CULTURAL LITERACY

may the ancestors be pleased!

2007-11-15T14:02:00.001-08:00

Whether or NOT

2007-11-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

A unique collection of selected poetry tracing the history and diverse cultures of Trinidad & Tobago plus the wider Caribbean heritage. Many of these poems are included on the award winning spokenword CD:Y42K. First published in 2000, this edition is introduced by Dr Lauri Ramey and includes a commentary by Lennox Raphael.

Printed: 90 pages, 6" x 9", jacket-hardcover binding, black and white interior ink

While acknowledging the usual categories in which a poetry of conscience is often slotted, describing Kwabena's poetry as solely "political" or "performative" does not do it full justice. Raised in a home where literature was present and stressed, including the works of a broad range of Caribbean and African American writers, Kwabena also experienced the early influences of classroom memorisation at the tail end of the colonial educational system.The combination of oppression and release proposed by poetry — reciting Byron and Skeete at school, while reading Selvon and Du Bois at home — must have been instilled at a young age via such exposure. It was an early lesson that language could be a source of productive tension to illuminate forces (repressive as well as enabling) that otherwise would remain hidden.

For example, in 'westindia', cultural identity is reclaimed through the careful repetitive construction of the negative case. The poem is framed with the opening and closing couplet: "here is not west india/here is not west india." Names, our most primal linguistic emblem of identity, are shown to be symptomatic of the problems of the colonial legacy. The list of place names is solemnly intoned

st croix
st kitts
st eustatius
st vincent
st thomas

as the poem echoes the litany of saint names for locales where the namers "never, ever trod." The word "look" is repeated, a plea and demand in one, as the poet begs and insists that the irony of the situation be recognised and acknowledged. This drumming of an intoned and highly significant word becomes in this collection what is what is commonly known as leitworter (Martin Buber) — a frequent device in biblical narrative as well as the earliest African American poetry, notably spirituals (which so strongly influenced much of later Black American verse) — where single words or phrases accrue the weight of a central theme, beyond what an individual word can ordinarily bear.

The "what we are not" is impeccably balanced with "what we are." These poems amply trace the historical and political path of the Gallabi as an indigenous population through a wealth of documentation. There is a thrust in this collection as a whole to recapture the unique legacy of Caribbean peoples, who share Diasporic links but also remain distinct. Here is where we experience Kwabena as poet-teacher: the "Obeahman" he aspires to be in his anthemic poem is, ironically, the figure he has become in Whether Or Not. Traditionally, in "new age bois," the speaker in the poem calls on the spirits of the ancestors to empower him to bring their energy — and burdens — into the present for resolution, tirelessly. There is an implicit charge to the reader to enter into the process of education by means of enculturation.

MP3 audio of theme poem

An excerpt from the Introduction

Roi Kwabena's Whether Or Not

Dr. Lauri Ramey, Department of English,

California State University, Los Angeles

in memory of ancestor andre tanker

2007-11-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

ANDRE TANKER- see previous reference

images celebrating heritage & efforts

2007-10-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

appreciating my indigenous heritage

2007-10-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

".... As a child with my parents we often visited the local museum. There I was often moved by the little attention paid to the artefacts of the indigenous people as opposed to the retrieved old cannons of the colonial forts. My sojourns in various isles of the Caribbean reinforced the need to instil more pride among our people, banishing the myths of a misunderstood past. The violent resistance (in my opinion justified) by original inhabitants to the treasure-hunting arrivants in the 15th century (privateers, pirates, slave traders, religious zealots, explorers) illustrated the desperation of a cornered civilisation. These fair emerald isles were bathed in the blood of innocents more so than perhaps what occurred in Europe during the Inquisition. I remain fascinated by the architecture and use of living spaces, the caves, structures like pyramids, tapia, ajoupa and the tasty foods that still tempt the palate five centuries later, for example the pone ( a cake), the cassava bread/ paymee (baked in banana leaves), the arepa (spiced pie), the roucou (a flower used as colouring in food and also used for protection from sunburn), also not excluding the Jamaican bamee.

Santa Rosa is but a vestige of the colonial and religious Spanish zeal diluted with indigenous, African and Asian traditions. The Spanish gave up Trinidad to the English without a battle, being unable to defeat the Ineri (the original inhabitants). But continuing in another vein, permit me to interject that your and my history is so inter-linked that there is obviously no way we can undo those ties. For instance, after the French revolution, a lot of French planters fleeing Haiti (then renamed Santo Domingo) were allowed to settle in many islands under control of the British. This was called the Cedula of Population, circa 1738. This is the plan that allowed the cousin of Marie Antoinette (a ruthless planter named Count Beggorat) and many others to bring their slaves, their language, culture, and their Catholic religion and despicable attitude toward blacks and to settle in my village, Diego Martin, in and other lush parts of Trinidad, under Spanish law but governed by the British. This is an example of the united Europeanisation of the region......"

from an interview of Roi Kwabena by Dr Eric Doumerc

Legacies to be cherished....

2007-10-17T02:35:00.000-07:00

"... Our children need to be told of the efforts of those chanting stick-fighters, drummers (the drum is still banned by archaic European laws retained in the so-called colonies to this day), even those women whose heroic organising planted the seeds for the trade-union movements, tamboo-bamboo players whose inventiveness led to the steel pan (the greatest musical invention for the 21st Century), played all over the world yet to be included on my country's education curriculum), forgotten reformers who bled for a nationalism which is forsaken today.

From a musical point of view, our Kaiso has grown and gave birth to calypso, soca ragga, and chutney (the latter with the influence of Asians). But sensible lyrics have been banished. Even double-entendre, humour and messages have disappeared, so that today only synthesisers, electronically programmed rhythms, gyrating waists and waving a sweat-soaked rag are in vogue (very much reminiscent of the old days when the French bourgeois waved their handkerchiefs in such like processions. So yes, these aspects of my culture do give me energy to continue writing...."

Excerpt of an interview with Roi Kwabena by Dr Eric Doumerc,

University of Toulouse-Le Mirail, France

WORD POWER

2007-09-26T02:41:00.000-07:00

RK appears at the WORD POWER Festival
on Saturday 13th October :

SMELLING & TASTING BLACK HISTORY

2007-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

"We could imagine World History as a carpet into which are woven all colours of the spectrum. We have to ensure that there is no bias, by including the (once conspicuously excluded) red, brown, black and blue threads of the past." Roi Kwabena

Black Achievers

2007-09-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

The International Slavery Museum UK is now open to the public. Based in the Merseyside Maritime Museum at Liverpool's Albert Dock, it explores both the historical and contemporary aspects of slavery. The museum addresses the many legacies of the slave trade and tells stories of bravery and rebellion amongst the enslaved people. These are stories which have been largely untold.
Among the exceptional exhibition is a list of Black Achievers:

Muhammad Ali - Boxer, born 1942
Widely considered to be the greatest athlete of all time. Not only did Ali dominate the world of boxing (the BBC and Sports Illustrated hailed him "Sportsman of the Century" in 1999), he was also a key figure in the civil-rights movement after refusing to fight in Vietnam because of how blacks were treated in America.

Shirley Bassey - Singer, born 1937
Arguably the greatest Welsh singer of all time, Bassey is the only artist to perform three James Bond themes. The Cardiff-born diva has recently made a popular revival (she was made a Dame in 2000) and can apparently count the Queen as a fan.

Steve Biko - Activist, 1946-77
A leading campaigner against apartheid in South Africa and co-founder of the Black People's Convention, Biko suffered a fatal head injury while in policy custody. Richard Attenborough turned Biko's struggle for equality into the feature film Cry Freedom.

Stokely Carmichael - Civil rights activist, 1941-98
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Carmichael moved to Harlem at 11. He was leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, bringing black students together to protest against segregation. One of the first activists to use the term " Black Power".

George Washington Carver - Botanist, 1864-1943
Dubbed a " black Leonardo" by Time magazine, Carver – born into slavery himself – developed revolutionary farming techniques that helped former slaves in Alabama become self-sufficient. His methods helped to restore the South after the Civil War.

Fred D'Aguiar - Writer, born 1960
Poet, novelist and playwright, regarded as one of the great British writers of his generation. He focuses on the role of the immigrant in Britain, slavery, colonisation and his Guyanese and British heritage. His works have been translated into 12 languages.

Oscar D'Leon - Musician, born 1943
Performing and recording for 30 years, D'Leon is a superstar in the world of salsa. Born in Venezuela, he started singing and performing while earning a living driving taxis. Partly due to his underprivileged background, he is an idol in his home country.

Viv Anderson - Footballer, born 1956
Anderson went down in the history books in 1978 as the first black player to appear in a full international for England. He won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest as well as domestic titles. In 1999, he was appointed MBE for services to football.

Maurice Rupert Bishop - Politician, revolutionary, 1944-83
Creator of the People's Revolutionary Government in Grenada, leader of a bloodless coup against the government and inspired by figures such as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. He was overthrown and assassinated by members of his own government.

Maya Angelou - Author, poet, playwright, born 1928
A great voice of black literature. Angelou's memoirs expose the difficulties of growing up as a black woman in St Louis. Her achievements are many and varied, and she was the first African-American woman admitted to the Directors Guild of America.

Aimé Césaire - Writer, born 1913
Born in Martinique, the co-founder of the literary and political movement Négritude is one of the Caribbean's most popular writers. A campaigner against African colonies, Césaire also published Une Tempête in 1968, a radical adaptation of The Tempest.

Susana Baca de la Colina - Singer, born 1944
Baca has played a major role in the resurgence of Afro-Peruvian music. Inspired by the music she heard as a child, she has founded the Centro Experimental de Musica Negrocontinuo (Institute of the Black Continuum), dedicated to the genre.

Learie Constantine - Cricketer, politician, lawyer, 1901-71
One of the finest all-rounders in cricket, Constantine moved to England from the West Indies to play professionally. He became involved in politics, fighting discrimination. He was the first black Governor of the BBC and the first black life peer.

Benedita da Silva - Politician, born 1942
Born in a Brazilian shantytown, Benedita Souza da Silva Sampaio is a key political figure, fighting for the rights of the underprivileged. In 1994, she became Brazil's first black woman Federal Senator, and she has served as Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Frederick Douglass - Abolitionist, writer, statesman, 1818-95
A former slave, Douglass became one of the primary abolitionists in America. His books and speeches focused on his experiences. He started The North Star, a newspaper edited and written by black people. He later campaigned for the rights of women.

Kofi Annan - Diplomat, born 1938
Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. His role in working for global peace was recognised when he and the UN were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. He helped to reform the UN and strengthen its peacekeeping abilities.

John Archer - Campaigner, 1863-1923
In 1913, John Archer was elected Mayor of Battersea, the first person of African descent to reach such a position in the UK. An equality campaigner, he chaired the Pan-African Congress in London in 1921 and was president of the African Progress Union.

Paul Bogle - Cleric, 1822-65
A hero in Jamaica, Bogle was a Baptist deacon who used his education and wealth to help the black community. He led the Morant Bay Rebellion, in which many were killed by British troops sent to quell the uprising. He was hung by the British.

John Conteh - Boxer, born 1951
Boasting a record of 34 wins, one draw and four losses, John Conteh is considered one of the greatest ever English boxers. Born in Merseyside, he won the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship in 1974 and a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games.

William Cuffey - Activist, 1788-1870
Cuffey was the son of a former slave and a leading figure in the Chartist movement that opposed the imbalance of the distribution of wealth in Britain. The reformist movement is considered the first major working-class movement in the world.

Charles Drew - Scientist, 1904-50
An African-American physician, he revolutionised the science – and politics – of blood transfusions. Along with developing blood storage techniques and improved means of transfusing, Drew opposed the practice of racial segregation in blood donation.

WEB Du Bois - Sociologist, activist, 1868-1963
The first African American to gain a PhD from Harvard, Du Bois wrote several studies on American black society. He later became a key figure in the civil rights movement and co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Bussa - Slave leader, died 1816
A national hero of Barbados, Bussa led around 400 slaves in a revolt against slave owners in 1816. Although Bussa was killed in battle and the revolt failed, he is remembered as one of the key figures in the emancipation of the slaves.

Quince Duncan - Writer, born 1940
The West Indian grew up under racial oppression in the Costa Rican city of San José. His fiction highlights the experiences of the black African in South America, and gained an international reputation as a human-rights leader promoting tolerance.

Gilberto Gil - Musician, born 1942
A Grammy-award winning musician who sings about social activism, Gil is also Brazil's current minister of culture. He founded the Tropicalia movement in the 1960s and was treated as a political threat by the Brazilian government of the time.

Félix Eboué - Politician, 1884-1944
Eboué became the first black man to be appointed governor in the French colonies, in Guadeloupe; as governor of Chad, he joined the Free French in their struggle against the Nazis and persuaded other French-African countries to follow.

Pastor G Daniel Ekarte - Minister, social activist, 1896-1964
Pastor Ekarte founded the African Churches Mission in Liverpool which, from 1945-1949, looked after "brown babies": the unwanted offspring of black American GIs and the city's white women. Hundreds of residents lined the streets for his funeral.

Nicolás Guillé* - Poet, 1902-89
A leading figure of " poesia égra" ("black poetry"), the Afro-Cuban poet, writer and journalist was also an influential campaigner for social justice. His work examines what it was like to be poor and black in Cuba.

Roi Ankhkara Kwabena - Cultural anthropologist, born 1956
Born in Trinidad, Kwabena – who calls himself a "cultural activist" – produces art on a variety of platforms, addressing issues such as racism and immigration. He is a poet, musician, storyteller, historian and publisher, and has performed around the world.

Lewis Howard Latimer - Inventor, 1848-1928
The son of escaped slaves, Latimer is considered one of the greatest black inventors, notably due to his improvement of carbon filaments in light bulbs. He worked with Thomas Edison and Alexander Bell and secured many different patents.

Sir William Arthur Lewis - Economist, 1915-91
In 1979, Sir Arthur Lewis became the first black person to win the Nobel Prize for Economics. He advised major nations around the world while his research on economic development in emerging countries was pioneering.

Toussaint-L'Ouverture - Rebel slave leader, 1743-1803
Born a slave in Haiti (then the French colony of St Dominique), Toussaint successfully led a slave rebellion against the colonisers. A brilliant general, he went on to help France drive out the British and Spanish from the country.

Patrice Lumumba - Politician, activist, 1925-1961
An African anti-colonial activist, Lumumba played a major role in gaining the Democratic Republic of the Congo's independence from Belgium, and was elected its first Prime Minister. He was assassinated after an army-supported coup.

Toni Morrison - Author, born 1931
In 1988, Morrison's fifth novel, Beloved, won the Pulitzer Prize; five years later, she became the first black woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. She acts as a mentor for many writers and is on the editorial board of The Nation magazine.

Nanny - Maroon leader, active 1720-34
A national heroine of Jamaica, Queen Nanny was a famous Maroon leader who frequently attacked British troops and is believed to have freed hundreds of slaves. A symbol of Maroon resistance, she is thought to have been killed by British forces.

Kwame Nkrumah - Politician, 1909-72
The first President of Ghana, Nkrumah led the movement that gained independence from Britain in 1957. An influential Pan-Africanist, he believed in uniting Africa under one government. He died in exile after his government was overthrown in 1966.

Jesse Owens - Athlete, 1913-80
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens defied Nazi propaganda and won four gold medals on the track. When he died, the US President Jimmy Carter said: "Perhaps no athlete better symbolised the human struggle against tyranny, poverty and racial bigotry."

George Padmore - Scholar, activist, 1902-59
Padmore is seen as one of the 20th century's greatest social theorists and played a large role in the decolonisation of the Caribbean and Africa. A prominent Pan-Africanist, he inspired many black leaders and established the Internatio nal African Service Bureau.

Philip Emeagwali - Scientist, born 1954
A winner of the Gordon Bell prize in 1989, the Nigerian-born computer scientist and geologist is a symbol of African achievement. Emeagwali, voted the 35th greatest African of all time in The New African, played a role in the birth of the internet.

Olaudah Equiano - Writer, explorer, 1745-97
Equiano's autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, is one of the most important works to address abolition. A former slave who bought his freedom, he toured the UK talking about his experiences.

Frantz Fanon - Writer, psychiatrist, 1925-61
Born in the French colony of Martinique, Fanon's writing highlights violence as the only method by which colonial repression can be overturned. His work had a great influence across America and Europe and inspired numerous civil rights activists.

Marcus Garvey - Civil rights activist, 1887-1940
Garvey became an inspiration for future civil rights activists by travelling across America urging African-Americans to be proud of their heritage and to return to the continent. He founded the Black Star Shipping Line and United Negro Improvement Association.

Howard Gayle - Footballer, born 1958
When he became the first black footballer to play for Liverpool in 1977, Gayle was seen as a trailblazer in a sport that was almost all white. His pride in his background led him to being labelled as a troublemaker; today he campaigns against racism in football.

Kelly Holmes - Athlete, born 1970
Holmes became the first British woman to win two gold medals after winning both the 800m and 1,500m at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2004 and made a dame in 2005.

Jaime Hurtado - Politician, died 1999
Hurtado founded Ecuador's Democratic Popular Movement, a political party that fought for the welfare of the working classes. He was the first Afro-Ecuadorian to be elected to Congress and the first to run for President. He was assassinated in 1999.

CLR James - Writer, socialist theorist, 1901-89
James is famous for seminal writings both on cricket and colonialism, most notably his book The Black Jacobins. He campaigned for African and West Indian independence, and wrote the first novel by a Caribbean author to be published in the UK.

Jamaica Kincaid - Writer, born 1949
The celebrated African-American author also teaches creative writing at Harvard University. She left Antigua to escape her family's lack of ambition for her, and often writes about the country's narrow-minded nature and the effects of British colonialism.

Martin Luther King - Civil rights activist, 1929-68
The figurehead of the American Civil Rights Movement, King became a national hero after leading the successful Montgomery bus boycott. In 1964 he received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work. He was assassinated on 4 April 1968.

Miriam Makeba - Musician, activist, born 1932
Known as " Mama Africa", Makeba became one of the first musicians to bring African music to the rest of the world. She was exiled by the South African government in 1960 after speaking out against apartheid in an address at the United Nations.

Nelson Mandela - Political activist, born 1918
A key anti-apartheid figure in South Africa, Mandela spent 27 years in prison for the cause. After his release, he became the country's first fully democratically elected president and leader of the African National Congress. In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Bob Marley - Musician, 1945-81
Bob Marley brought reggae to a worldwide audience, and is a hero in Jamaica as well as being seen by many Rastafarians as a prophet. His albums and shows with his band, The Wailers, were legendary. In 1978 he was awarded the United Nations' Medal of Peace.

Trevor McDonald - Journalist, born 1939
The first black news anchor in the UK, Trinidad-born McDonald is one of the most popular figures on TV. Starting his career on the BBC World Service, in 1999 he was given the Bafta Richard Dimbleby Award for Outstanding Contribution to Television.

Vicente Ferreira Pastinha - Martial arts master, 1889-1981
Pastinha is a mestre, or master, of Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art. Capoeira was brought to Brazil by African slaves and was illegal in the country from 1888 to the 1930s. Pastinha opened the first Capoeira Angola school in the Brazil in 1942.

Rosa Parks - Activist, 1913-2005
Parks's refusal to give up her seat on an Alabama bus in 1955 became a symbolic moment in the American civil rights movement. The fallout launched Martin Luther King Jr to fame. The incident sparked a mass boycott of the transport system by the black community.

Pelé - Footballer, born 1940
Christened Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé, he is regarded as the world's greatest footballer. Playing for his native Brazil, Pelé won the World Cup three times. In 1999 the BBC named him the second greatest sportsperson of the millennium.

Caryl Phillips - Author, born 1958
A novelist and writer for TV, radio, theatre and cinema, Phillips has often focused on the slave trade, and in 2004 he was awarded the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Born in St Kitts and brought up in Leeds, he is now a professor of English at Yale.

Walter Rodney - Academic, political leader, 1942-80
Born in Guyana, Rodney was a leading Pan-Africanist and Black Power leader. When he became a member of the Working People's Alliance in Guyana, he became a major figure in the resistance against the repressive government and was assassinated by a bomb.

Ignatius Sancho - Writer, composer, 1729-80
Perhaps most notable for being the first black Briton to vote in a UK election, he was also the first African author to have his work published in this country. Sancho wrote poetry, plays, composed music and became friends with the writer Samuel Johnson.

Haile Selassie - World leader, 1892-1975
Accepted by Rastafarians as a symbol of God incarnate, the former emperor of Ethiopia became a worldwide anti-Fascist figure after appealing to the United Nations for help against Mussolini's invading armies. An ally of the west and opponent of colonisation.

Léopold Sédar Senghor - Politician, poet, 1906-2001
A poet as well as a leading figure in African politics, Senghor is one of the greatest African intellectuals of the 20th century. The first president of Senegal, he was also the co-founder of Négritude and has been credited with the relative political stability of Senegal.

John Sentamu - Religious leader, born 1949
The 97th Archbishop of York – and the first black man to serve as an Anglican archbishop – Sentamu has often spoken out on many topical issues and chaired the inquiry into how the police handled the death of Damilola Taylor.

Sam Sharpe - Preacher, 1801-32
Sharpe, a Jamaican national hero, was born a slave in Montego Bay and became a Baptist preacher. In 1931 he led the Christmas Rebellion, the last major uprising in Jamaica before slavery was abolished, for which he was executed by British forces.

Bessie Smith - Singer, 1892-1937
"The Empress of the Blues" was the first blues singer to achieve success as a recording artist. She has influenced countless artists, including Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, and played alongside such greats as Louis Armstrong.

Mary Seacole - Nurse, 1805-81
Seacole rose to prominence during the Crimean War when she funded her own journey to Turkey after British authorities refused her offers of help. There she opened a hospital, and became a popular figure in Britain, receiving various awards for bravery.

Wole Soyinka - Poet, writer, playwright, born 1934
One of the leading writers in Africa, Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. His work often concentrates on oppression and tyranny. He has also played a huge role in Nigerian politics and was imprisoned in 1967 during the country's civil war.

Ali Ibrahim 'Farka' Touré - Musician, 1939-2006
Dubbed " the African John Lee Hooker", Touré lived in Mali until his death from cancer. Winner of two Grammies, he was one of Africa's most famous musicians and always insisted that the blues was an authentically African genre.

Sojourner Truth - Civil rights campaigner, 1797-1883
Born into slavery in New York, Truth became a prominent abolitionist. Alongside memorable speeches such as "Ain't I a Woman?" she released an autobiography of her time as a slave. She also campaigned for woman's rights and against capital punishment.

Harriet Tubman - Abolitionist, 1820-1913
A runaway slave, Tubman went on to aid the escape of hundreds of slaves via the Underground Railroad, a network of houses willing to help those on their way to freedom in Canada. Nicknamed "Moses", she later served in the Civil War.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu - Cleric, campaigner, born 1931
A key figure in the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa, Tutu was chosen by President Mandela to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In 1975 he became the first black Anglican Dean of Johannesburg, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.

Derek Walcott - Playwright, author, artist, born 1930
Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992, Walcott's poems and plays are largely influenced by growing up in the former British colony of St Lucia. Dividing his time between America and the Caribbean, much of his work addresses cultural differences. between two cultures.

Arthur Wharton - Footballer, 1865-1930
Best known as the first professional black footballer in the English League, Wharton also excelled at cycling, cricket and running. In 1886 he became the fastest man in Britain. In 2004 he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Phillis Wheatley - Poet, 1753-1784
Captured by slave traders in Senegal as a child, Wheatley became the first black female author to have a book of poetry published in America. Supported by members of the Boston gentry, she became a literary sensation and appeared before George Washington.

Oprah Winfrey - Media tycoon, born 1954
A living American institution, she is seen by some as the most influential woman in the world. At the centre of her various projects is her TV chat show which is syndicated around the world. In 2006 Winfrey became the world's first black woman billionaire.

Malcolm X - Civil rights activist, 1925-65
Malcolm X was a major campaigner for black power and opposed the idea of racial equality. A believer in militant protest, he was assassinated not long after leaving the Nation of Islam and creating the Organization of Afro-American Unity.

Gaspar Yanga - Rebel slave leader, 1570-1609
The leader of a slave revolt in Mexico that led to the creation of a slave colony in the mountains which, with a population of around 500, existed for more than 30 years. After violent clashes, Yanga obtained a treaty that gave the slaves their freedom.

Benjamin Zephaniah - Poet, born 1958
Zephaniah decided to become a poet after being sent to prison, aged 14. He is now one of Britain's top contemporary poets and has also written novels. He publicly rejected an OBE in 2003 because the award reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality".

MAY THE ANCESTORS BE PLEASED

ancient craft of storytelling

2007-08-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

ancient heritage

BEMBE Productions a division of AFROETS PRESS

2007-07-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

bembe productions

THEATRE
a continuing commitment

1977-2002

This cultural collective has as its' main aim the propagation of creative
expression from the Caribbean and the Diaspora. Activities over the years have been jointly conducted with
other groups and individuals across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
DIARY
1973-2002

1973- Publication of the anthology : " Four Hundred Years of Pain and Suffering" by Leroy Calliste and Selwyn Newton.

1974 - Launch of "Lament of the Soul" ; First book review by Anson Gonzalez in the Trinidad Guardian: " Young Poet steps boldly into print" First poetry reading session: featuring Leroy Calliste, Fitzroy Cook Jnr. , Peter Smart and Michael Als at Oilfields Workers Trade Union's

Port of Spain Office. Several other readings staged at a commercial bank and church parish halls and community centres across the country.

1975 - Publication of "INSIGHT" ; Members actively advocate adoption of International Copyright conventions by Government. Memorable stage production of "BLACK FIRE" in sister isle Tobago. Leroy Calliste concludes a performance tour in U.S.A.

1976 - Tragic death of poet-teacher Leroy Calliste ; Afforded ISBN by Caribbean Agency; also Owusa Babatunde appointed AP Editor Publisher. Numerous readings across the country.

1977 - AP presents lecture by poet / artist Leroy Clarke. Media fuels controversy over " AP Poets" with their unusual style. Roi Kwabena delivers lecture on local literature to local Teachers Training College; Founding of BEMBE PRODUCTIONS ; Famous AP lecture by Dr. Victor Questel -"Nobody is coming to theatre, because it has nothing to say "

1978 - FUNDISHA cultural exposition in Diego Martin commands national media attention; "Redemptive Season" a literary event with music successfully promoted outside capital.

1979: Two young poets: Peggy Heather Hull and Helen Williams launch a season of new female writers. Veteran lyricist- Iacoob Ibn Abbass and community worker Omataa Ojungi joins Bembe.

1980 - In Other Words enjoys successful run at The THEATRE in Belmont, Port of Spain. Several performances staged in discotheques around the capital. These events blended popular youth culture with local performance poetry supported with percussion. At this time the artform RAPSO pioneered by fellow writer Bro Resistance of the Network Riddum Band also gained more popularity.

1981 - Publication of Seko Tafari's: In Memory ; Christian Action for Development in the Caribbean supports our activities with a grant. Lecture on Women, Labour and struggle in the Caribbean by Dr. Rhoda Reddock; Cacique Publications a local publishing company seeks partnership and appoints Roi Kwabena an associate editor. Works published during this period included:- Is Slavery Again- Labour History and Bandit Garden- Pickers and Flowers- an anthology of poetry by Michael Als . AP gains Membership in the Writers Union of Trinidad & Tobago.

1982 - Several exhibitions and readings across the country featuring many writers and artists. Three dinner performances featuring vocalist-poet Amalla Sayida, Sapodilla, Roi Kwabena and Ateba Keneyatta successfully staged.

1983 - Publication of C.U.R.E. (Community Upliftment & Rehabilitation Exercises ) a journal of Good health.

1984 - Publication of C.U.R.E. , presentation of Manifestations art exhibition; Tragic passing of poet /artist Jamakie TUT Oyoyo and Dr. Victor Questel; Anthony Weeks appointed AP Editor-Publisher.

1985 - Our founder embarks on a Performance / Lecture Tour: Belgium, U.K., France, Netherlands, West Germany and Bulgaria. Links forged with international publishers writers and artists.

1986 - Publication of poetry and other works in joint co-operation with UK

( Coventry based ) TAMARA PRODUCTIONS. Including CHALLENGE- a newspaper serving the Afro-Caribbean communities in the West Midlands founded.

1987 - During a extended sojourn in East Afrika, Kwabena is accorded the distinguished title of Al ANSAARI in the Sudan. AWARE Publications Imprint launched in T&T.

1988 - Khadija Saliyma is appointed AP Editor publisher.

1989 - Lectures and workshops for schools and libraries across Trinidad & Tobago by Christopher Grey and Roi Kwabena. Exhibition on antiquity of KUSH presented in joint co-operation of the Insititute For Cultural Co-Operation of the Venezuelan Embassy in Trinidad. This multi-media display also tours other venues across the country with support of the Division of culture-Trinidad & Tobago Gov't.

1990 - Caribbean tour by Roi Kwabena , several titles published by AWARE . Plus Kwabena Trinidad Public Library in recognition of the U.N. Declaration of International Year of Literacy.

1991 - North American and Japanese tour by Christopher Grey, who also receives several national and international awards for his community work.

1992 - Roi Kwabena appointed Senator of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. He also supports RAPSO week and the T&T Government's hosting of CARIFESTA . YOUTH VOICE journal also invites him to address their third anniversary celebrations. He addressed the formal opening of the NIA Arts Centre in Manchester UK.

1993 - AWARE publishes two more titles edited by Christopher Grey .

1994 - Valerie Griffith appointed AP Editor-Publisher; AP also presents Ghanaian historian: Dr. Kwaku Sennah's lecture on the Afrikan Diaspora. Afrikan History Month celebrations staged at the University of the West Indies ( St. Augustine Campus- Trinidad ) and other venues. Aware

1995- PROFILE a cultural journal published by AP launched and Awards ceremony held. Roi Kwabena embarks on another tour of Europe. Third Edition of About The Caribbean published in Germany, plus the anthology: Manifestations through joint co-operation of AP and the University of Augsburg - Bavaria

1996 - AP publishes KUSH RECLAIMED and the fourth edition of About The Caribbean ; RAKANubian Saints Of Christianity; Further editions of above mentioned plus other titles released. Two Exhibitions- "Gathering Power I & II " featuring Midland based artists presented in Birmingham, UK .

1997 - About The Caribbean 5th Revised Edition published, also " A JOB FOR THE HANGMAN" - a controversial collection of poems by Kwabena. An official online presence on the worldwide web established.

1998 - Two titles of poetry by U.K. based poets published by RAKA Pubs.:- "Poetic Revelations" by Sakinah Reynolds & "Nelson Mandela's Dream as a Boy " by Leon Blades. The Multi-media exhibition "Glory of KUSH" is open to view for twenty four weeks in London jointly hosted by the University of the Diaspora & Centerprise Trust Ltd. . The UK Dept. of Employment & Education commissioned Kwabena to launch the National Year of Reading. He also accepted an invitation from the Birmingham City Council to deliver the inaugural lecture: "MOCKING SHADOWS" for Black History Month celebrations.

1999 - An International and UK Tour by Kwabena performing selections from the Cd:Y42K "FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS" & "WHETHER OR NOT". The itinerary includes cities across Britian and Wales, Nigeria, Ghana, New Zealand, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Canada.

2000- Trinidad Circle of Poets honoured our Founder at a poetry session at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port of Spain. Prizes sponsored by RAKA Books were distributed for a locally organised Poetry competition. Numerous workshops and lectures across UK, including a national extended tour of "GLORY OF KUSH" " multi-media exhibition. Hosted launch of BLUE magazine RAKA also hosts performances by numerous artistes, poets and writers...including CARIFOLK SINGERS (from Jamaica)KAALAMU ya SALAAMU ( Veteran Poet New Orleans), Goldie the Poet (California), Historian Runoko Rashidi and acclaimed playwright-Lennox Raphael.

2001- Celebration of our Anniversary.Publication of a new work by Dorrette Hanson: "HANDSWORTH THROUGH MY EYES" Our founder is appointed Birmingham's POET LAUREATE for the period 2001-2002.

1974-2007
celebrating
33 YEARS
OF
CULTURAL & LITERARY
advocacy

Zeitgeist - The Movie: Religion (Part 1 of 3)

2007-07-20T01:56:00.001-07:00

Hon. Minister Of Culture Gilberto Gil circa. 1979

2007-07-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

Gilberto Gil-The 1979 Sessions

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Out of the Mouth of Babes

2007-07-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

and a child shall lead them

Book signing

2007-07-08T09:52:00.001-07:00

dialogue blazes the trail

2007-07-08T02:46:00.000-07:00

SUMMER 2007
A JOURNAL FOR CULTURAL LITERACY

validation of KUSH

2007-06-19T00:23:00.000-07:00

KUSH recognised in New York Times

Over the years numerous films, museum exhibitions, publications and books have hinted to the Glory that was the civilisation /empire of KASH [aka Ta-Nuhusi. Ta-Seti. Nubia, Kush]. Note there is never mention of the succeeding dynasties of this kingdom after the demise of original Ta-Meri (aka KMT , EGYPT) Thus having worked and lived there I have always been convinced that the timing of these and other revelations in the Media are by no means coincidental. Humbly i await the next step!

May the ancestors be pleased.

AMANI RA NEFER HOTEPH
APEDAMAK BASH

celebrating sanctuary

2007-06-14T03:13:00.001-07:00

title now available in most bookshops in UK

2007-06-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

AS LONG AS
Roi Kwabena

Selected new poetry by Caribbean Poet and writer Dr Roi Kwabena. Introduced by Lennox Raphael with an Afterword by Dr Eric Doumerc. Includes selected translated poems in Hungarian, Swedish,Italian,Spanish,German,Turkish & Greek.

Product Details:

Printed: 88 pages, 6.14" x 9.21", perfect binding, 55# white interior paper, black and white interior ink , 90# white exterior paper, full-colour exterior ink

ISBN: 978-1-4116-7410-3

god doll BADD doll

2007-06-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

PLUS more here

nana Connie mark crosses over

2007-06-04T03:54:00.001-07:00

Ancestor CONNIE MARK MBE

Born: 21st of December 1923, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies

crossed over: 3rd June 2007

Health Practitioner
Ex-Services 2^nd World War
Caribbean Resident UK First Generation Activist,
Cultural Worker
Founder of the Mary Seacole Memorial Association

Nana Mother Connie Mark speaking on Ancestor Mary Seacole
Nana Connie Mark reading a poem on BBC shorts

MAY THE ANCESTORS BE PLEASED WITH HER EFFORTS

ASE

Drumology to soothe the tension

2007-05-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

Indian Arrival Day- Caribbean

2007-05-29T14:25:00.001-07:00

Republic of Trinidad & Tobago celebrates as a Public Holiday on the 30th May :
Indian Arrival Day

MAY THE ANCESTORS BE PLEASED

more information here

Prayer dedicated to the Hindu deity GANPATI

Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva
Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa

As Olaudah Equiano

2007-05-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Ancestor Olaudah Equiano

Born: 1745

Crossed over : 1797

I hope to have the satisfaction of seeing the renovation of liberty and justice, resting on the British government, to vindicate the honour of our common nature. These are concerns which do not perhaps belong to any particular office: but, to speak more seriously to every man of sentiment, actions like these are the just and sure foundation of future fame; a reversion, though remote, is coveted by some noble minds as a substantial good. It is upon these grounds that I hope and expect the attention of gentlemen in power. These are designs consonant to the elevation of their rank, and the dignity of their stations; they are ends suitable to the nature of a free and generous government; and, connected with views of empire and dominion, suited to the benevolence and solid merit of the legislature. It is a pursuit of substantial greatness. - May the time come - at least the speculation to me is pleasing - when the sable people shall gratefully commemorate the auspicious aera of extensive freedom: then shall those persons particularly be named with praise and honour, who generously proposed and stood forth in the cause of humanity, liberty, and good policy; and brought to the ear of the legislature designs worthy of royal patronage and adoption. May Heaven make the British senators the dispersers of light, liberty and science, to the uttermost parts of the earth: then will be glory to God on the highest, on earth peace, and good-will to men. - Glory, honour, peace, &c. to every soul of man that worketh good; to the Britons first, (because to them the Gospel is preached), and also to the nations.

Excerpt from

"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of
Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African"

Published 1789

RK in role as Equiano

Africa Calling - Rapper - Sudan

2007-05-03T00:31:00.001-07:00

here a southern sudanese youth shares the Universal message of love abroad
may the ancestors be pleased

long life and success for this son of mother afrika!