is long time poets a write, a write, a write, a write..” – Cherry Natural
I spent last Saturday in Kingston with Cherry Natural – “reasoning” about poetry, consciousness and Jamaican music. Words to remember: reasonings, genetic bleaching, innerviews, verbal labour…… and much more ‎”poets write inna han miggle, poets write pan leaf, poets write…
Malcolm X: sisters in struggle
Remembering Malcolm X – Black Canadian women discussing the racism they experience in Canada – Sisters in the Struggle: Dionne Brand & Ginny Stikeman, 1991
“Indio” being not-black in Dominican Republic
An interesting look at the construction of race through the island of Hispaniola – In the Dominican Republic, there is Cristóbal Colón, Black is Indio and Spain is homeland. In Haiti, there are revolutionaries – Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, Black…
Manning Marable: 1950-2011 R.I.P.
I really dont have much to say but I would like to acknowledge the life of scholar and activist, Dr Manning Marable particularly his work on the Malcolm X project, “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention” which will be published…
The US has no right to impose their political processes on others
Amy Goodman interviewed Mildred Aristide just before they landed in Haiti. Mrs Aristide rarely speaks in public so I was very interested to hear what she had to say. She spoke of her time in South Africa and learning about…
Euphoria and the struggle to come: Return of Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Walter Turner of Africa Today interviews Pierre Labossiere and Robert Roth both of of Haiti Action Committee. Both Pierre and Robert were in Haiti to welcome back President Aristide and here they both speak of their joy and excitement and…
Black Dutchmen of Indonesia
The Black Dutchmen are the desendents of 3,000 West African men who were sent by the Dutch colonialist to fight in their colonial war in Indonesia. Black men forced to the other side of the world to fight a white…
Haiti: “Foul water is killing people” and we need to think of new ways of giving
Haitians are now dying of dirty water and insanitary conditions which they have been forced to endure for the past 10 months. Over 250,000 Haitians have already died as a result of the earthquake and now thousands more are going…
“For Colored Girls”
Directed by Tyler Perry, “For Colored Girls” is an adaptation of the play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf,” by Ntozake Shange. My initial excitement for the movie was dulled because I feared Perry…
African / China connections
A couple of years ago I watched this video on a different kind of migration – Nigerians living in China and of course every day something is written about Chinese investing in various parts of Africa – Nigeria, Sudan, Zimababwe…
Charissa Granger and the musical possibilities of the steelpan
I first heard Charissa Granger on a short video someone had posted on FaceBook. She was playing a soft haunting melody called Raindrops which was made even more interesting because she was playing the tune on the steel pan. The…
James Baldwin 3: “My entry into America is a bill of sale”
I’ve been watching videos of James Baldwin to the point where I find myself reading in his unique voice. The film, “Baldwn’s Nigger”, is a powerful film shot in London at the West Indian Student center in 1969 by Horace…
Free movement of Jah people
Sometimes I cross post on Flip Flopping Joy written by BFP. I’ve known BFP in Blogland for years now and we met in person during the 2007 US Social Forum in Atlanta. BFP’s work is phenomenal and though she has…
UN figures on aid to Haiti dont add up
I made a serious error on the title of this post – it should read UN and not US. The UN’s claim that three months after the earthquake it has reached most of the one and half million displaced is…
African woman found in York dating back to 400AD
Africans living in Britain since at least 4th Century AD Remains of a “high status woman” of African origin found in York in 1901. Question is why are we only learning about this now? Her grave dates back to the…
Interview with Geoffrey Philp
CLS: Mr. Philp, you have been blogging enthusiastically since 2005. What made you start doing it and how has it rewarded you? Geoffrey Philp: I began blogging at the suggestion of my daughter and the rewards have been tremendous. I…
“A Word for Haiti”
Blacklondoners Appeal, a London based group are calling on all writers for contribution of short stories, poems and lyrics to a collection of works to be published in May 2010. The book, A Word for Haiti, will be part of…
Interview with Haitian activist Rea Dol
Rea Dol is grassroots community organiser and founder of SOPUDEP school in Port-au-Prince. Shortly after the earthquake they had to abandon the school which was being used as a shelter due to the stench of dead bodies and sturtural damage…
There’s always music, always hope
Governor General Michaëlle Jean, Canada Via, Women and Beyond
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