Elsa Goveia was a historian active in the mid to late 20th Century. She is considered to be one of the first West Indian women historians of note. Each year the University of the West Indies hosts a lecture on a historical theme in her memory. This year's lecture is titled "Was Freedom Portable?: Wartime Journeys from Saint-Domingue to Jamaica to Cuba to Louisiana".The event takes place on Tuesday March 19 at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, UWI Mona Campus at 5.30 pm. The speaker at the event is Professor Rebecca Scott, a Professor of History and Professor of Law at the University of Michigan.
Are you staying in or around Ocho Rios and want a unique experience of the island? We can do that! How? By bringing our customer service focus and in depth knowledge of the island to one of the most beautiful parts of the island.
St. Ann Heritage Tour
On this tour you will learn Jamaica's fascinating history and all about the various people who came, from the Taino to the Europeans to the Africans and the Indians and Chinese. You will visit a Great House, see important artefacts, learn about Jamaica's first national hero Marcus Garvey, dine on wonderful Jamaican food, visit an art gallery, and see the beauty of what we Jamaicans call the Garden Parish.
Rastafarian Tour
Interested in learning more about the livity of this uniquely Jamaican movement? We will help you discover what it means to be a Rastafarian. On this tour you will visit a Rasta community and gain a greater understanding of the symbols and history of this way of life.
On Tuesday, January 29 Mel Cooke will launch his latest collection of poetry compiled on a live CD titled "Mel Cooke... Seh Sup'm Live from Kingston".
Where: Amphitheatre, Edna Manley College [Poetry Society of Jamaica Fellowship]
Time: 7.30 pm
The CD has 14 original poems and nine tracks in which he takes on a diverse range of issues as they impact on Jamaica. Those issues include male homosexuality, political garrisons, concepts of manhood, the beauty of Jamaican women, the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake and Jamaica’s development since independence.
Among the poems are ‘Bad Man Pull Up’, which takes a caustic look at men showing their underwear, ‘This is Jamaica’, a reworking of the National Anthem (see excerpt below), ‘House Cleaning’ - based on Mavado’s song of the same name and which challenges stereotypes of manhood through personal experience - and the somewhat raunchy ‘Schoolas’, which uses word play extensively.
“I have always wanted to do a live CD, so over the years I have been doing a few readings I have collected a number of recordings. I had intended to compile poems from these recordings to make a live album, but when Clement [Hamilton,organiser of Seh Sup'm] gave me a video recording of this particular reading I felt it was strong and diverse enough to be edited for that purpose,” Cooke said.
Cooke's debut poetry book ‘11/9’ was released by Blue Moon Publishing in 2008.
‘This is Jamaica’ by Mel Cooke
This is Jamaica
Land of wood and water
Guns and laughter
Fun and slaughter
This is Jamaica
Island in the sun
Reggae and the gun
Coloured people watched Columbus discover
Genocide
My white side gold fever hot
Transport my black side from Africa
Poor Europe, Far East stop freedom gap
Never come with much
Still was a lot
For only black went on auction block
The below is taken from the UWI Museum Blog post "Facing the Challenge of a New Age": Martin Luther King Jr. at UWI June 20 1965.Martin Luther King Jr., born Jan 15, 1929, whose birthday is now celebrated each third Monday in the month of January, holds a special place in memory at the University of the West Indies. On June 20, 1965, his sermon at the 1965 Valedictory Service transfixed not only the over 400 graduates, but also a crowd of hundreds more who packed the hall.
‘Facing the Challenge of a New Age’ was the title he used, speaking about the increasing interdependence of states and the need for worldwide brotherhood. He charged the audience to meet injustice with love, an ethos reflected in his efforts to advance civil rights through non-violent civil disobedience. And, in the segment most remembered by many who were there, he argued for everyone to strive to be the best that they could be:
“If it falls to our lot to be street-sweepers, sweep streets like Raphael painted pictures, like Michelangelo carved marble, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, and like Beethoven composed music. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well’.”
To read the full post click here.To arrange tours that go to the University of the West Indies, email us at info@jaculture.com or book a custom Kingston City Explorer on our Tours page.
It is about two human beings who nearly lose one another - but who eventually struggle back together through uncertainty, through quarrels, through humiliation.
Trevor Rhone, who passed on in 2009, is perhaps ranked as Jamaica's best playwright having written over a dozen manuscripts. He is also known for his co-writing of the cult classic film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff. In December another of his plays will open in Kingston, this one being the two-hander Two Can Play.
Two Can Play, according to a description from Goddess Theatre is "a Jamaican story, reflecting life in the inner city, ravaged by violence and hopelessness. It is the need for a better life. Jim and Gloria get involved in a scheme to get American citizenship. However, it is Gloria not Jim ( ‘the general’ ) who takes the risks. Gloria and Jim come to a new understanding of the world and their relationship."Further, according to a Gleaner Article dated October 14, 2009, former Prime Minister Michael Manley's foreword to the published play read "Two Can Play is about love and estrangement; about domination and liberation; about confusion and compassion. It is about two human beings who nearly lose one another - but who eventually struggle back together through uncertainty, through quarrels, through humiliation."
The play is considered to be a classic Jamaican comedy and in 1982 when it was staged won an award for Best Jamaican Play. In 2009 it was mounted by the University Players; this time around it will be produced by Goddess Theatre which is the project of actress Terri Salmon, a well-known fixture on the Jamaican stage. The director is Carolyn Allen, a lecturer at Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts. For Ms. Allen this will be a departure: although she has been involved in various theatrical pursuits including directing student productions, this represents her first commercial directing job.Jamaica Cultural Enterprises will be supporting this venture on January 5. If you wish to find out more about going to the theatre on this or any other night email info@jaculture.com or call 876 540 8570. You can also call the producers at 876 347 2024 and visit their Facebook Page.
The Christmas season is upon us and JCE has some interesting specialty tours for you, your friends and family visiting for the holidays. And guess what? We also have some great discounted prices too!
So take a day trip with us, you’re certain to end up somewhere interesting.
 To make a booking for any of the events listed, please call us at 876 540 8570 or email us at info@jaculture.com.
Saturday, December 1 – Day Trip to Richmond Estate for the Jamaica Epicurean Escape
This food festival will feature:
- Traditional and exotic, local and international food, guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds
- Signature dishes from celebrated local and international chefs
- Sidewalk cafés and lounges
- Food Art displays
- Culinary displays
We will purchase your tickets and take you there and back, comfortably and safely. Saturday, December 15 – Kingston Art Trek, the Holiday Edition
We’ll together
- See new exhibitions
- Meet with new artists
- Eat great food
- Make new friends
- Have a fantastic day
Thursday, December 20 – Story of Jamaican Music
Tour will feature
- Music Studio visits
- The opportunity to “cut a tune”
- Journey to the root of Reggae music in Trench Town
- Great food
- Reasoning on our current musical output – good or bad?
To read the entire list of events, click on Read More below.
Pan Chicken Finalists
As if Restaurant Week didn't provide enough food for Kingstonians...On November 18 the finals of the CB Pan Chicken Competition will be held on Downtown Kingston's scenic waterfront. The lovely sea side, under-appreciated venue is one great reason to go. Then add to this the unmistakable allure of this very delicious Jamaican food item and the fact that the event is free, and there would need to be compelling reasons not to go.On November 18 the competition comes to a head as the ultimate winner will be chosen from among the regional finalists. The winner will get $525,000 from CB Chicken and Churches Co-operative Credit Union, a trophy, and, possibly even more important, the right to beat his or her chest and loudly proclaim victory. The event will also feature entertainment from the Fluffy Diva Miss Kitty, comedians Ity and Fancy Cat, Singers Tifa and I-Octane, and others.For more information on the event, visit the CB Chicken Facebook page.For background on pan chicken and its significance to Jamaican food heritage, read this Gleaner article.For information on our cultural tours, email us at info@jaculture.com or call 876 540 8570.
Guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Photo Source: Rolling Stone Magazine
Asante Adonai Farm in St. Ann will on Sunday, November 25 hold a celebration of the music and life of Jimi Hendrix. This is the second year of the celebration and Jimi would have been 70 this year.
According to Leachim Semaj, Jamaican psychologist, businessman, radio personality and organiser of the event, seeing Jimi Hendrix perform was an unforgettable experience. "For me, to see a black man with such mastery of an instrument, was freeing. It convinced me that anything I put my mind to, I could do. Hendrix's music helped to solidify for me the notion that there are no limits, except the ones we impose on ourselves." According to the event's web page, Semaj believes in the power of Jimi Hendrix's music to "push the limits of our consciousness". The event, which lasts from 1 pm until 6 pm, is free, or more correctly you are required to contribute "good vibes" and wear something Jimi would like. You are encourged to carry igloos, chairs, blankets & umbrellas (it rained at Woodstock). Music will be provided by jUdgeMENt Sounds & Judge Production along with Guest DJs.For directions to the venue and information on last year's event click here. For more information on Jimi Hendrix, visit the official web page.To learn more about our tours that expose you to the musical variety within Jamaica, email us at info@jaculture.com or call 876 540 8570.
Jamaican poet Tanya Shirley
In support of the development of local poets, book store Bookophilia will host poet Tanya Shirley, author of "She who Sleeps with Bones", as she gives insight on producing powerful poetry, writing tips, and advice on presenting works for print. The event will take place on November 14 at 6.30 pm.
Tanya Shirley was born and lives in Jamaica. She is a graduate student and teacher in the Department of Literatures in English at the University of the West Indies, Mona. She was awarded an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland, USA. Her work has appeared in Small Axe and The Caribbean Writer and in New Caribbean Poetry: An Anthology (ed. Kei Miller, Carcanet, 2007). She is a Cave Canem Fellow and a past participant in Callaloo Creative Writing Workshops.
To learn more about our tours and how they expose Jamaican creativity, please email Jamaica Cultural Enterprises at info@jaculture.com or call 876 540 8570.
 Ambassador Theatre in Trench Town Trench Town is known as the birthplace of reggae music. The number of musical greats that have come from Trench Town, including Bob Marley, is astounding. Ambassador Theatre located in Trench Town, was a place where much of Jamaica's musical talent was showcased. On November 17 the theatre will be the scene of JaMIN at the 'BAS, a concert featuring Derrick Harriott, Ken Boothe, Alaine and others. Also, the top finalists of the JaMIN song competition will perform and the winner will be announced. The Ambassador Theatre which has not been in use for some time is being brought back and the plan is to transform Trench Town into a cultural village.Ambassador Theatre is located at 1 1/2 Collie Smith Drive. The concert starts at 7.00 p.m. For further details or to purchase tickets contact 876 412 9950. For more information on Ambassador Theatre, click here.To find out more about our tours that take you into Trench Town and our Story of Jamaican Music tour, email us at info@jaculture.com or call 876 540 8570.
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