00:10And that is something that politicians should learn.
00:14From village tales to timeless phrases, Paul King's Douglas has made us laugh, reflect and see ourselves more clearly.
00:22But how did it all begin?
00:24I was at Mona in Jamaica doing my masters and Louise Bennett, you know, the famous storyteller from Jamaica, she
00:33came on campus to perform for us.
00:35And I saw Louise Bennett performing and I said, you know, I could do that too. I could do that
00:40kind of thing.
00:42And just like that, the spark was lit.
00:45That day, Keens Douglas went home, put pen to paper and unknowingly began building a cultural legacy.
00:52Before his big break, he worked in radio, an experience that shaped his voice and sharpened his craft.
00:58Looking back, he believes purpose has a way of guiding you.
01:02And every opportunity he encountered brought him back to storytelling.
01:06What started as a simple storytelling segment on air soon grew into something bigger.
01:13Fueled by passion, he found a way to bring his stories to life on stage.
01:17And then one day I said, you know, I find out, you know, I should have a reading of my
01:22stuff.
01:23So I decided to put on a show, right?
01:25I didn't know anything about putting on a show, so I went and found out how you put on a
01:28show.
01:29Went to Little Carib, went to Little Carib and formed a group called Crayola.
01:33And with that, a legacy was born.
01:35I decided to make, do this show called Tim Tim.
01:40I had the name Tim Tim, because Tim Tim was my stage name.
01:44I took Tim Tim as a stage name.
01:45You know, Tim Tim is part of the storytelling tradition in the Caribbean.
01:49When you say quick-cracking Trinidad, in the French island it says Tim Tim,
01:52you say Boise.
01:53And the storyteller says,
01:57And that means all the good things on earth is God put it there.
02:00His work became more than entertainment.
02:02It found its way into classrooms, celebrated for its unique blend of dialect, humor and social commentary.
02:10Ironically, Keynes Douglas never stood out to be funny and was surprised when audience responded with laughter.
02:16When I started writing, people started laughing.
02:19I was kind of, well, you know, I really didn't want, I didn't write to make them laugh then.
02:24I was writing, it was just coming out, always come out that way.
02:27Even my own parents didn't believe it was me doing these things.
02:30When they heard the record, people said, your son write the record, you know.
02:33I said, you know what I'm writing, your son write the record, you know.
02:35No, he doesn't do them kind of things.
02:37And then he realized it was really me, you know.
02:38So, eventually you just accepted the fact that what you did made people laugh.
02:43So what makes Caribbean humor so distinct?
02:46Caribbean humor is special because a lot of it is people see themselves in it.
02:51So when they laugh at you, they're not really laughing at you, laugh at themselves,
02:54or people like them, or people they know.
02:56So I say it transports you to another area.
03:00While the audience laugh and kicks, his stories often carry deeper truths.
03:05Many drawn from real life experiences like Tanti and Yovil.
03:09Everything in that story is true.
03:11It actually happened the whole way.
03:13The words, the scores, the activity, the people who are playing,
03:20the events of the day and things rarely happened.
03:22Part of his storytelling magic lies in what he doesn't say,
03:26leaving space for the audience's imagination.
03:29I never really tell a full story.
03:32I always leave something in the story for people to imagine.
03:35I never fully describe Tanti Mule, for instance.
03:38I have my idea of who Tanti Mule is in the description, right?
03:41But I never really fully describe her.
03:43So when you hear it, you can put your own, you know,
03:46because people tell me, oh, Tanti Mule is my mother, is my aunt, is my neighbours,
03:51somebody you didn't know like that, because you're really not a person.
03:54It's a type of behaviour, you know?
03:56So you can get on like Tanti Mule.
03:58You can get on like Vybert, you can get on like any of the characters.
04:00And while fans may have their favourites, his own choice might surprise you.
04:04My favourite piece of work as a writing piece is one called Sugar George.
04:09The story of the pan man, right?
04:11The pan was playing when George was dead that night,
04:14beat in the dark with notes so sweet the dead man dead twice, they say.
04:18He closed the eye, he breathed the glass, people say, oh God, George, gone.
04:21But then the pan hit a high.
04:23He opened the eye, he say pan father, then dead to hell and gone away.
04:27Though widely known as a storyteller and comedian,
04:30he defines himself a little differently.
04:32So I'm more what you call a humourist.
04:35I mean, you use humour to make a point.
04:38Even today, his inspiration comes from observing everyday life,
04:42people, places and behaviour.
04:44And if he were to write about Trinidad now, these are the themes he'd explore.
04:49Trinidad today would be, I guess, security.
04:52What we're doing is to secure ourselves.
04:54It would be medicine, in terms of how hard it is to get medicine as an individual.
05:02And the other thing would be being yourself.
05:06How hard it is to be yourself without cloning yourself.
05:10To young writers, his message is simple.
05:13So as I say to young writers, you have to think of the show not just as performing or being
05:19this great performer.
05:21Think of the person you're reaching inside there.
05:23Do something that you enjoy doing, you know.
05:26Do something that you really enjoy doing, that you have a passion for doing it,
05:30so it doesn't become work.
05:31And then set a standard for yourself, that you're not going beyond this standard.
05:36This is how I want to be seen, this is who I am, you know.
05:39And of course, a storyteller always has a story to tell, even about his own experiences on stage.
05:46Today, Keynes Douglas continues to create, hosting workshops, painting and even lending his voice to international projects,
05:53including a national geographic feature on Trinidad's wildlife.
05:56He's also preparing to publish another book and spend time with family.
06:01As we reflect on his impact and contribution to Caribbean culture, here's how he hopes to be remembered.
06:07The name brings a smile.
06:09And that's why I think people, when you think of you,
06:12because even now I'm talking, we're talking about things that happened 50 years ago,
06:15and I can still smile and think of the people.
06:18He also hopes to see more support for the arts, more venues, sponsorship,
06:22and archives to Brazil's storytelling for generations to come.
06:26I am Paul Keynes Douglas. Thanks for catching up.
06:29Rochelle Edwards, TV6 News.
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