It was hard to imagine that this was a German national who had never experienced Carnival or calypso before his first visit here in 1989.

Even more surprising is the fact that it was academic pursuits, his doctorate thesis to be exact, that led to Habekost's involvement in the music and culture of the Caribbean. That explains why he is also well versed in the complicated dialect and rhythm of Jamaican dub.

Habekost told Newsday that his interest in things Caribbean dates back to the 1970s, although he and Carnival became a regular part of his travel and admits that the European perception of the region study plans, he submerged himself into every aspect back the was restricted to reggae music.

With only the slightest hint of a German accent he the dialect, lifestyles and beliefs peculiar to this explained: "Then I discovered that there is a thing called dub poetry, which is the poetry connected the music ... and then I thought I could connect that with my studies.

”Later that developed into a more professional interest, so I did research into mainly Jamaican culture – dance, poetry, religion, the Rastafarian movement.”

Habekost said he started making regular trips to the Caribbean but his interest in Trinidad and Tobago was sparked in 1984 when he met Brother Resistance, the creator of rapso music, during a one-year teaching stint in London.

However, he never got to Trinidad until 1989 during the Carnival season.

”It really hit me ... it hit me in a big way,” Habekost recalled.

”At that time I had been to Jamaica many times before and somehow the circle was complete there – I knew the main streams of the culture.

”Then suddenly in Trinidad there was this whole new universe to discover ... centuries of tradition, Carnival music and all that. I felt that this was a new thing to get into.

”I had already planned to write by PhD thesis on dub poetry and I decided to include rapso and Trinidad culture.”

From that time Habekost was hooked. Trinidad and Carnival became a regular part of his travel and study plans, he submerged himself into every aspect of the country’s culture, familiarising himself with the dialect, lifestyles and beliefs peculiar to this country.

The idea to sing calypso developed one night when he and Tina were ”liming” with a close Trini friend Che Rodriguez. But Habekost had reservations. Although a cabaret performer by profession back in his native German, he was not confident that he could make the transition to calypso.

However, Tina and Che finally convinced him and Habekost composed his calypso about the experiences of a white tourist on a visit to this country. It took him two year, he said, to put the idea to music with the right touch of satire.

Finally, he appraoched Kisskidee manager Gary Dore with his material and, following an audition, was included in the cast of the tent.

On Saturday night his first effort at calypso ”Trini Just Like You” was performed for the capacity crowd at the Stadium. Fans are already eagerly looking forward to Chako’s next performance.

Elated by the success of his first venture into calypso, Habekost told Newsday that he is now ”totally open to whatever comes out of this”. By the way, Habekost already has a recording to his credit – the first – ever German language ragga song, ”Ragga Riddim Ist Der Boss”, which is on the Warner Brothers label.

He will be in action in Arima next weekend when the Kisskidee Karavan rolls into Arima.