Bocas Lit Fest Storytelling Caravan Finds a Home at the Scarborough Library

The NGC Bocas Lit Fest is the Trinidad and Tobago literary festival that takes place annually at different locations throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Inaugurated in 2011, it is the first major literary festival in the southern Caribbean and largest literary festival in the Anglophone Caribbean.

On Saturday April 11, 2015, the NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest Storytelling Caravan took place at the newly opened Scarborough Library Facility. The event, which featured two renowned storytellers such as United Kingdom born; Ms. Thelma Perkins and local cultural activist Ms Glenda-Rose Layne, proved to be a delightful treat for the children as they were highly entertained and engaged throughout the two hour session.

The title for this year’s Tobago caravan was ‘Drama at the Moriah Wedding’ and children present were anxious to share their snippets of conjured ‘drama’ that occurred at the popular Tobago Heritage Festival activity.

Coordinator of the Bocas Lit Festival- Children’s Programme, Ms Natasha Solana stated that during the storytelling caravans, children are given the title of the story and are encouraged to share their interesting ideas that eventually create the story. The tale is eventually compiled and published with the name of the children listed as authors in the book.

Commenting on the venue, Solano stated “The Bocas Lit Festival is extremely excited to host this year’s event in such great facilities and we are looking forward to a great partnership with the Tobago Library Services.”

Senior Librarian Ms Helen Johnson reiterated the sentiments expressed by Solano and shared that plans are currently underway to host the Tobago arm of the National Festival at the Scarborough Library in July 2015.