The Adventures of a Cricket

In the Caribbean Sea lie Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, three little islands bathed in the tropical sun, filled with smells and sounds that whisper of long lost ties to another Continent. Here Papiamentu was born to become the mother tongue of those who called the islands home. The aim is to show how identities are portrayed in literature in the Caribbean. The late author Elis Juliana born in 1927 in Curaçao, has published over a dozen collections of poetry and short stories, and contributed extensively to children¿s writing in Papiamentu. His voice was heard for years on the radio where as Uncle Elis, he recounted stories in his mother tongue. He was also a distinguished internationally known visual artist. He asked Helene to translate a booklet called Aventura di un Kriki into English as he felt this work more than any of his others, depicted the nuances of Caribbean life. Hélène Garrett invites the reader to eavesdrop on ¿Antilleanness and Caribbeanness¿ and to hear the collective voice of a people deeply rooted in the colonialization, enslavement and emancipation of its speakers. With irony and humour Elis Juliana typifies the character and individuality of the Antillean.