DANCING on three-foot stilts through jubilant crowds at Carnival comes naturally to Simone Scipio-Briggs.
The Carnbee-born mother of five, who has mesmerised spectators with her grace and endearing spirit over the years, is perhaps Tobago’s most prominent female moko jumbie.
In fact, her portrayal of the beloved folklore character extends way beyond Carnival and culture. She has performed at corporate events, weddings, christenings and even funerals.
Last year, Scipio-Briggs, 41, was part of the Tobago contingent that travelled to the UK for the World Travel Market.
“I would have been the moko jumbie on display at the Trinidad and Tobago booth in a costume designed by Marcus Des Vignes that represented what Tobago has to offer,” she told WMN on February 18.
“It was an amazing experience being a cultural ambassador and sharing a piece of Tobago with the world.”
Scipio-Briggs, who became the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd’s tourism business development officer in January 2023, said the position has enabled her to view such international events in a different light.
“I now have a deeper understanding of visitors wanting to experience experiential tourism. Visitors want to see and experience life as a local and it was an honour to be one of the faces that shared Tobago with the world.”
During covid19, the Signal Hill resident also began tutoring young people in her spare time.
“When the country was on lockdown, because I have five children, my house became the yard where children found themselves during the day. My children are also into the moko jumbie and they tried to get their friends involved in it.
“Because I would not let them strap up their friends and let them go, my husband (Dion Briggs) and I started to teach the children in the neighbourhood.”
Later, the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development reached out to her to assist its queen in an inter-department Carnival competition.
[caption id="attachment_1140456" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Simone Scipio-Briggs was part of the Tobago contingent that travelled to the UK for the World Travel Market in 2024. -[/caption]
She said, “It (tutoring) just evolved over time. But I keep telling people I don’t have a class because I don’t have time. My children have very busy schedules. However, if you are willing to learn and you can fall in when I have time, then no problem.”
Scipio-Briggs’ interest in stilt-walking began when she was just 13.
“I always remember I went into Scarborough for Carnival with my parents and I saw the moko jumbies walking and I looked up and I was like, ‘But I know these children. These boys from Mt Pleasant.’ I said, ‘Daddy, I want to try that.'"
Her father, she recalled, did not hesitate.
He took her to the Itsy Bitsy Playhouse and Folk Theatre in Mt Pleasant, founded by former independent senator and cultural activist Annette Nicholson-Alfred.
At the time, a cultural group from Cocorite, Trinidad, was conducting a camp on stilt-walking and Scipio-Briggs was eager to try it.
She said sh
