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Delroy "I-Tal" Anthony, St. John Culture Bearer
On most days you can find artist, craftsman, musician and agriculturalist, I-Tal Anthony displaying his homemade native crafts at the trailhead entrance to Salt Pond Bay. I-Tal is a native St. Johnian and a man dedicated to preserving the beautiful, but unfortunately endangered, island culture of St. John.
See Video - I Tal, St. John Virgin Islands Culture Bearer
Like I-Tal himself, just about everything he uses in his crafts are 100% native St. Johnian.
For example, starting with locally found treasures like this West Indian Locust seed (Also known as Stinking Toe) I-Tal fashions a small container for personal items.
From a mango seed I-Tal makes a children's toy the "ra ra" a St. John version of the yo yo. While holding the seed, pull the string just right and the top seed spins around and retracts for the next pull. Children seem to get it right away, adults tend to need a few practice tries.
The turtle's shell is made from coconut (sometimes I-Tal uses calabash) The turtle's head is made from the seed of the eggfruit.
The shak-shak comes from the seedpod of the flamboyant tree and can be used as a musical instrument.
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