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Derek Walcott hosts interactive writers’ session
As the Carifesta celebrations continued yesterday, career and amateur writers were afforded the opportunity to have their works perused by St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, when he hosted a master class for writers at the Castellani House.
But although the honorary writer’s intent was to cater to a small group of persons who already had a publication to their names, he was more than amazed when groups of individuals gathered to hear him make a presentation.
Among those in attendance were journalists from around the Caribbean, and local persons, mostly youths, who were interested in writing verses, short stories and music, among other potential writers.
But before proceeding with the scheduled session, Mr Walcott was forced to exclaim that, “It is just too big…” even as he digested the fact that most of the participants were simply practising writers.
And as he commenced the actual session by deliberating on the important factors of writing, a crowd of young persons scurried into the room and, just for a moment, sidetracked the renowned writer.
According to Curator of the Art Gallery, Ms Elfrieda Bissember, it was the expectation of the Noble Laureate that he would examine the work of a few writers, after which the pieces would be discussed, before he, along with those present, would carefully extend criticism with a view to improving the participants’ writing skills.
Bissember said that the vast number of persons who showed up was as a result of a ‘little strip advertisement’ which may have suggested that it was for the entire public, and not just a few writers.
She expressed some satisfaction, though, at the fact some published writers, the likes of Ruel Johnson, did bring a piece or two to be perused.
The young writer was also instrumental in bringing a lighter side to the session when he was asked to construct a Guyanese sentence so difficult that even Professor Walcott could not decipher it independently, an undertaking he completed with consummate ease.
With the use of what was described as an Indian/Creolese dialect, Johnson articulated a sentence which described how he and another person were going around a corner to have something to eat. The sentence prompted hilarious laughter from those in attendance.
It was at this point that Mr Walcott was forced to inform the participants that while language may just be a sound, regardless of the dialogue or the dialect, it should never be considered funny.
He, however, posed the question to the participants as to whether they believe that they have a duty to be clear and accurate.
The renowned writer expounded that in every country there is the official language and then there is the unofficial one which could sometimes become a challenge if one is overemphatic.
He went on to elaborate that there have been some writers who have been able to overcome such problems, even by resorting to a fusion of several languages.
Yesterday’s session, which went on for the most part of the afternoon, also saw the attendance of prize winning writer David Dabydeen, who served as the secondary presenter to the forum.
Dabydeen has also been working with various persons involved in the Carifesta Symposia Committee, and has offered crucial suggestions, according to Ms Bissember.
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