Toronto Trini writes book in dialect
By Darcel Choy Sunday, October 26 2008
click on pic to zoom inNathalie "Queen Macoomeh" Taghaboni reads one of her stories from her book to students of Holy Name Convent, Port-of-Spain....« prev photo next photo »After 30 years of being away in the cold, Nathalie “Queen Macoomeh” Taghaboni experienced a temporary thaw when she visited her homeland for the past two weeks to launch her book Tales from Iceboxland.
Nathalie Taghaboni, sat down with Sunday Newsday after a visit to her alma mater, Holy Name Convent, Port-of-Spain recently.
When asked how she felt about being back at her alma mater she said, “For a writer I am lost for words. I am looking at them and I knew I was once them. This is the school that formed me, this is where it is sublime and unreal, this is definitely the highlight of the entire trip.”
Taghaboni revealed how she came up with the name Queen Macoomeh.
“Macoomeh, is Trinidadian for a woman’s best female friend, and I wanted to create that persona that gave an impression of being confident and always telling the truth. The queen part of it is a tribute to my grandmother, she was definitely a queen,” she said.
She remembered that her love for writing started when she was a little girl.
“I participated in a writing competition, it was one that the Trinidad Guardian was having around that time and I won a tube of Colgate toothpaste,” she said, laughing.
Her professional writing career began in 2001 quite innocently. After having “carried a costume” for a big mas man along Toronto’s Lakeshore Boulevard during the 2001 Caribana Parade, she was so inspired that she wrote a “thank you” note to the mas man who had allowed her to fulfill a personal life-long dream of carrying a big mas.
She submitted it to a local Toronto newspaper for consideration of reprint. Her note was written exclusively in Trini vernacular. The editor loved it, remarking that her thoughts were well composed and her use of the Trini language was refreshing. The note was a huge hit with readers and she was asked to continue writing in the vernacular and was offered a weekly column.
Since August 2001, Queen Macoomeh has been writing a rather spirited, weekly column—in Trini dialect—in Toronto’s Share Newspaper.
She compiled over 30 plus of her best columns, with a few new stories, into the book.
“I came up with the word Iceboxland from spending time with my grandmother, she would always have ice delivered and the man would always have the tongs and the ice in the box would chip. When I first landed in Toronto, it was snowing and the ice was chipping,” she explained. Of the 35 stories, 33 are in dialect and she has provided a glossary of uniquely Trini words and phrases, with an eye, she explains, to “educating the novice.”
In her book she touches on a lot of different topics.
“I go where fools fear to tread, I touch on politics, religion, Caribana communities, crime, drugs, everything you can think of,” she said.
The book was launched in Toronto, Canada in November 2007. Published by Commess University Press, its first edition of 250 books sold out at the book launch.
She revealed that she approached a lot of publishers but no one wanted to read dialect. “No one wanted to do it, so I started my own company and published my own book and it has done really well,” she said.
In 2002, Queen Macoomeh became the Chancellor of Commess University – an online university dedicated to promoting a better understanding of the Caribbean, especially Trinidad and Tobago and its people.
When asked what made her want to write a book in dialect, she said: “There was nothing out here like that, people would come up and say girl you know how long I didn’t hear that.”
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing music and taking photos.
“I am a photojournalist, I love photography; where I live, there is a heavenly park, I love taking pictures there,” she said.
Taghaboni says it is hard to say who her favourite authors are because they all inspire her.
“I love to read and there are so many authors that I like and dislike as well. For me, when it comes down to the bad authors, they inspire me to write better,” she said.
“I have been reading a lot of non-fiction, like Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott which talks about the sugar history and how it is married up to slavery,” she added.
The mother of two has been a columnist for nine years at Share Newspaper, a freelance journalist for She Magazine, and she has written a short story for the inspirational book series Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has also written articles for various websites.
She describes the trip back home as a huge one as she gets to connect with people she has not seen in over 30 years.
“I get to see some of my old teachers, my siblings and some of my family,” Taghaboni said.
She advises people who want to become a writer to pay attention. “Pay attention to what is around you and put it forward,” she said. The second edition of Tales from Icebox Land is being sold exclusively through Nigel R Khan Booksellers
