On Friday, July 29, 2016, I had the pleasure of being in the CBC Radio studios once again but this time for a nationally-broadcasted show. (The day before, I was contacted by the CBC Candy Palmater show's associate producer and completed a pre-interview. Being that it would air on Friday, the day before Caribana, also known as Toronto Caribbean Carnival (one of the largest festivals in North America), the timing was perfect for Malaika's Costume-- my Carnival-themed picture book. Earlier this week, I was interviewed on Metro Morning with Matt Galloway. I felt different going into both interviews. With Metro Morning, I felt a little nervous going in as I didn't know what to expect but that feeling ended very quickly. My interviewer, Candy Palmater, was amazing-- relaxed, well-informed, and witty (as well as quite accomplished as I read up on her the day before). Both interviewers were people of colour. Matt Galloway has an African-American father and white Canadian mother, according to wikipedia. Candy Palmater is a Native woman with a Mik'maq father and white mother according to this article (as well as being a queer feminist Native comic raised by bikers).
As the associate producer prefaced me, it turned out that Candy Palmater did love the headpiece I brought from my first time playing mas' in Carnival, squealing with glee once she first saw it. I loved our conversation which was about 13 minutes in length, giving ample time to speak about different aspects of the book and Carnival-culture such as Emancipation Day, pan-Caribbean, and costumes as well as other related topics like route-to-publication, "barrel children", language, diversity in children's books, the connections between Aboriginal pow wows and Caribbean Carnival, and language. I even read an excerpt from Malaika's Costume.
I loved looking at the "ins and outs" of the radio studio. It's so quiet, controlled and timed but when you listen to the radio or the host Candy Palmater, it all feels effortless and unscripted. I'm falling in love with this world of quiet rooms, talking into a microphone yet being heard by thousands who I can't see but know are there. It's quite magical.
I am thrilled to know that this taping was broadcasted nationally-- first "live" in Newfoundland at 1:35pm and throughout the rest of Canada. I tried to bring in the national aspects of Caribbean Carnivals and festivals throughout Canada including Caribana/Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Cariwest (Edmonton), Carifete (Ottawa), Calgary Carifest, and Carifiesta (Montreal). (For a calendar of Caribbean Carnivals in North America, Caribbean, Brazil, and UK, click here.) It is also fitting that CBC Radio conduct my first radio interviews for Malaika's Costume since historically it has been an important part in forming a national identity in Canada-- a relatively young country with a low population that is very spread out across a large land mass.
You can listen to my interview with Candy Palmater here.
As for that survival list of what I brought to Caribana, please watch that here.
Tell me what you think of my interview. Also, do you think my Carnival survival packing list was excessive? What was your Carnival experience like?
As the associate producer prefaced me, it turned out that Candy Palmater did love the headpiece I brought from my first time playing mas' in Carnival, squealing with glee once she first saw it. I loved our conversation which was about 13 minutes in length, giving ample time to speak about different aspects of the book and Carnival-culture such as Emancipation Day, pan-Caribbean, and costumes as well as other related topics like route-to-publication, "barrel children", language, diversity in children's books, the connections between Aboriginal pow wows and Caribbean Carnival, and language. I even read an excerpt from Malaika's Costume.
I loved looking at the "ins and outs" of the radio studio. It's so quiet, controlled and timed but when you listen to the radio or the host Candy Palmater, it all feels effortless and unscripted. I'm falling in love with this world of quiet rooms, talking into a microphone yet being heard by thousands who I can't see but know are there. It's quite magical.
I am thrilled to know that this taping was broadcasted nationally-- first "live" in Newfoundland at 1:35pm and throughout the rest of Canada. I tried to bring in the national aspects of Caribbean Carnivals and festivals throughout Canada including Caribana/Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Cariwest (Edmonton), Carifete (Ottawa), Calgary Carifest, and Carifiesta (Montreal). (For a calendar of Caribbean Carnivals in North America, Caribbean, Brazil, and UK, click here.) It is also fitting that CBC Radio conduct my first radio interviews for Malaika's Costume since historically it has been an important part in forming a national identity in Canada-- a relatively young country with a low population that is very spread out across a large land mass.
You can listen to my interview with Candy Palmater here.
As for that survival list of what I brought to Caribana, please watch that here.
Tell me what you think of my interview. Also, do you think my Carnival survival packing list was excessive? What was your Carnival experience like?
The show also profiled a lot of Canadian music. My interview ended with a song about Carnival by Kardinal Offishall, a Canadian rapper of Jamaican descent. Drake recently mentioned Kardi on an episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) here. I didn't even know about this song nor that Kardi can sing, too. I can't seem to find the link for the song but if you do, please contact me.
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