Magical Moko Jumbies
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Christopher and his parents live in a big city in Canada where Christopher was born, but not his parents. They were born on the small twin-islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. Christopher’s parents had migrated to Canada in the hopes of making a more prosperous life for themselves and their son.
Growing up Chris heard many stories of his parents’ homeland, and he kept in touch with his cousins who lived there via social media, one of the advantages of growing up in the 21st Century. His parents told him many stories about growing up in their homeland, its history and culture. Although Chris had never visited the island, he felt like he knew everything about it.
One night before he fell asleep, he overheard his parents talking about visiting Trinidad for the annual Carnival festival. They wanted their son to experience a bit of the festival and to reconnect with some of his relatives.
“We will talk to him tomorrow and find out if he would like to do that.” He heard his father say.
Chris already knew his answer. He wanted to go.
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The next morning at the breakfast table his mother brought up the subject with him. Chris was only too happy to tell them he would love to visit Trinidad and experience Carnival.
“Now you won’t be able to go to the parties or ‘fetes’ as they call it. Those are for gown ups.” His father informed him.
“That’s ok, dad.”
“But there are many other ways for you to experience Carnival like the Kiddies Carnival parades.”
“You mean I can get a costume and play with the other children?”
“Yes! Your aunt is trying to get a costume for you.”
Chris wasn’t too sure if he wanted to actually dress up in a costume and join the parade but he was sure it would be a great experience.
For the next few days his parents were busy organizing with their relatives in Trinidad, getting plane tickets and packing. They would leave Canada on the Friday night flight and be in Trinidad early Saturday morning for a week’s vacation.
Chris told all his friends that he would be away from school for a few days as he was going to warm and sunny Trinidad. His friends were happy for him but also a bit envious as Canada was still very cold with occasional snow falls.
The night before they left his mother helped him pack his suitcase. “No need to take any cold weather clothes,” she told him. “It’s very hot there.”
Chris also packed a few souvenirs for his cousins.
Their relatives were all elated to see them and to meet Chris. On Sunday the entire family decided to journey to the capital, Port of Spain, to see the children’s Carnival parade. They lined the side of the main street and waited for the young masqueraders to pass by. Two of Chris’ aunties bought them sno cones with condensed milk.
Soon the bands of children came along the street, dancing to the soca music and twirling around in their colourful costumes. Chris thoroughly enjoyed himself with his cousins, chipping to the music and looking at the various portrayals.
Suddenly in the distance Chris could see some very tall figures coming towards them.
“What are those?” He asked his cousin Kevin, who was standing next to him. “They can’t be children. They’re too tall.”
“They’re called Moko Jumbies.”
“Jumbies? Aren’t those scary.”
“No. Not these. Moko Jumbies are carnival characters. They are just persons walking on stilts, so they tower above everyone else.”
“Wow. They’re very high up. Aren’t they afraid of falling?” Chris continued to be entranced by the children dressed in their costumes and dancing to the music. He couldn’t wait for them to come closer so he could see their stilts.
“They train and practice a lot before they are allowed to perform.” His cousin informed him. “Some of them start training from as young as two or three years.”
He didn’t have long to wait as the long strides of the Moko Jumbies brought them in front of Chris and his cousins within a few minutes.
Chris stared up at the masked man on stilts towering above high above him. He tried to reach out to touch the stilts, but Kevin pulled his hand back. Any sudden movements could cause the Moko Jumbie to lose his balance and stumble, or worst yet, fall.
Seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye, the Moko Jumbie looked down and saw the awe in Chris’ face as he looked up at him. He bent his knees while still on his stilts so he could be a little closer to Chris.
He removed his mask so as not to scare the little boy. “Hi, are you enjoying the parade?”
Chris could see that this masquerader was not much older than him. “Yes, I am. How do you like being so high up?”
“It’s great. You can see for miles and miles around. Would you like to walk on stilts?”
“Yes! I would love to learn.”
The Moko Jumbie stretched out his hands towards Chris who, after looking around him, tentatively placed his hands in the masquerader’s. As soon as he did, Christopher felt as though everything around him disappeared and it was just he, the Moko Jumbie and the bond they made with their hands.
Soon his environment came into focus once more and as Christopher looked around him, he realised that he was not standing on the side of the road with his cousins looking at the parade. In fact, his cousins were nowhere to be seen. Where could they have gone? He thought to himself. His legs also felt a bit heavy, as if he was tied to something. Looking down he saw that he was standing on stilts just like the Moko Jumbie, and he was high up in the air!
“Wow. This is amazing!”
The Moko Jumbie looked at him and smiled. ‘Welcome to my world.”
“Where are we?”
“We’re in Carnival Land.”
“Carnival Land? So, we’re not in Trinidad anymore?”
“We are, but just in a different dimension.”
“A different dimension?” Christopher asked confused
The Moko Jumbie chuckled. “Carnival Land is a magical land. It’s where all the Carnival characters live during the year. At Carnival time, a portal opens up and we are able to journey through the portal to Trinidad so that we can take part in the festivities.”
Christopher looked around Carnival Land in awe. From his vantage point he could see for miles around.
“Are there other characters beside Moko Jumbies living here?”
“Yes. All the traditional Carnival characters live in Carnival Land. Let me show you around.”
At first Christopher was a bit scared about walking on the stilts as he had never done so before. What if I fall? He thought to himself. I am very high up here. Much to his surprise he was able to move as easily as if he was walking normally. The stilts felt like regular legs and soon his fears dissipated.
As they walked around, Christopher noticed everyone wearing brightly coloured costumes except for him. This was their regular clothing.
Suddenly a woman’s wails filled the air. “I can’t find her! Someone stole my baby!”
Christopher and the Moko quickly made their way towards the screams. Hearing someone in distress in Carnival Land was unheard of. As they got nearer, Christopher could see that the woman was dressed in a short pink and white stripped dress with a matching bonnet. She was walking frantically along the road and screaming about her missing baby.
Moko bent his knees so that he could be closer to the hysterical woman. “Baby Doll, what happened?”
Baby Doll looked up and Moko with tear-filled eyes. “Someone stole one of my babies, Moko. How could they steal a baby!”
“Where are the others?”
“Over there.” She pointed to a row of baby strollers parked under a large mango tree. Some of the other inhabitants of
Carnival Land were standing guard over the other babies.
Moko pulled himself up to his full height and sauntered over to the others with Baby Doll following closely behind. She had to run to keep up with his long strides.
“Baby Doll I’m seeing six children here. How many babies did you have?”
“Seven, Moko.” She cried, wiping her tears away with the base of her palm. “The last one, Girlie, is missing.”
Moko looked at the row of strollers and realised that the last one, the seventh, was empty. “When was the last time you saw Girlie?”
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“I just turned my back for a few minutes to talk to Dame and when I turned around Girlie was missing!” Baby Doll wailed.
By now a large crowd had gathered around, attracted by the commotion. Baby Doll was inconsolable. She rushed back and forth among the people gathered asking if anyone had seen her baby.
“What can we do?” Chris asked Moko, his forehead creased with concern for Baby Doll and her missing baby.
“Let’s find the Bookman. He has a book where everything going on in Carnival Land gets recorded. The book might tell us
who took Girlie.”
Chris followed Moko to Bookman’s house. Moko walked as fast as he could as it was urgent that they find the baby.
Christopher had to struggle to keep up with him but eventually they found themselves standing outside a two-storey wooden house.
“Bookman, are you home?” Moko called out. “We need to talk to you. It’s urgent.”
From his height Moko could see movement on the first floor.
“Bring your book as well.”
Soon Bookman came out the front door dressed in his Carnival costume. He was carrying a large book.
“What’s going on Moko?” he asked, straining his neck to look up at the Moko Jumbie.
“We need your help.” Moko bent his knees so he could be closer to Bookman. “One of Baby Dolls’ babies is missing. Seems like someone took her from her stroller when no one was looking.”
“Oh dear! She must be frantic with worry. Which baby is it?”
“The 7th one. Girlie.”
“Let’s see if there is anything written in the book. I haven’t looked in there in a few days.”
Christopher moved closer to Bookman and Moko, intrigued by the large book.
“What is this book?” he asked them.
Moko quickly introduced him to Bookman and explained that the book recorded all the going-ons in Carnival Land and kept track of what the inhabitants are doing.
“Who writes down these things in the book?”
Moko looked at Christopher with a wide grin on his face despite the circumstances. “It just gets written. Like magic!”
“Wow!”
All three of them turned their focus back to the book as Bookman flipped to the last couple of pages. “There are definitely some new entries in here.”
“Anything about who took Girlie?”
“Yes!” Bookman’s finger hovered over the last entry. Christopher and Moko leaned in closer to read the entry at which he was pointing.
The entry read;
On 3rd March the Midnight Robber saw Baby Doll pushing the stroller with her seven babies. When she parked the stroller under the mango tree to talk to Dame Lorraine he sneaked up and took one of her babies named Girlie.
“The Midnight Robber!” all three exclaimed.
“We have to go there now and confront him. Why would he take a baby?”
Without telling anyone else, the three of them raced to the home of the Midnight Robber. As they quietly crept up to his window, they could hear the cries of a baby inside. It must be Girlie. Moko took the lead and knocked on the door. Suddenly
it got quiet inside.
“Open up Midnight Robber. We know you have Baby Doll’s baby.” Bookman shouted out.
“Open this door right now and give the baby back.”
“There is no baby here.” Midnight Robber replied to them from inside.
“We know you have the baby in there. Hand her over to us now!”
After a few minutes they heard footsteps coming towards the door and the locks were unlocked. As the door opened Midnight Robber emerged holding the baby. He was dressed in his usual black shirt, trousers and cape but without his broad brimmed hat.
There were tears in his eyes as he handed the baby over to Bookman.
“Why did you take her?” Bookman asked him gently, seeing the emotion in the man’s eyes.
“I was lonely, and I always wanted a child. Baby Doll has so many. I know what I did was wrong and I promise I won’t ever do it again.”
“How can we be sure?” asked Moko, who didn’t want a repeat of this.
“It will be written in Bookman’s magical book.”
“If everything about the residents of Carnival Land gets written in the book then you will know if Midnight Robber misbehaves again.” Said Christopher feeling sorry for the lonely, old man.
“Yes! We’ll be keeping an eye on you.” Bookman told him.
Christopher, Moko and Bookman returned to the spot where they had left Baby Doll and the rest of the inhabitants who were trying to comfort her. As soon as she saw them approaching with Girlie, she rushed towards them.
“My baby! My baby!” she yelled as she ran towards them.
She stopped in front of Bookman, her arms outstretched to take her precious Girlie from him. The three of them watched as she cuddled her baby, who ‘cooed’ at her in return. Soon the others arrived, and mother and baby were engulfed in a mass of hugs.
Moko turned to Christopher. “I think it’s time I got you back to your parents before they get too worried.”
Christopher wanted to see more of Carnival Land but he knew that Moko was right. He placed his hands in Moko’s and closed his eyes. A split second later when he re-opened them he was once again standing on the side of the road with his cousins.
He looked up at Moko. “Thank you for the adventure.”
“You’re welcome.” Moko grinned down at him. “But remember, this is our secret.”
“Yes. Our secret.” With that Moko joined the rest of the masqueraders as they paraded along the street and soon disappeared from his sight.