Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Secrets of the Trees


My Spot in Aguadilla - Wilderness
These are the secrets the trees have kept.
A Summer Night on the Cliff

Above us curve the shooting stars
The tree branches surge and swing
The cold gray night smells sweet
We remain unseen
We glow like the beacon in the midst
Our fire fades within its keep
We find ourselves adrift
Abandoned to the whims of circumstance
We knew nothing of what would come
Or where time would take us
Every certainty suddenly drifted out of our reach
We sighed, we talked, we tried to hold on,
We shared all we knew, all we felt
The last summer night under the moons glow
Lovers

The old trees stand crooked across the road.
The early moon rises in the orange sky.
The night soon becomes cold
But the veins are engorged with flames.
A naked body arching its back
In praise perhaps of its form and state
Until in the morning they dissipate.
Once in a Blue Moon

Once in a Blue
Visions of future times
May elite, for those,
Who share their undying souls with us.

Once in a Blue Moon
Secrets of our past we no longer hold
For those, who no longer remain with us.

Once in a Blue Moon
The present becomes
Frozen for a moment, for those,
Who share the night with us.

Once in a Blue Moon
We forget who we are
And all begins to fade away.

Once in a Blue Moon
We are reborn
We become aware
A new perspective we gain.

Personal Experiences with Caribbean Fauna

Do you have any stories to tell?
Do you have any fond memories attached to a particular plant or tree like Oonya Kempadoo?

Feel free to share!

I for one do. One of the reasons why I like Puerto Rico so much is because of the lush landscape that surrounds me. I have many memories to share as much of my own growing up experiences as in my adult life. I also believe that there is something about being around trees that not only relaxes but gives a sense of union to the world. Trees can offer healing, comfort, food and so much more. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed Buxton Spice so much. Like Oonya Kempadoo I feel that trees have kept many secrets. Whomever is fotunate enough to have been bestowed upon such wisdom has earned knowledge that can benefit many more.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Discussion Questions for Buxton Spice

1. Is folk tradition inferior?
2. Does the novel present or re-present a hybrid form?
Referring here to both race and the mixing of orality and print.
3. Does the novel mix Standard English with Creole to make a new identity?
4. Is the passage to maturity a Creole one or is it universal?
5. Is there a psychological need for bonding or is it purely physical?
6. Does the story celebrate or vilify the female experience/voice?
7. Is there a colonial ambivalence present?
Consider the description of the parents and the way they raise their children.
Does the novel speak for or against old rearing traditions?
8. Are women who enjoy themselves “unrespectable”? Why? Is it because of class, race or culture?
9. How is a woman defined? Vs. How is a “ho” defined?
10. How does the book challenge the representation of women? If such is present.
11. Which is the ruling class? Why?
12. Who is at the top of the economic heap? Why?
Note: 11 & 12 are not the same, they imply different things.
13. Why is the tree so important? Why would it be keeping secrets? Can it?
14. Is there a sense of solidarity among the characters?
15. Can the style be called poetics of the oppressed?
For instance in considering post-colonial theory, who would fit best?
Fanon, Said, Spivack, Bhabha, Foucoult, Derrida, or other.

Trees in Mythology, Symbolism and Religion

Nature scenes including trees and forests contain multiple mythic and symbolic qualities. The deep-rooted meaning of trees is apparent in common metaphors such as the Tree of Life and our ancestral heritage depicted in family trees. In Vedic philosophy, wood is viewed as the primal material of the universe. Christians see Christ as the cosmic carpenter and His ultimate sacrifice is represented by a wooden cross. Specific trees in art symbolism also have their own meanings.

Have you ever thought about the meaning of trees?
Do you know the meaning to any of the trees in Oonya Kempadoo's Buxton Spice?

For More Information See:

TREES IN MYTHOLOGY, LEGEND, SYMBOLISM and RELIGION
http://www.ancient-yew.org/treesinmythology.shtml
Essay on the Myth of Trees
http://www.h-net.org/~nilas/trees.html
Trees in Mythology
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Tr-Wa/Trees-in-Mythology.html
Other Tales of Trees
http://www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/country/folktales_country.html
Trees and their Meaning
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/pcd42.html
Trees and Their Symbols
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Food/PlantsHerbsSymbolism.html
Trees and Symbolism
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Deep-Rooted-Symbolism-of-Trees&id=719424
The Archetypal Symbolism of Trees: Spiritual and Religious Dimensions
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/a/archetypal_symbolism_of_trees_the.html
The Deep-Rooted Symbolism of Trees
http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoforests.htm

Do you know where Guyana is?



Guyana, along with Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil, is one of the four non-Hispanic nations in South America. Guyana's culture is very similar to that of the English-speaking Caribbean, to the extent that Guyana is included and accepted as a Caribbean nation and is a founding member of the Caricom (Caribbean Community) economic bloc and also the home of the Bloc's Headquarters, the CARICOM Secretariat. Its geographical location, its sparsely populated rain forest regions, and its substantial Amerindian population differentiate it from English-speaking Caribbean countries. Its blend of Indo-Guyanese (East Indian) and Afro-Guyanese (African) cultures gives it similarities to Trinidad and distinguishes it from other parts of the Americas. Guyana shares similar interests with the islands in the West Indies, such as food, festive events, music, sports, etc.


For More Information See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyana

Reviews of Buxton Spice

Have you read Oonya Kempadoo's Buxton Spice?

What did you think about it?

To see what others think about it see the following links:
http://www.amazon.com/Buxton-Spice-Oonya-Kempadoo/dp/0807083712
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/personal/reading/kempadoo-spice.html
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/k/kempadoo-spice.html
http://www.caribscape.com/baldeosingh/literature/book_reviews/buxton_spice.html
http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/07/11/reviews/990711.11markeet.html
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tw/06-17-99/book1.htm

Do you agree or disagree with any of the reviews? Why?

The Sapodilla Tree


The Saman (Tamarind) Tree




For More Information See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamarind

The Starapple Tree


Soy



For More Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy

The Frangipani Tree


The Breadfruit Tree


For More Information See:

The Black Sage Bush


For More Information See:

The Cherry Tree


Genip Tree


For More Information See:

The Mango Tree



For More Information See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango_tree

The Trees of Buxton Spice

Sweet Dungs Tree – page 12
(Unlisted or Uncategorized)

Dreamers Tree – page 13
Unlisted or Uncategorized)

Mango Tree – page 14

Soy – page 17

Genip Tree – page 19

Cherry Tree – page 19

Blacksage Bush – page 19

Breadfruit Tree – page 20

Frangipani Tree – page 38

Note:
Buxton Spice – In the book Kempadoo is talking about the mango tree, however, she may also refer to sapodilla, saman, and starapple according to NY Times. These are other Caribbean Trees.

The Trees of Guyana

The following 28 pages are in this category, out of 28 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
Iwokrama Forest
A
Annona glabra
Avicennia germinans
B
Balatá
Brazil nut
Bursera simaruba
C
Cacao
Carapa
Cashew
C cont.
Cedrela odorata
Chlorocardium
Couroupita guianensis
Cyrilla
E
Erythrina fusca
G
Genipa americana
Guaiacum officinale
K
Kapok
M
Mammee apple
Mora (plant)
N
Nance
P
Moriche Palm
Platonia
Psidium guajava
S
Sandbox Tree
Schefflera morototoni
Spondias mombin
Swietenia macrophylla
T
Tabebuia serratifolia

Who is Oonya Kempadoo?

Oonya Kempadoo is a writer who was born in Sussex, England, in 1966 of Guyanese parents.
She was brought up in Guyana and has since lived in Europe and various islands in the Caribbean.

Introduction


The purpose of this blog is to assist teachers, students and others who would like to learn about the different trees in the Caribbean. This is particularly helpful in getting to know the Caribbean and familiarizing oneself with trees that are mentioned in Caribbean Children's Literaure. The trees I have selected to post in this blog are mentioned in Oonya Kempadoo's novel Buxton Spice (1999). The trees in the novel do not only show the lush variety of the lanscape, but they also appear to be recurring structures that help in developing and informing the reader of the novel's major themes.