FEBRUARY 2021 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 20
Two Artisansin Carriacou:made from mahogany logs, mostly carved with handtools such as gouges after hollowing out the log with achain saw. He usually uses pigskin for the membrane,called a drumhead or drumskin. Shaka began makingbongo drums 25 years ago and has been makingnecklaces since his schooldays.Shaka began scuba diving about 18 years ago andworked for dive shops, as well as selling the fish andlobsters he caught. About seven years ago he sufferedRONI EVERTONRONI EVERTON (2)SHAKA AND LUÍSby John EvertonAaron H. Barry’s aliases include Shaka, Zulu andBongo. Shaka was born in Grenada in 1980. He movedto Carriacou when 17 and has lived here ever since. Ofall the West Indians here that I know he has the mostAfrican aspect, particularly in his dress, his bongoplaying and the choice of materials in the necklaces hemakes, which include animal bones and teeth that hefinds when walking. Shaka’s art is more for art’s sakethan profit; however, he will accept presents of valuein exchange for necklaces and the drums he fabricates,as well as accepting commissions.Shaka’s bongo playing is certainly African based andI have seen him pick up the tempo and add zest tovarious bands he plays with. On board at night onecan often hear his distinctive drumming drift acrossthe water from the shore. The bases of his drums areLUIS SAAVEDRAa bends accident while diving southeast of PetiteMartinique. He was down to 110 feet and when heascended to 90 feet his regulator and mask blew out.Without being able to see he was able to activate anemergency regulator on his tank, which unfortunatelyproved faulty, so he came straight up to the surfacefrom 90 feet. He was eventually transported to adecompression chamber in St. Lucia as at the timeGrenada did not have one. Lucky to survive, he walkswith a limp in one leg and with the aid of a crutch. Hethought I should mention the accident in this article towarn other scuba divers of potential dangers.Always colourfully dressed, and usually accompaniedby his faithful dog JJ, Shaka can be seen regularly onthe Tyrell Bay waterfront anywhere between LambiQueen and The Old Rum Shop. When he is not outfishing or at home making bongo drums or creatingjewelry he is listening to music or watching musicvideos and you can bet your bottom dollar it is Africansinging and dancing.Aaron - Shaka - Zulu - Bongo H. Barry is a veryspiritual man, an artist who works with nature, in truetouch with his ancestral roots.Another artisan now in Carriacou who has somethingin common with Shaka is José Luís Roman Saavedra,a native of La Coruña, Galicia, Spain, who arrived inthe Caribbean in January 2020 after an Atlanticcrossing on the 28-foot gaff cutter Sauntress. Sauntressis the smallest square-rigger sailing and one of theoldest wooden boats currently sailing in the Caribbean,having been launched in Cardiff, Wales, in 1913. Luíshas been first mate of Sauntress for 15 years afterjoining the boat in La Coruña. When she crossed lastwinter, Sauntress called in at Tobago before arriving inTyrell Bay, where she soon hauled out in CarriacouMarine. Back in the water Sauntress was my neighbourfor several months until we moved into the mangrovesfor the threat from Tropical Storm Gonzalo. Luís hasbeen living ashore for the past few months until hisskipper decides to sail on. As the skipper has also fallenin love with Carriacou, that won’t be anytime soon.When Luís was 20 years of age he started working forhis uncle on weekends. His uncle was a carver in woodand stone; Luis preferred working with wood, in which hebecame proficient. Boxwood is his favourite for carvingbecause, as a very slow growing bush, it has virtually nograin and is almost inert. Old-fashioned chisel handlesare crafted from boxwood. Other woods Luis findsagreeable for carving include black walnut, black cypress,olive and lime. Tools Luís uses for carving includegouges, a magnifying glass and an extremely sharp knifelike a scapel. He usually works with the grain.An example of motifs used on a knife handle includeAbove: Aaron H. Barry — better known as Shaka, Zuluor Bongo — makes drums from mahogany logs, mostlycarved with hand tools.Left: Shaka and Luís. When seeing each other’s workthey had an instant rapport and respect for one another.Inset: Shaka and his friend Santa (at left), creating abeat. On board at night sailors can often hear drummingdrift across the water from the shore.Bottom left: Luís will spend many hours, days or weeksworking on one carving.Below: Luís sketches in his ideas onto the woodin pencil, and then carves the finished artwork.leaves, the lighthouse of Hercules (a Roman lighthousein La Coruña) a mermaid, a snake, a ship under sail,fish scales, a crab with a beer in one claw and a jointin the other, a seahorse drinking brandy — all carvedin intricate detail. He will spend many hours, days orweeks working on one carving. Luís works from pureimagination, although sometimes, with a particularimage, he will on draw it on paper, glue it on the wood,and carve around it.Like Shaka, for the most part Luis is a noncommercialartist — art for art’s sake. In place of cash,he too will accept gifts that he can value. But most ofhis work he gives to friends or keeps for himself.Besides carving for friends and his own privatecollection he will accept commissions. He has manyfollowers on Instagram, which puts him in touch withcarvers all around the world.Besides carving, Luís is an excellent fisherman, cookand invaluable crewmember of Sauntress. He hasworked on her in every winter re-fit and races on herin all the local regattas.I enjoyed introducing Shaka and Luís, who whenseeing each other’s work had an instant rapport andrespect for one another.LUIS SAAVEDRAFEBRUARY 2021 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 21