Paul Keens-Douglas wrote the quick story Tanti at de Oval to give the readers a colorful instance of life in the Caribbean. Tanti at de Oval is about the writerâ??s aunt, Tanti Merle, and her first visit to The Queenâ??s Park Oval (the â??Ovalâ??) in Trinidad to watch an critical cricket match among Trinidad and the Combined Islands. Tanti Merle is a colorful character who likes to be in handle. Some Caribbean natives would describe her as â??liking her very own way.â??
Paul Keens-Douglas is a Playwright, Writer and Performer
Paul Keens-Douglas is a Trinidadian-born playwright, writer and performer whose voice is nicely recognized in the Caribbean. A writer for above thirty years, Keens-Douglasâ?? narratives have aired on numerous radio stations. His stories supply engaging colloquial language, vivid imagery and relatable tales. Keens-Douglas is also a motivational speaker and recently in 2008 was the keynote speaker at the Virgin Islandsâ?? Humanities Councilâ??s â??Virgin Voices: A Literary and Spoken Word Festivalâ?? in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
A Caribbean Story: Tanti at de Oval
Tanti at de Oval is written in very first man or woman as the narrator tells the tale of Tanti Merleâ??s antics from her preparation for the trip to the match to her behavior at the game. With the help of colorful illustrations by Joan Camps-Campin, Keens-Douglas shares how Tanti Merle embarrassed herself keynote speaker and her companion at the Oval. Her antics consist of her huge basket of goodies, her choice of a taxi bus and her loud cheering at the match. The story hits a climax as the match concludes and Tanti practically triggered a riot amongst the spectators. Keens-Douglas writes â??Dat very same Tanti Merle dat appear as if butter canâ??t melt in she mout. It take me â??bout two hours to get she out de Oval. She shed de basket anâ?? de Parasol mash-up.â?
Caribbean Language & Life
Aspects of Caribbean life highlighted in Tanti at de Oval are the significance of cricket, the dialectal language and the camaraderie and rivalry fostered by neighborhood sports. In relation to the language, Tanti at de Oval is written in dialect but a glossary is offered to describe such terms as â??jook outâ? which according to the writer indicates â??to dig out with (a) sharp object.â?
Paul Keens-Douglas is a well-identified Caribbean storyteller who utilizes wealthy dialect and colorful expression to inform his stories of Caribbean Life. Tanti at de Oval is 1 of his published works that narrates the tale of Tanti Merleâ??s pay a visit to to a substantial cricket match at the Oval in Trinidad. This book gives a delightful view of Caribbean life via Tanti Merle with heartening humor, intense expression, colorful language and colorful illustrations.
keynote speaker