JET Programme Series: Carnival - a part of my National Identity - Yoshoda Seelochan
2022/2/22
JET Programme Series: Carnival - a part of my National Identity - Yoshoda Seelochan
Konnichiwa!
My name is Yoshoda Seelochan and I am currently in the lovely city of Shizuoka, (home of Mt. Fuji) Japan.
I have approximately a decade of teaching experience and since I was a child, global history, cultures and festivals always piqued my interest. As a result, I decided to combine both traits and apply to the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme for a chance to teach abroad with an opportunity to experience the rich Japanese culture and heritage.
While in Japan, I am more than ecstatic to share my cosmopolitan culture with my newfound friends from across the world, my co-workers and most definitely my students.
This month, Trinidad and Tobago celebrates our beloved Carnival, a celebration that is so near and dear to my heart. To me, it is a part of my national identity and it represents so much more than a pre-Lenten festival.
The perseverance of the people who fought to defend Carnival, the sacrifices and their struggles are deeply appreciated. Carnival has survived and it has become the wonderful celebration we know today. This festival has given birth to the melodic steelpan amongst many other national treasures.
Carnival time is my favourite time of the year. I have the fondest memories with my siblings, as we get to witness the beauty of all our people together as one. We provide paint, mud, powder, (good vibes and energy too) at various events that lead up to Carnival celebrations and the feeling of joy is immeasurable.
I would like to introduce students to this marvellous festival and so, I put together a small display on the basics of Carnival at my base Junior High School. Trinidad and Tobago, my home is without a doubt, a diverse oasis of culture. My nation is beautifully blended with cultural backgrounds from the African influence, East Indian influence, Chinese, Arabic, Latin American and European influences.
These influences are reflected in our dialect, food, music and festivals just to mention a few. To introduce students to our mouth watering cuisine, I used photos of food from our different ethnic backgrounds, starting with our favourite street foods such as corn soup, doubles, phulorie, bake and shark and gyros.
The blends are also evident in our music as Soca is a fusion of African and East Indian rhythms. I made a small playlist of Soca songs for students and I added a QR code that would take students straight to the songs on YouTube. I tried to incorporate lyric videos to the playlist to help students understand the words of the song as well as help students develop their English.
To encourage students to interact with the display, I gave them a challenge! I placed an envelope with a template of a headpiece to have students decorate as if they were coming to Trinidad Carnival celebrations!
Creating this display on our school’s English board has been fantastic. The enthusiasm from both students and teachers has been amazing! Here’s hoping that my Japanese students, coworkers and friends will be enticed by our wonderful culture and visit our gorgeous shores one day to ‘dingolay’ in the festivities!
As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates Carnival in their special way this year, I hope we can appreciate where this phenomenal celebration stems from. Its history shows us the resilience, vibrance and creativity of Trinbagonians throughout time. Our Carnival is a celebration like no other in this world, and it could only have emanated from the unique mixture of cultures and people who inhabit our islands here today.
JET Series: Carnival - a part of my National Identity (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
My name is Yoshoda Seelochan and I am currently in the lovely city of Shizuoka, (home of Mt. Fuji) Japan.
I have approximately a decade of teaching experience and since I was a child, global history, cultures and festivals always piqued my interest. As a result, I decided to combine both traits and apply to the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme for a chance to teach abroad with an opportunity to experience the rich Japanese culture and heritage.
While in Japan, I am more than ecstatic to share my cosmopolitan culture with my newfound friends from across the world, my co-workers and most definitely my students.
This month, Trinidad and Tobago celebrates our beloved Carnival, a celebration that is so near and dear to my heart. To me, it is a part of my national identity and it represents so much more than a pre-Lenten festival.
The perseverance of the people who fought to defend Carnival, the sacrifices and their struggles are deeply appreciated. Carnival has survived and it has become the wonderful celebration we know today. This festival has given birth to the melodic steelpan amongst many other national treasures.
Carnival time is my favourite time of the year. I have the fondest memories with my siblings, as we get to witness the beauty of all our people together as one. We provide paint, mud, powder, (good vibes and energy too) at various events that lead up to Carnival celebrations and the feeling of joy is immeasurable.
I would like to introduce students to this marvellous festival and so, I put together a small display on the basics of Carnival at my base Junior High School. Trinidad and Tobago, my home is without a doubt, a diverse oasis of culture. My nation is beautifully blended with cultural backgrounds from the African influence, East Indian influence, Chinese, Arabic, Latin American and European influences.
These influences are reflected in our dialect, food, music and festivals just to mention a few. To introduce students to our mouth watering cuisine, I used photos of food from our different ethnic backgrounds, starting with our favourite street foods such as corn soup, doubles, phulorie, bake and shark and gyros.
The blends are also evident in our music as Soca is a fusion of African and East Indian rhythms. I made a small playlist of Soca songs for students and I added a QR code that would take students straight to the songs on YouTube. I tried to incorporate lyric videos to the playlist to help students understand the words of the song as well as help students develop their English.
To encourage students to interact with the display, I gave them a challenge! I placed an envelope with a template of a headpiece to have students decorate as if they were coming to Trinidad Carnival celebrations!
Creating this display on our school’s English board has been fantastic. The enthusiasm from both students and teachers has been amazing! Here’s hoping that my Japanese students, coworkers and friends will be enticed by our wonderful culture and visit our gorgeous shores one day to ‘dingolay’ in the festivities!
As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates Carnival in their special way this year, I hope we can appreciate where this phenomenal celebration stems from. Its history shows us the resilience, vibrance and creativity of Trinbagonians throughout time. Our Carnival is a celebration like no other in this world, and it could only have emanated from the unique mixture of cultures and people who inhabit our islands here today.
JET Series: Carnival - a part of my National Identity (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives