Malory Secondary School visited the Horniman Museum on the afternoon of Wednesday, 28 June, 2000. First of all they listened to Viv talking about their selected key object, the MIDNIGHT ROBBER'S HEADDRESS.

The Midnight Robber is one of the old-time carnival characters from the Trinidad Carnival - said to be the oldest and greatest of carnivals. Midnight Robbers meet each other in the street and have spontaneous verbal battles called Robber Talk and above Tony and Andrew enact a piece for the pupils. Read more background info.

Pupils were then asked to look at the Midnight Robber mask and to write down their uncensored responses.

"Vicious, deadly, frightening and unkind" "Master of Death, dangerous, evil" "The mask looks like a king - it has incredible colours but when you look at it, it scares just like a scary movie - I know not to mess with the Midnight Robber" "King of Skeletons" "Powerful, King of the Dead - it makes me feel active and want to dance" "Like Halloween, terror with red eyes like fire" "Terror of Terrors who roams the bowels of the earth" "It's beautiful - so big to show the king is the greatest" "It looks like he's been executed in a chair for robbing - it's evil, how can you put on a hat and go robbin'?"

"On the way home at night
I cannot control my fright
The Midnight Robber is lurking
And I hear the scream
Of a human being"

Finally pupils were asked to find and draw another object in the exhibition that shows bravado, boasting or showing off and also to look at shapes and patterns.

Back to top of page
Back to visit page with images
Back to MSS opening page
Back to schools/projects section