George Street's “The Innocence”

“The Innocence” painted as a scroll from the left of the painting, the title of this mural, off George Street, Trinidad, West Indies.

George Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies is a colourful portrayal of life from the roughest part of the Capital. On Sundays, vegetable vendors set up their makeshift tables to sell parcels of sweet peppers, tomatoes and limes. There is also a market atmosphere and idle men lurch and confront each other with an utterance of words not too suitable on an early Sabbath. Bars are open and patrons “lime” outside on chairs and drink their favourite beverage, “Guinness” and just shit-talk about the topic of the morning, or the events of the night before.


An detail of a child character appearing as an adult with marbles

But at a small open court facing a National Housing complex, an Artist by the name of Rafiki has painted an elaborate wall mural depicting his childhood memories of playing “Pitch,” otherwise known as marbles. What is unusual about this mural is that the characters appears to be drawn as adults, and more puzzling is the child sulking with his thumb in his mouth, and the fairytale lizard that lurks in the background to the far right. Whatever the reasoning behind the concept, an artist has lifted the spirit of an area much neglected by its residents and the city of Port of Spain.