MFA CREATIVE THESIS 2019

“CHOREOGRAPHING MOURNING”

A RITUAL OF THE SPIRITUAL BAPTIST FAITH

“Mourning” is a ritual of the Spiritual Baptist Faith, an African-Caribbean syncretistic religion, which is the only indigenous religion practiced in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a period of prayer and fasting, during which time the “pilgrim” who mourns, “travels” spiritually and experiences mystical visions and encounters with beings in the spirit world. This spiritual journey includes travels to Africa and India and is a manifestation of my spiritual journey. The East Indian component is due to syncretism and the presence of the East Indian community and the religiosity of Hinduism in Trinidad and Tobago. The elements of this religious practice have been adapted into the Spiritual Baptist rituals due to parallelism of Gods and Goddesses between both religious practices.

Photography - Meagan Helman