes, I don't.
I don't know what I mean.
Yeah, most locals don't knowwhat I mean.
It's just BBC Beach, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
But where's BBC Beach ?
What is it close to?
Because I know Bathway Beach, Iknow Grand.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Anse, but Bathway Beach.
You don't want to bringchildren to Bathway Beach unless
you want to.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, because the waves are really strong.
If you're listening for thefirst time and you haven't been
to Grenada and like Kervin wassaying, grand Anse is always the
number one beach that getsmentioned you know because it's
in the city you know what I mean.
And some people, when they'revisiting Grenada for the first
time, they're most likely goingto go to the city park, you know
(18:13):
, and go to the Esplanade Malland do things in town, versus
going to the country.
Because, kervin, I got to tellyou, you know, you have a story
to tell.
I have a story to tell too,because, kirvan, I got to tell
you, you know, you have a storyto tell.
I have a story to tell too.
So last time I was in Grenada,we were having a reunion and the
reunion started off in thecountry and there's just
something about the road all theway up to Grenville.
(18:35):
It's just.
I can never get used to it.
The winding road, oh, yeah.
It does something to my stomach.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Let me tell you, because my sister will laugh
(19:07):
no-transcript granada's roadsand stuff, so yeah yeah, I just
can't I I if I yeah bbc beach isactually close to grand and so
okay, is it close to the airport?
No.
So when you're going to let'ssay you're going to Grand and
Beach, you just continue drivingstraight up the hill by where
(19:32):
Flamboyant used to be I thinkthey're renovating it now Down
to where Fantasia 2001 is andthat beach right there is BBC
Beach.
It's so quiet, it's rightbetween quarantine point, so
that little cove is just areally nice peaceful beach.
That's where most Grenadians go, you know, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I know yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
We go to Grand Isle.
We typically go to BBC Channel,some Fontenoy Beach and other
beaches on the island.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
There's so many nice beaches that you know.
I even say to my aunt I'm likeAuntie Jo, how come you never
take me to Magazine Beach?
I don't understand.
Work because I'm so close whenI'm in Grenada and I'm visiting.
My grandmother's house is soclose to Grand Isle Beach, so
obviously I'm always going there.
But Grenada has other nicebeaches that should get a little
bit more recognition.
(20:25):
You know what I mean.
Like, next time you go down,maybe that should be another
thing that you share.
You know That'd be cool, yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Because we have four different types of beaches.
I think we have the white sandbeach, pink sand, volcanic beach
and rock.
Yeah, I think we have four.
So, depending on the side ofthe island that you go, that
you're on, you could hit, I know, on the on the western side by,
like san marco area, that'sblack sandy beach, as a volcanic
(20:54):
beach is.
The southern side, have the,the white and the pink and
there's some on the northernside that has the rock.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
So, yeah, yeah, no yeah, there's, there's a lot to
do, but I mean, obviouslythere's always the top 10 and
the most recognized and you know, at least we're, we're on the
list of places to go and like alot of tourists like grenada
because it's peaceful, thepeople are nice, they're
(21:21):
friendly, you know, andobviously Curvin Thomas is.
Grenadian right.
I'm Grenadian.
That's why we're here, that'swhy we're talking and we're
going to do a segue a little bitbefore we get back to you.
But tonight is.
Monday night carnival and it'sMonday night, mass and Curvin,
(21:41):
because you're a local and youknow everything about Carnival
season.
You know Grenada Spice Mass haspicked up.
I think it's got a bigger vibe,like even on YouTube, like
there's a lot of people that aregoing to Grenada.
It's a popular time to go downto the island, you know what I
mean.
That's why a lot of people goto Grenada it's for Carnival
(22:04):
right yep, yep, and what what's?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
what's funny is that there was actually a rivalry
between trinidad and grenada, uh, for who had the best carnival?
And trinidad has the biggestbecause they have more people,
but grenada has the bestcarnival in the in the world, in
the caribbean, because ourmusic just have a vibe, like
it's.
It's just a vibe because wereally kind of condensed it to
(22:28):
the Jab Jab.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Oh, I love the Jab Jab.
I love the Jab Jab.
Yes, they've, they've created aculture.
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Like the.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Jab Jab culture, like the social media presence, the
amount of work they put into thecostume, everything it's taken
off.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
And what's funny is that actually started back in
the 80s where the band MossInternational, when they sang
Jabalassi Rule.
Let's talk about roots, let'stalk about tradition.
You know they were the onesthat really introduced conch
shell.
So the poop, poop, poop.
You know they were the onesthat really introduced that.
Dominica picked up on it.
(23:05):
They sang what kind of fishyday.
That was the rhythm of the song,but they had the shell in it
too.
But Grenada was the one thatoriginally brought the shell and
we in the 80s and 90s we haddifferent bands.
We had the devils or blue,devil, green.
The green devil, or alien Alien, was primarily like Jongle,
(23:27):
belmont area, those those areas.
They were the, they were thegreen devils, they were the
aliens.
Jab Jab was pretty small duringthe 90s and early 2000s.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I feel like when I was talking to a colleague of
mine about, you know, spice Maskand the origin of Carnival,
that I think the one thing thatGrenada does that is different
is that we stick to thetraditional costumes, yeah Right
, and the one you like.
You said Jab Jab started in the90s and it's still very popular
(23:59):
now and very prolific, but alsoShortney.
Shortney Shortening yeah, likeyou don't see it a lot in
mainstream carnival now, like Iremember seeing it as a kid and
like, visually speaking, I couldstill see shortening now
because they made an impact theyhave.
(24:20):
You know what I mean.
It's the way that it's done andthat it's consistently done in
Grenada, like they didn't stopdoing jab jab.
You're talking about the, sohold that thought.
So you're talking about a jabjab.
And even one of the artists Idon't know it wasn't this year
that she came out with the song,I think it was last year, but
it's called crocus bag yes, andI had to look up what it meant
(24:42):
because I was like what's acrock of bag?
No, no.
But I learned through the songwhat it is.
But you know, getting back towhat you said with Jab Jab, and
you were talking about theculture, right?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
So yeah, yeah.
So with Jab Jab Short Knee andShort Kneney, it's very much a
call and answer.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
They would have a leader and the leader would make
a call and then the rest of theband would answer.
Shortney was very much thenoise, so they had the bells,
they had the stuff that jinglesand they would dance and powder.
That's where the term it can'tplay mass and freight powder
come from, because Shortneywould always have powder.
Shaking powder come frombecause shortening would always
(25:25):
have powder shaken, making thishuge cloud, and they used to go
through our villages and like,do that chant and stuff?
I was afraid of shortening whenI was, when I was younger yeah,
that's what I was saying.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
It's shortening is scary like I I can relate with
that, like as a kid.
I still remember because, like,I left grenada when I was young
.
But if we're talking aboutCarnival, I remember them and I
remember I don't know if it waswith my mom or my aunt and I'm
holding on because I'm like,because they're coming after me,
they come with a partner, likethey're there, that's what
(25:55):
they're known for scaring you inthat way and it's kind of like
it's Carnival, but it's kind oflike Halloween at the same time,
because I was, yeah same time,because I'm like it was yeah,
jab jab, like you're scared ofjab, jab jab.
They're not friendly either, Imean like what they represent
you know like if we're talkingabout meaning, but it is so well
choreographed, the video, thestop, it's like you said,
(26:15):
they're going around likecarnival.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
It's all about the lead-up yeah, I mean this week's
carn, but yeah, I was big intothe lead up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, I didn't even realize how big.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Jab Jab, jabolassi.
Jab Jab is just a shortenedversion of Jabolassi, and
Jabolassi means the devil inmolasses.
And where that came from isduring slavery days, when
slavery was abolished and theslaves actually ran through the
streets.
They covered themselves inmolasses to enhance their
(26:46):
blackness and they ran throughthe streets with chains and like
machetes, or we call it cutlass.
Back home, and when we coverourselves with oil, it's
portraying the same thing.
The reason why they coverthemselves with molasses is
because it was something thataffected the slave owners.
It was an expensive thing, soit's like we're free, you know,
(27:08):
so we're just going to use thisthing.
And when we cover ourselveswith oil, it's for the same
reason to enhance our blacknessand show that we're strong.
We're powerful and we're black.
We're proudly black.
And the chains is to show thatyou know, we're done with this,
we're no longer in chains.
The horn is to show them thatyou know, you call us devils,
(27:28):
but we're proud, despite of thedeprivation that you try to put
us through.
The red food coloring with asmoke, herring in the mouth is
just all like to enhance ourlook.
Because they're afraid of us.
You know, let's just put ithonestly.
They were afraid of us.
You know, let's just put ithonestly, they were afraid of us
so they tried everything tobelittle us.
So now that we were free, wewere just trying to enhance our
(27:50):
look.
They were like oh, you're black, big lips and all that stuff.
So the red food coloring is tomake our lips look even brighter
and the old engine oil is justto make us look even blacker.
And grenada is not the only onethat does that, but we're the
one that does it in suchvastness.
Because in the in the late 90s,amidst all the other devils the
(28:12):
blue devil, red devil, greendevil jab jab was still small.
Jab jab was predominantly incertain areas.
Pedmortown, saint david's areawas predominantly the Jab-Jab
nation of Grenada, to be honest.
And then you had the WildIndian.
You had the Veko, which ispredominantly in St Mark.
It's a craft that is handeddown so it's not well known
(28:33):
throughout the nation.
There's certain craft makers inSt Mark that makes Veko.
It wasn't until the mid-2000swhen Talpree started really
promoting Jab-Jab, becausebefore Jab-Jab Topri was big
into Wild Indian, big into WildIndian.
And then he came in and he Ican't remember Old Woman Alone
when he sang Old Woman Alone OldWoman Alone was a Jab-Jab.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
For those that don't know, that song Old Woman Alone
Like that is so popular, likehow that is so popular, like how
are?
We taking home?
Are we taking home oh?
Speaker 1 (29:09):
man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man,
oh man, oh man oh man, oh man,oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man,
oh man.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Hey this guy, how did you make a song about doo-doo
and make it?
Speaker 3 (29:27):
interesting.
Just like you know, I'd ratherfall in love than oh my goodness
.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And like the music video too.
Like you know, it's so catchy,but I was like yeah, big up
Slata.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
and X-Bird Big up Slata.
Yes, definitely Slata.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
You know, you really went through like I don't know
the creative ideas, like that'ssome of these ideas.
You know what I mean.
And he's the only one like thatis on a garbage truck.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
In one of his I was like really Slata, like I mean,
it's different, it is you knowwhat I mean, but that's all part
of in Grenada, that's all partof like the jab jab culture.
That's all part of like the jabjab culture because it's very,
it's very much taken, yeah, andidioms and stuff that we have
locally and turning it into asong, you know.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
But do you do you think we're talking about the
jab jab culture and how it hasjust exploded?
Exploded over a short period oftime.
It's, you know, every year justgets bigger and bigger.
But do you feel, like you knowhow they say, like you said,
like we're talking about, evenlike your mom said to you, she
doesn't want you to be aCalypsonian because she doesn't
(30:36):
want you to.
You know, get into thatlifestyle, because once you're a
music artist, there's a certainthing about in music and the
kind of lifestyle you have.
So, getting back to the jab,okay, so that's the idea there,
and so where I'm going with thisis jab jab.
It's not.
It doesn't have a positivemessage, it's more on the darker
(30:57):
side.
You believe that there's thathidden message, because we're
going back in history with jabjab and how it's known for being
associated with the devil, thedevil's horn, the devil, like
you know, in society today, youknow, we have Christians and we
do believe in the afterlife, andthen there's those that think
(31:18):
that the devil is alwaystempting us to do things that
are wrong.
And so carnival is, you know, acelebration, but it's also, you
know, you've got Jab Jabculture and Jab Jab is, you know
, jab Jab is not wearing brightcolors.
They're not wearing brightcolors that symbolize a positive
.
You know what I mean?
(31:38):
It's a bit of both.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
So, like I said, the black is to enhance our black
skin and the devil horn is toshow them.
Yes, you call us devils, butwe're going to own it.
You know, it's like somebodygoing to growing up and going to
school.
In GBSS there were three kindsof people.
There was people that coulddish out the insults, but they
(32:03):
could never take it, so theywould get angry if you insulted
them.
There were people that wouldtake the insults, but they could
never take it, so they wouldget angry if you insulted them.
There were people that wouldtake the insults, but they could
never dish it out becausethey're not good at rebuttals.
And then you had people thatcould give and take, so you
could throw talk for them theentire time and they would just
give you and give you and giveyou.
What I've learned from thatexperience is if you insult me
and I agree with you I just tookaway your power, right?
(32:25):
So if you call me black andugly and a devil, right, and I
cover myself in old oil and Iput a helmet on with devil horns
on it, you have no other insultto throw at me, not one,
because I just showed you howpowerful I am, because you tried
to insult me and I'm like well,this is what you said I am and
I agree with you.
Know what I mean.
This is who I am.
(32:45):
Yes, I am black and I'm likewell, this is what you said I am
, and I agree with you.
Know what I mean?
This is who I am.
Yes, I am Black and I'm a devil, so I'm a Wimahant.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
It's kind of like it's in life.
You know, we're always, there'salways going to be people who
are going to provoke you.
They're going to try and get inyour way.
There's always going to bepeople and you know the Jab
Whatever it's known for inhistory doesn't mean that that's
necessarily what they're doingnow.
But as far as culture isconcerned, grenada has left an
(33:13):
impact, definitely through SpiceMass, and it's exciting.
You know what I mean.
It's like I haven't been back ina while, but when I went to
Grenada years ago, like it'sbeen like over 10 years now.
But when I went back, you knowjust Carnival itself, the
respect for the masqueraders andthe fact that you know, in
(33:34):
North America it doesn'tnecessarily work the same way.
People aren't always lettingyou perform in costume.
You know what I mean.
I go on and on, but I'm justsaying for me it gave me a
different look on how people aresupposed to behave during
Carnival, like let the peoplewho paid for their costume enjoy
themselves, you know.
But even still, monday NightMass, I think out of everything,
(33:56):
I was like it's a differentthing.
I haven't seen it here inToronto and you know, carabana
here in Toronto is a big, likeit brings on a lot of people,
like a lot of people visitToronto during that time.
But I still feel, like you said, between Trinidad and Grenada,
like we're neighbors and weobviously know how to throw a
good party.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Yeah, Monday night I told my wife I was like, if we
ever go to visit around Carnivaltime, Monday Night Mass is like
the best introduction toCarnival, because it's more
organized, it's like being in arave kind of, because it's all
you know, you have the DJ on thetruck telling you like, give
instructions, and they havecheckpoints throughout the trip.
(34:38):
So you start down Grand Lens,by Wall Street, by the
Roundabout, and then you go allthe way to the Caranage.
So it's a long trek, right, butyou have drinks, you have the
music going, the music pumping,and Monday Night Mass is a night
where you could tell as aspectator which song is going to
(35:01):
win Roadmatch.
Oh yeah, hands down, it's themost popular song and I'm going
to throw my hat in the ring.
Yes, who is it?
Who are?
It's a popular song I want tothrow my hat in the ring.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yes, who is it?
Who are you calling this year?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
The guy's name is Soka ET.
I think he's from Cherryville,which is kind of southwestern
side, but it's 473 in the westIndies yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Well, I want to say, since we're bigging up everybody
, I want to big up Tris.
Tris, I hope you're still goingto come on the show.
Tris is a new artist as well.
He's very young and I've beenfollowing him and, yeah, he's
doing well.
So I think, like you said, themusic it's.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Yeah, Grenada has a lot of good.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Grenada yeah, we have a lot of good artists.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
A lot of good producers.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Big producers, yeah, big Up Adigan who's in Canada.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Yeah, Big Up Sandman, who's been doing his thing.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Big Up Expert and Carol and Big Up Mr Killer.
I hope you know.
Yes, he's always very humbleand you know those dance moves.
They never get old.
You know what I mean?
That guy is doing everythinghe's like singing dancing.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
You know the one that actually started the whole.
Well, not music video, but likethe video introduction for Soka
Monark, he's the one thatstarted that.
Yeah.
For him.
You know people would do theirlittle skit and stuff.
But no, he did one and afterthat, like everybody, just
started doing it yeah, yeah,film my movie, film, my movie.
Yeah, I think that was a song.
(36:27):
He started that yeah, big up,big up.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
He songs Saki, is you remember Beast the Calypsonian?
Speaker 2 (36:34):
There's this one artist oh my gosh, he's very
young and, yeah, you know thesong Six Runs, six Runs, six
Runs.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Six Runs yes.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I mean they're even coming in.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
So obviously that song came outmaybe a year or two ago, but
anyways, it was so catchy for meand I'm like what that's a
Grenadian Good for him, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, but tonight is big and then tomorrow they have
the fancy mask.
That's why all the Grenadiandesigners would say their
designs and stuff.
We just have a ton of creative,innovative people.
Man.
I'm always proud to see thecostumes and stuff that they
come out with.
My favorite is Old Mass.
That's where people like youand I would actually take in it
(37:22):
and we would come out withdesigns ourselves it's very
funny, but I would poke fun ofthe government by the way.
Like, just by the way, thatdress symbolizes something that
happened in the government andstuff.
So just to kind of put it inperspective, it would be like
somebody dressing up like DonaldTrump and they have like you
know, oh right, right, yes.
(37:45):
Yes, it would have, like thisplacard oh right, right, yes,
yes, it would have like thisplacard.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Oh, it's like a spectacle.
So Grenada has this thing.
I don't know exactly what youcall it, but it's like a
political site, maybe, like I'veseen it at Jews, is it the
carnival, like the parade itself, or Juve morning?
I find Juve morning they do ittoo.
Where the mind my French.
But I remember this onepolitical statement where the
(38:09):
guy said pussy will kill a man.
And my goodness, I shouldn'teven be saying that.
but remember that oh, my gosh,steven, you remember that?
Yes, and I asked my aunt I waslike auntie joe, how come that's
?
Why, she's like there's areason there's a story, there's
a story behind that.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Yeah, it was actually a guy.
It was actually a guy.
His nickname was Pussy.
No way, yeah, wow, he killedthe hornet man.
Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah, we tellstories and everything,
everything, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Yeah, yeah, look at that.
We've just went down the, the,the history, and like just the
stories that come up in Carnival, you know, and all the
excitement and the memories,because you remember and I left
when I was young too but westill remember being scared by
short, short knee.
If you're hearing this, I'mstill scared of you.
You know what I mean.
I shown Sharni.
If you're hearing this, I'mstill scared of you.
(39:06):
You know what I mean.
You know carnival, like yousaid, the, the mass you were
talking about those masks thatpeople make.
But what's exciting is that Ijust read this so the underwater
sculpture museum, we have thefirst one that was created in
2006, and kudos to Karakul.
(39:28):
You know it's unfortunate, whathappened, the hurricane that
happened, that just changed thewhole.
You know the little.
The island itself, karakul'slike got 10, about probably
10,000 people.
But the fact that they're goingto be creating a sculpture
museum for you know Karakul, andit's amazing.
(39:48):
I'm just just like, oh my gosh,caracoo is gonna get, you know,
a little underwater haven, it's, you know it's amazing,
especially around sandy island,which is has been rated as one
of the best northland in theworld.
One of them.
Yeah, oh, in the world, wow 100yeah yeah, yeah, I mean I spoke
to the creator.
He's amazing.
I mean, grenada allowed him todo a lot that he wasn't allowed
(40:12):
to do.
Like people don't realize thatthe reef is a living thing.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
And the particles actually would attach to stuff
under the water.
So having those sculpturesplaced in that particular
location it's in Dragon Bay justby a mauling, there it's
enclosed, it's a cove, so it'swell protected from any waves,
from any natural disaster thathappens, and the reef would
actually be able to establishitself.
(40:53):
I've been snorkeling there.
I free dive that area.
It's freaky oh is it.
Oh, okay, yeah, when you diveunderwater and you just go
around the tail like this isweird, like why are there
sculptures on the hair?
This is.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
I should be here.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
It feels weird yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
No, you know what?
Because it's different, it'sout of the ordinary and because
he created Grenada's firstunderwater world.
It kind of led the way to otherunderwater worlds and you know,
I feel like Kervin, you got tocome back and we got to talk
more, because you are a greatmind to talk to and I love your
(41:34):
passion for creating stories.
And you know, tell me, fromwhen you were a child, do you
have a memory that has helpedyou create this vision?
Because I think, for me, Iremember why I think I liked
radio so much.
There's a memory I have, but doyou have a memory or something
(41:55):
that made you realize that youlike creating stories?
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Oh, that that would have to be from like, since I
was like a kid, since I couldwrite, I would write stories, I
would write.
Oh yeah, I used to do a lot ofpoetry and stuff when I was
growing up and fast forward tomy teenage years.
One of my friends had a Sonycamera and it could record video
.
So we used to every time wewent on the beach we used to
(42:23):
like record stuff like fightscenes and all that stuff run
through the mall and just, youknow, be boys.
I tell one of my friends allthe time, if we knew how big
YouTube would have been like, wewould have capitalized on that
ever since, because we used tomake a lot of content and there
wasn't really anywhere to put it.
Yeah, so I got into music, intowriting songs and stuff
(42:47):
producing, so I've just beenblessed to be around a lot of
other creative people.
I think that's the one thing Ireally appreciate about going to
GBSS for, because there's justa ton of creative, a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
GBSS.
Let me tell you GBSS obviouslyis a great school.
Some great teachers.
When did you go there?
Speaker 3 (43:09):
I went there between 96 and 2001.
So wow, yeah, yeah, 96 to 200196.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
I mean, when I think of 96, a lot had happened in 96.
The olympics was in atlanta anddonovan bailey you know yeah
about anything that washappening outside oh, okay, okay
, that, okay, that's where weknow we're across the border.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah .
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Kervin yes, kervin is in the USA.
You were just talking about howyou're like, yeah, have you
been across?
Have you been here?
Have you been to Toronto?
Speaker 3 (43:46):
I haven't been to Canada yet.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Okay, don't knock it until you try here to can't have
you been to toronto.
I haven't been to canada.
Okay, don't knock it till youtry it or don't knock it.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
You know it's ominous I actually have a family in in
british columbia, victoria okay,well, that's a little bit away
from me, that's on yes, I'm inontario.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
it's been a pleasure talking to you about Carnival
and what you do, so if anyone islooking for you on social media
because that's what we'redealing with how can they find
you?
Speaker 3 (44:16):
You could just go to my website, wwwtravelingmackocom
, and from there you'll find allmy social links.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Yeah, because he knows you like that.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Yeah, half of them.
I'm teasing you.
So what I can say is theTraveling Mako.
Did I say it right?
I said it wrong.
Traveling Mako.
I can't.
Anyways, what we have to sayabout your brand is that,
traveling, you like to travelthrough people's stories and you
like to create a story, andhere we are creating a story
(44:54):
right now and hopefully, if youare listening, you've learned
something about Grenadianculture, because this is not
magnation egg nation and I feelthat you know the whole point of
this show is to help share withyou and the rest of the world
that we're a spice island, butwe're also a community of people
(45:15):
that you know.
We've done a lot, we've createda lot and we're still going and
we're still sharing with theworld.
You know what I mean.
It's it.
All it takes is one person andit's it, and it's amazing how
humble a lot of Grenadians are.
I have to say, like we are anation in that way, right.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
Yeah, awesome, well said.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
Well said, thank you.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carlene
Humphrey.
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