DJ Mika blazing trail to cultural unity

The Polish-born, professional disc jockey who was raised in Germany is on a mission to bring unity through the use of the Caribbean music genres. With workshops and seminars in secondary schools across the region, her aim is “to grow students’ interest of what is outside of Caribbean.” To stir that interest, Mika demonstrated how culture is being interpreted in Europe by showing videos and playing music of European artistes who replicate regional music.

Students also did photography, mas design and sessions with local entertainers.

After a long, bureaucratic process to get approval from the Ministry of Education her mission began at Woodbrook Secondary, French Street, in January. With full energy and a bright smile she bounced into the school, first liaising with teachers who gave her their blessings. At first, students appeared uninterested, but as the programme progressed, the smiles grew and they were really invested in the workshop.

“The students really had fun,” Mika said.

They were surprised by the power of music and thrilled to see Europeans reproducing Caribbean genres.

“They began to realise that some of the white people try to adapt what the people in the Caribbean do, how they dance and how they dress, the only difference is that they are white and have a different cultural background,” Mika said. Mika holds a BA in Media and Communications from the University of Leitz, Germany –her thesis focused on Caribbean culture. Her first TT visit was in 2015 and she deejayed at Pier I, on a boat ride, at a radio station and explored the Carnival scene and fell in love with it.

Using her research and experience she included a Carnival and mas design workshop where students made costumes using materials donated by mas bands. Entertainment personnel were also brought in to educate students about industry careers. Among them were pannist Keshorn Julien; Fabien Alfonzo, music producer; audio engineer Jabari Winchester and Kernal Roberts.

They gave students a better understanding of the industry, Mika said. She said they were shocked when Roberts revealed his achievements, and wanted autographs afterwards.

She hopes more students will participate in the next programme. “Everybody has got a talent inside, it is all about finding that talent.. I hope the project will inspire students to get deeper into the creative industry,” she said.

As this was the pilot project she is open to modifying and altering the programme to include sports, natural science, art and other facets. She is asking principals, teachers, and possible participants to contact her. She is open to going to “at-risk” communities and hopes more sponsors will back her effort as it was mainly funded by her.

Mika said her sessions received positive reviews from students, teachers, Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby- Dolly and Jeanelle Frontin, of Creative TT . The programme ended on March 8.

She plans to continue her love affair with Caribbean music by embarking on a research project about its distribution world wide and to further create acceptance of Caribbean music internationally.

For more info: 372-0077, email: djmikaraguaa@gmail.

com, www.mikaraguaa.com or www.caribbeanmusic-worldwide.

org.