At the start of our Early Years National Heritage Week celebrations, the preschoolers faces’ lit up as they entered the door seeing rays of colourful scarves hanging up in their classroom. Some said, “I see a rainbow,” some called out their favourite colour, while others simply enjoyed the feeling of wrapping themselves up in the soft hanging cloth.
Each colour is special to the Turks and Caicos. The colours are on our National Costume. Each colour represents one or more of the islands that make up our country and identifies what makes them special. Do you know your Island colours?
Red represents Grand Turk… the Turks Head Cactus. Yellow: the sunshine, Turquoise: Provo…the turquoise water, Green: North Caicos…vegetation, Tan-Middle caicos…straw, Orange: South Caicos…lobster, Pink: the flamingo and the conch and Yellow: the sunshine.
The children enjoyed listening to a simplified version of Myiahs’ Rainbow Dress, by local author Tammarra Forbes. Myiah feels a great sense of national sense of pride as she shares the story of the tapered colours on the National Dress of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Learn more about our national colours on this simple PowerPoint Presentation.
During the week the children worked on an art project together using many different technique (gluing and sticking, painting etc). Every time they used a colour, it was explained which island it represents with reference to the story of Myiahs’ Rainbow Dress. Look at the colourful picture we made together!
The children were thrilled when they went to the green field and played a running game, matching colours to the hula hoops. We called it “The Colour Run.”
To celebrate this week of learning, the children concluded with a dance production for the parents. The children made their own colourful headbands and ties and they danced to “Welcome to Provo” by Tropical Impulse. Why not dance along too as you listen to the song…
What a wonderful way to learn your colours!
What a lovely blog, Ms. Myrna.