With the summer holidays looming and my full quota of grandchildren set to spend most of the days with me, I decided to try out my script on them. We were going to make a movie. We read the play, sang the songs, drew pictures of Papa Bwa, Ananse and Dwens, made costumes and masks and choreographed simple dances. It was good fun, the children laughed, played and learned about their Caribbean heritage even if what we ended up with was more home movie than feature film.

COLETTE and ANANSE:

A musical about Caribbean folklore and a little bit about Dominica, the land of rivers.
A play for children.

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Grandchildren share a story about their grandmother (Colette) who, as a little girl, encountered Ananse, Dwens and Papa Bwa in the Dominican forest.

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Songs in Dominican Kweyol – Thanks to Clarise Germaine

Group/Class Activity ideas

Colette and Ananse is a play that can be used as an educational resource. Here are some of the things I did with my grandchildren in preparation for the performance.

MASK MAKING

DRAWING

STORYBOARDS

1. Reading – comprehension, fluency
2. Research – Dominica, Ananse, Papa Bwa (Bois), Dominican Kweyol language
3. Geography – Caribbean maps, weather, rivers, trees.
4. Art – painting, drawing, storyboards, costume design and costume making
5. Dioramas of chosen scenes
6. Design and Technology – Set design and set making
7. Music – instruments, singing, drumming
8. Dancing – choreography and movement
9. Acting – memory training, emotional comprehension
10. Filming – long shots, close-ups, lighting, angles, editing

And anything else you can think of.

Enjoy.