· May, 2007

Stories about Jamaica from May, 2007

Jamaica: Worst Test Cricket Loss in 50 Years

  31 May 2007

“Sometimes I wonder if we should just drop cricket like we're dropping the sugar industry. Both are vestiges of colonialism. But I dare not say this aloud…'cause, unlike the sugar industry, cricket swims in our very blood.” Jamaican Leon Robinson is disappointed in the West Indies’ performance against England.

One Caribbean; Many Identities…

  30 May 2007

Calypsonian Lord Nelson once sang, “all ah we is one family”. Optimists in the Caribbean may well agree with these words, but the reality is that if you were to describe Caribbean states as a family, you would have to call it a complex unit - and one in which there is much sibling rivalry. Trinidadian blogger Karel Mc Intosh discusses the intricate subject of Caribbean unity with Jamaicans Geoffrey Philp and Francis Wade and Guyanese blogger Media Critic.

Jamaica: Thank You, Miss Lou

  30 May 2007

“Miss Lou in her life and poetry had many things to teach us. And she taught in a way that only the best teachers can—without us knowing.” Geoffrey Philp pays tribute to a Jamaican cultural icon.

Jamaica: Requests for Proposal

  29 May 2007

“Only recently have I come to understand why my stomach churns and I politely demur, when I am told that several companies will be bidding on a solution”: Jamaican Francis Wade reveals why he runs away from Requests For Proposal.

Jamaica: Mergers and Acquisitions

  28 May 2007

“It's a little like a bad version of The Brady Bunch — each parent tells their children that a marriage is about to happen to join two families together, and… ‘by the way… in case you kids were wondering… nothing will change'”: Against the backdrop of several high-profile regional mergers...

Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Drummer Muhtadi Thomas

  25 May 2007

Geoffrey Philp features Trinidad multi-media artist Elspeth Duncan as she talks about the experience of working on a Leda Serene documentary about Master drummer Muhtadi Thomas: “I asked him if he would open our filming session in the same way that he opens his drumming sessions, with his hands playing...

Jamaica: Cricket at Lord's

  21 May 2007

“If ever there was a stodgy cricket ground with a staid atmoshpere, this is it. Lord's in St. John's Wood is a most boring place to watch cricket.”: The Life and Times of Michmac reports from the West Indies vs. England match.

Seyni Kouyate on Yankadi Reggae

  21 May 2007

Roots and Culture has an interview with Seyni Kouyate (Fr), a Yakandi reggae musician from a griot family in Guinea-Conakry.  Kouyate says Yakandi reggae is not a Western-African fusion; it's a fundamentally African music form.  “It's the meeting of traditional African rhythms, specifically from West Africa, with Jamaican skunk…the beating...

Jamaica: Power of Poetry

  17 May 2007

“…I rejoice because Clifton reminds me always of why writing poetry is important and why it is good to believe this.” Geoffrey Philp quotes Kwame Dawes’ meditation on James Dickey, Lucille Clifton, and the power and grace of poetry.

Trinidad & Tobago: Cricket Curfew

  16 May 2007

“If it was in my hands I’d have had guys more free to do what they want to do in the lead-up to the first Test match.” West Indies Cricket Blog quotes Chris Gayle on the issue of curfew.

Barbados, Jamaica: Buildings and Memories

  16 May 2007

Barbados In Focus takes a walk into his past with a wonderful flickr photo set of old buildings that bring back memories of his childhood. And despite overcast weather, Stet posts some photos of downtown Kingston.

Talking to Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp

  14 May 2007

The Jamaican writer Geoffrey Philp has published five books of poems, a collection of short stories called Uncle Obadiah and the Alien, and a novel, Benjamin, My Son. He lives in Miami, a member of the great Caribbean diaspora in North America, and he currently teaches at Miami-Dade College. Since...

Jamaica, Barbados: Kamau Brathwaite's Birthday

  11 May 2007

Geoffrey Philp honours Barbadian writer Kamau Brathwaite on his birthday: “We have done this tribute because in your poems and life, you have given us an example of how a life should be lived–on its own terms.”

Jamaica: On the Waterfront

  10 May 2007

Stet conducts a tour down to the neglected Kingston waterfront: “I actually had a dream…of strolling along the boardwalk at dusk, coloured lights strung from the trees, kids running to the merry-go-round, and a band playing (softly!) by the pier. It’s not such an outlandish idea.”

Jamaica: Customer Service Standards

  10 May 2007

“The truth is, there are at least three kinds of service in the Caribbean. Tourist Service, Personal Service and ‘De Res Ah Dem’ Service,” writes Jamaican Francis Wade, as he examines customer service standards in the region.