Trini boy, 8, stars in Japanese film.
Yvonne Webb (Guardian).A Japanese television production crew is now in Trinidad filming the life story of a young San Fernando boy for a television programme called Future Stars. The show is to be aired around the world.
The lucky youngster is eight-year-old Ojah Bisnath who achieved the world record of being the youngest moko jumbie when he was just 11 months old. At that time he was walking on four-inch stilts. Today, young Ojah is proficient on four-foot stilts. The youngest son of Junior and Victoria Bisnath, Ojah was selected as one of the future stars, based on his natural and acquired skills in various disciplines.
In addition to being a moko jumbie, Ojah also plays the pan and drums, rides a unicycle and does woodwork in his father’s workshop. The Japanese television company crew, comprising cameraman Yasusu Nozaki and CEO of the television production company, Asako Solis, began filming at the youngster’s home at the corner of Henry and Brown streets, San Fernando, yesterday. The filming will continue over the weekend, as Ojah takes in a series of Emancipation activities, which began yesterday and will end at Palms Club tomorrow. Hideyo Morimoto, a co-ordinator with the Trinidad and Tobago/Japanese Exchange Company, introduced Ojah to the television station.
Morimoto said Asako contacted her and asked about featuring talented children around the world.
Morimoto said she recommended Ojah and another young man who plays pan with Pamberi, and Solis decided to come to Trinidad to do the research. Proud father Junior Bisnath, a cultural activist, said he was honoured. “We have so many talented children in this country and for my son to be one of two children chosen for a movie, it is something for any parent to feel proud of,” he said. Bisnath, who also operates Kaisoca Moko Jumbie School, said he was particularly proud that the Japanese crew chose pan and the moko jumbie over so many other aspects of T&T culture.
Ojah Bisnath shows off his talent on the moko jumbie stilts.
