THE WAILERS

"The way people perceive death and the theme of migration -- these two things are not only interesting to me because of the complexities surrounding them, but they are also strong aspects of Caribbean culture. For instance, in my country, Trinidad and Tobago, many cultures call here home. It's a melting pot for different races, religions, cultural beliefs, and traditions, and as such, there are commonalities and differences in the way death is handled. What is common in our country is the tradition of a wake, where friends, family, and loved ones visit the home of the deceased on a particular day, or days leading up to the funeral to pay respects or just hang out and reminisce. 

"In The Wailers, because their friend had died in America, the remaining wailers really had no opportunity to conduct a wake. This is something that I did not add to the story, but that distance between the dead and a loved one really impacted them. Hence the decision to head to America for her funeral. 

"Migration out of the Caribbean to America, the UK, or Canada is also fairly common, and there are many reasons for this, Education, Work, Self-freedom, and the list can go on. Many times a parent may leave to find work and later send for their child, or a child may leave to study and send money back to help their family, in this case, Richard made a life for himself in America and then brought his mother to stay with him. 

"In this story, the connection I tried to make between migration and death is something I've observed with many Caribbean nationals, they tend to return and spend their final years in their country of birth. Or, if they have died in a foreign land, their family ensures they return to their land of birth to be buried. I think of Bob Marley flying home to Jamaica after realizing that his health was failing. The idea of only being fully at rest in your homeland helped me write this story. I wanted to capture this at the end, even if it could only be accomplished in spirit at the cemetery."

REFLECT:  What other connections can you make between the two themes of migration and death?

Trinidad and Tobago are one nation of two islands near the coast of Venezuela. They were first colonized by the Spanish. However, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. Sugar and cocoa became important industries. The discovery of oil in 1920 added another valuable export. The country became independent in 1962. Now it is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean. Tourism is a growing industry, but the government is struggling to reverse an increase in violent crime related to drugs and gangs.

At first, the country relied on the labor of enslaved people from Africa. After slaves were freed in 1834, contract workers were hired from India. Today the population of the country is about 1.4 million, with about one-third of Indian descent, one-third of African descent, and one-third mixed ethnicities. English remains the official language, with both Trinidadian and Tobagonian Creoles and other languages also spoken. About one-third of the people are of Protestant religion. Many others are Roman Catholic or Hindu. 

REFLECT:  How do these different types of people and religions affect this country's culture and literature?

1. Why do the wailing sisters charge extra to perform inside a church?
   
   

2. At first, Yvette doesn't want to travel to New York for Cherie's funeral. Why not? What changes her mind?
   
   

3. The sisters do not say much to Robert and his wife when they arrive in Utica. What are they communicating by not saying anything?
   
   

4. Robert chooses to have a small, private burial with only close friends and family. Why?

1.  Professional wailers, or mourners, are a part of many cultures around the world. It's actually an ancient tradition. Is this part of your culture, too? What happens?
   
   

2. At the beginning of the story, the author writes, "Everybody knows that when you go to a funeral you don’t wear all black, you must slip in some colour for the Lord to see you in mourning." Later, in Utica, everyone besides the three sisters wears black. What clothing is appropriate to wear to a funeral in your culture?
   
   

3. Listen to the author read and discuss this story in this podcast. Why did he write the story? What was his purpose or message?
   
   

4. Alexis says, "The variety of English used in the story is Trinidad English-Creole (TEC), which is the variety commonly used here in Trinidad and Tobago. I consciously decided to write the way we speak here in Trinidad, despite the fact that our formal education system prioritizes standard English. However, there are many Trinbagonian writers that consciously write using (TEC) such as Celeste Mohammed, VS Naipaul, Earl Lovelace, and Lisa Allen Agostini to name a few. It's vital to the Caribbean literary ecosystem that we don't avoid writing in our native language simply because we want to make our work 'digestible' or easily 'accessible' to international readers. All varieties of English are legitimate and can be understood if the reader is willing to do the work, and the reading experience can be so rewarding when we let go of these normative ideas of what English should be, leaving room for what it can be." What has been your experience reading these stories in other varieties of English from around the world?  What differences have you observed? How has it affected your reading?