NARISSA FRASER
Local entertainer Roland “RemBunction” Yearwood has been fascinated by puppetry since childhood. In fact, you can see the artform in many of his comedy sketches on social media. But apart from the fun of it, he understands its role in encouraging creativity, self-expression and preserving cultural heritage–all of which he hopes children can gain from his upcoming workshop, Puppet Pavilion.
It will be held from August 10-15 at the Elevated Creative Hub, Shoppes of Maraval. Children between the ages of eight and 15 will have the opportunity to design concepts for and construct puppets, to then “bring them to life” with performances.
Yearwood recalled being “completely mesmerised” by puppeteer Jim Henson’s work on The Muppets and Sesame Street, and locally, Ian Ali and his characters on Rikki Tikki. “Growing up as an only child in Belmont, I essentially brought my imaginary friends into the real world,” he told Guardian Media. “I would study those puppets with an intensity that probably looked a little obsessive. I was reverse-engineering everything, figuring out how they moved, how they were built and then raiding the house for materials.”
He would use almost anything from towels and socks to random pieces of clothing and upholstery fabric. “Nothing was safe,” he said laughingly. But the pride and joy he felt from being able to bring his imagination “into reality” was something he never forgot. He continued to study the artform for decades, and sees the workshop as a culmination of the knowledge and skill he has gained.
The idea for such a project had been on his mind for a while, but time constraints, among other things, prevented it from being materialised. “However, recently one of my regular collaborators, DJ Aswaad, approached me enquiring as to why I have never done a workshop highlighting this particular part of my skillset. So I finally accepted the challenge and together with Arcadian Events, Now My Selectah and 2B Karibbean, we’re making the Puppet Pavilion a reality.”
The selected age group, he said, is made up of children who are at both a fascinating and tricky age. “They're self-conscious, they're figuring out who they are, and the last thing most of them want is to be put on the spot.” But he explained that puppetry brilliantly gives them a way to express themselves, explore their emotions and perform “without the full vulnerability of being directly in the spotlight.”
He continued, “The puppet carries it, and behind that puppet, something opens up. They find their voice, they take risks they wouldn't take otherwise."
He also believes the artform has deep societal value, adding that many ancient myths, folklore and historical events have been passed down through puppetry. To him, it is one of the most complete creative disciplines. “ It’s fun, it’s therapeutic, (and) it’s hard not to smile when a puppet is in the room.”
Yearwood said he is excited to finally be able to share his expertise with young people. But the puppets, he said, are simply the “vehicles” to what they are truly seeking to achieve. “The kids are naturally cultivating creative problem-solving, emotional regulation, self-expression, empathy… because to build a character, you have to understand a character. You have to ask, ‘Who is this? What do they feel? What do they need?’ That's deep work for a child to do and they're doing it joyfully, with their hands, in a room full of their peers.”
And since they believe everyone can benefit from these traits, there will also be a session for adults over the workshop’s weekend period.
The team hopes to see the project expand for more cohorts and into more communities in the future.
To register for the upcoming workshop, visit puppetpavilion.carrd.co.
