Creative Leaps

'Night Of The Indigo': Breaking new literary ground Published: Sunday | October 25, 2009 SUNDAY GLEANER - Jamaica Krista Henry, Staff Reporter Ian Allen/Staff Photographer A Caribbean-based sci-fi novel may seem like a stretch of the imagination to most, but for dancer, choreographer, lecturer, singer, actor and now author, Michael Holgate, it has been a dream a long time in the making. After years of reading the creative works of distinguished writers who have captured the hearts of readers, young and old, the young author hopes to do the same with his chilling tale titled, Night of the Indigo. Holgate has spent more than 15 years exploring the world of theatre, dance, music, film and writing. A lecturer in Caribbean folk and traditional dance, as well as edutainment theatre at the University of the West Indies, Holgate is perhaps better known for his work as the artistic director of the performing arts troupe, Ashe. For a man that has tackled the world of the arts, Night of ...

1. Q: You are one of the most creative West Indians I have ever met. Do you seen any childhood links that may have attributed to your prolific expression? A: Thank you very much. My first reaction is to cower from such high praise, especially coming from you. The truth is however, that I love thinking of myself as Caribbean (West Indian) creative artist. Here, the word Caribbean is important because I believe that Caribbean aesthetics already has within it the dynamism so many centuries of forging a fine 'mettle' from the cultural realities of different races, cultures, peoples, in a small space. So from a young age, like most Caribbean youths, I was exposed to various forms of creative expression - up close and personal. Dance in primary school. Drawing. Singing in the choir. I've always been interested in the creative arts and fortunately my interest was never 'satisfactorily' discouraged. My father was a preacher who played guitar and sang sometimes, while my m...

Island Fiction author, Michael Holgate plays the dread locked warrior Kundo from his first book Night of the Indigo in the book trailer now on You Tube: Gerald Hausman, Island Fiction author of Time Swimmer and published author of over seventy books says this about Indigo: Night of the Indigo is an excellent book for learning about self-realization -- that it's entirely possible to gain power while giving up willpower. In the novel, the 15 year-old Jamaican boy Marassa becomes a mystic warrior and carrier of the light. As an allegory -- a story upon which another story rests -- this poetical novel shows us how a boy turns into a man. But it also shows how Marassa vanquishes fear of self to become a selfless practitioner of inner vision. Perilous forces are present in the story but I found myself swept away by the passages on healing with heart and inner light. These moments are very real indeed. Anyone who wants to know more about overcoming personal obstacles will love Michael Hol...