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Bringing the Caribbean to children's television
Born and bred in London, Charlie Michael Mind is a third-generation Antiguan. She started her career in an oil and gas firm before realising that big business wasn’t for her. Changing to the charity sector, she worked with young people, helping to give them opportunities in areas they wouldn’t usually have access to without a private-school education. Charlie moved to Antigua in January 2019 with her young children. Whilst living in Antigua, she spotted a gap in the market for children’s television and started Calypso Kids TV, geared specifically to the Caribbean. Charlie met up with The Citizen to discuss this exciting project and to tell us more about moving across the world with her family to the beautiful twin islands.
Can you tell us more about the concept and aim of Calypso Kids TV?
I wanted to create educational content that reflects the landscape, accents and rich culture of Antigua & Barbuda. Most English language content is British or American, and it made me concerned about what message that would seed in young minds. I want young people to see their island reflected back at them on the screen in all its beauty, cultural nuance and historical significance and, in doing so, grow national pride. Therefore, I have created several playlists that speak to various age groups and interests, from preschoolers to older children.
Why is it important for children to see more references to the Caribbean in the media?
There is very little in the media, television or films about the Caribbean, and even less from the viewpoint of a Caribbean person. When we only see negative or false representations of ourselves, this can impact the outcomes of young people. I want to create something that champions Antiguan and Barbudan culture for children here, in the diaspora and for people elsewhere to learn how wonderful the country is. Antigua & Barbuda are beautiful islands that remain uniquely Caribbean, mainly unspoiled by large development and decades of heavy tourism. I want to showcase how wonderful that is, and I hope every video helps to preserve a bit of culture and inspire pride.
I wanted to create educational content that reflects the landscape, accents and rich culture of Antigua & Barbuda.
Your grandparents and mother moved to London from Antigua in the 1960s. Although you grew up in the UK, how important was your Antiguan heritage to you?
Growing up in the diaspora, one is always asked, “Where are you really from?” Superficially, it seems a benign question, but it’s a constant reminder that you are not really considered British and you belong somewhere else. Fortunately, my household was always very proudly Antiguan; walking through the front door in North London felt like being transported into a home in Swetes Village, with aromas of salt fish on the fire and the sound of dominoes slamming on tables and lively conversation. I would love to hear the stories of ‘back home’, and looked forward to our visits where we could eat guava straight from the tree, make jumby bead necklaces and go to pick various leaves for bush tea. My Antiguan heritage is incredibly important to me and something I am proud to pass on to my children.
What are your favourite memories from visits to the island as a child?
We would often come to Antigua, and it was great for me to understand more of my culture and to feel like I belonged. My great-grandfather had bought land on a high hill in Falmouth to graze cattle, with my grandfather later buying more. Some of my fondest memories are of us hiking up through those virgin hills to the top with my grandfather and cousins, where we would enjoy the cool breeze and the spectacular views over Falmouth Harbour and Turtle Bay. It was a great adventure as a child, and it felt like we were real explorers scrambling up steep rocks watching as Granddad would swing his machete, cutting down cassie branches to clear a narrow path for us.
You moved to Antigua in January 2019. What was the reason for moving from your successful lives in London to Antigua?
The move was based on a push and a pull. I now have three children, but when I moved to Antigua full-time, I had a one-year-old and a newborn. With young children, the push was that London was no longer the right gear for me as I hadn’t noticed the fast pace previously when I was part of the rat race. Before getting married, my husband and I had always discussed raising children in Antigua, so it was just a matter of when. The final push came when there was a blizzard of snow in spring. I realised I’d had enough, so I called my husband, who was in sunny South Africa, and told him I was done; it was time for Antigua. The pull was everything Antigua offers. In the first six months, I stayed at our family home on Matthew’s Road, where we had a small farm with sheep, chickens, geese, turtles and more. My eldest son had the idyllic lifestyle we had hoped for - collecting eggs before preschool and picking the fruit from the tamarind tree. On the weekends, we would go to the beach or horse riding. Now I live in the north with my young family and still love the decision we made to come here. My children are at great schools and have access to fantastic extra-curricular activities.
My Antiguan heritage is incredibly important to me and something I am proud to pass on to my children
What other advantages has the move to Antigua given your young children and the family?
Antigua enables my family to live a more outdoorsy, analogue lifestyle. They are all strong swimmers, comfortable around animals and able to identify many indigenous plants and birds. Soon I will be able to teach them the medicinal uses of bushes and how to identify them, just as I was taught. Of course, the UK is not going anywhere, and I’m sure the children may want to experience living there when they are older. However, living in Antigua & Barbuda at this young age gives them a great foundation for life where they can feel comfortable in their own skin and have a strong understanding of their heritage.
What would you say to other families with young children thinking about moving to Antigua?
Come now, why wait? Just book the flights and let workmango.com do all the hard work for you!
Where is your favourite place in the twin islands?
I can’t narrow it down to just one place, but I can say it’s a feeling and a lifestyle that makes Antigua & Barbuda so special. Whether it’s swimming in clear, tranquil waters, visiting cook shops for freshly prepared local food or hiking through the lush tropical landscape, Antigua & Barbuda is just the best place to be.
What is next for Calypso Kids TV?
I hope to continue creating more entertaining content and reach an even wider audience. We have already had our content aired on a main television network, and it would be great to be aired on more regional and international stations. For this coming year, I hope we can improve our products and make even better content.
