‘In our backyard’

Ella Mclaren-Poulter

30x30
Clay, beads, metal wire, paper, acrylics, video (loop 08,39 min)

In the Caribbean the backyard is a sacred place. Here we come together to share things; to share time, to share fruit, to share stories. It is our meeting point. In the sculptural portion of the piece I have depicted something that you will find in every backyard in Barbados; mangos. Here they act as a symbol for home and community. The mango tree embodies the ethos of Caribbean culture—generosity, interconnectedness, and the value of community. The act of sharing mangos, whether they’re picked fresh from the tree or passed along from one household to another, embodies the ritual of giving that is synonymous with being from the West Indies.

Through the film I want you to feel what it’s like to be in our backyard. Here I show people in their sacred spaces. I met with a stranger, a family friend, my father and my uncle. They walked me around, told me about their trees, shared anecdotes and old photographs. What each person gave to me was special, and what they had in common was a willingness to share. I asked my Uncle Tony what he thinks is unique about being ‘Bajan’ (of Barbadian descent)?. To which he replied, “The way we will welcome you into our home, the way we will meet you for the first time and launch into conversation about everything”.