bigdrumnation

Women Need True Power — Jennifer Gibbs

Reading Time 1 mins March 8 is celebrated globally as International Women’s Day (IWD). Originally organized by the Socialist Party of America, the celebrations first took place in February 1909 and were called International Working Women’s Day.  Big Drum Nation is commemorating the occasion by posting women’s reflections on the struggle for equality. Every year the celebrations embrace a special theme reflecting the urgency of the moment. This year, proceeding from the World Economic Forum’s prediction that the gender gap is unlikely to close entirely until 2186, the theme addresses this unacceptable state of gender inequity as a human rights… Read More »Women Need True Power — Jennifer Gibbs

We salute the women of Grenada who work towards progress, development and equality — Jacqueline Mckenzie

Reading Time 2 mins March 8 is celebrated globally as International Women’s Day (IWD). Originally organized by the Socialist Party of America, the celebrations first took place in February 1909 and were called International Working Women’s Day.  Big Drum Nation is commemorating the occasion by posting women’s reflections on the struggle for equality. Every year the celebrations embrace a special theme reflecting the urgency of the moment. This year, proceeding from the World Economic Forum’s prediction that the gender gap is unlikely to close entirely until 2186, the theme addresses this unacceptable state of gender inequity as a human rights… Read More »We salute the women of Grenada who work towards progress, development and equality — Jacqueline Mckenzie

Women’s Rights are Human Rights — Keisha-Gaye Anderson

Reading Time 2 minsFirst published, March 8, 2017. Republished March 8, 2022 March 8 is celebrated globally as International Women’s Day (IWD). Originally organized by the Socialist Party of America, the celebrations first took place in February 1909 and were called International Working Women’s Day.  Big Drum Nation is commemorating the occasion by posting women’s reflections on the struggle for equality. Every year the celebrations embrace a special theme reflecting the urgency of the moment. This year, proceeding from the World Economic Forum’s prediction that the gender gap is unlikely to close entirely until 2186, the theme addresses this unacceptable state… Read More »Women’s Rights are Human Rights — Keisha-Gaye Anderson

Celebrating all that is Positive about Being a Woman — Ann Farray

Reading Time 1 mins Originally Published March 7, 2017. Republished March 8, 2022 March 8 is celebrated globally as International Women’s Day (IWD). Originally organized by the Socialist Party of America, the celebrations first took place in February 1909 and were called International Working Women’s Day.  Big Drum Nation is commemorating the occasion by posting women’s reflections on the struggle for equality. Every year the celebrations embrace a special theme reflecting the urgency of the moment. This year, proceeding from the World Economic Forum’s prediction that the gender gap is unlikely to close entirely until 2186, the theme addresses this… Read More »Celebrating all that is Positive about Being a Woman — Ann Farray

Bob Marley 1 : 0 Reggae Boys — Richard Grant

Reading Time 4 mins03/05/2017 Richard Grant It is Pan-African, Pan-Caribbean, Pan-World. It is Pan Man. It endears Jamaica to the entire world; the essence of the Rastaman Bob Marley’s music and philosophy. It is One Love. The One Love ideal of social relations works well as a cultural and political construct. It is inclusive; a necessary myth for nation building, for positive international relations and for world peace, but it severely limits the goal average of Jamaica’s football team. Let’s get to the point. Jamaicans need to make an important decision on February 6th 2017 about Bob Marley. Betta mus… Read More »Bob Marley 1 : 0 Reggae Boys — Richard Grant

“East of Flatbush, North of Love” by Danielle Brown, Ph.D.

Reading Time 4 minsA Review by Jeff Hercules If one word were acceptable as a review of Dr. Danielle Brown’s East of Flatbush, North of Love; An Ethnography of Home, the word would be, ‘Wow!’ All that would be left is for me to explain my review. It’s not often I read a book that speaks as if it were a replay of aspects of my life: This book does that. It’s not everyday I realize a book has information that would have made me a more knowledgeable student in school: This book would have done that. It’s also not everyday… Read More »“East of Flatbush, North of Love” by Danielle Brown, Ph.D.

Independence and Nation-Making – Caldwell Taylor

Reading Time 1 mins    Independence and Nation-Making  by Caldwell Taylor A Nation is the ecstatic electricity that inhabits May Fortune’s* voice A Nation is the healing thunder of Sugar Adams’ * drum A Nation is a concert of comforting conceits A Nation is  the repository of our dreams And a Nation is the insurgent sea that lifts our boats our nets  our hopes  our heroes  our sheroes.   A Nation is a site and sight of struggle, a thing calypsonian “Black Wizard” noted: “If you want to get rid of Babylon and build a just Nation You’ve got to struggle… Read More »Independence and Nation-Making – Caldwell Taylor

Happy Earthday to Brother Bob Marley, the Trench Town Messiah – Martin P. Felix

Reading Time 2 mins2017-02-06 Martin P. Felix “Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?‘ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see‘.“ — John 1:46. Like his biblical counterpart, Bob Marley took a socratic approach to unpack that recurring question loaded with upper class prejudice: “Can anything good come out of Trench Town?” and, with Philipian confidence, answered in the affirmative “…everyone see what’s taking place… / Another page in history.” And indeed it is. Bob Marley was born on this day, February 6, 72 years ago in rural Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica but later moved to Trench Town where he spent his formative… Read More »Happy Earthday to Brother Bob Marley, the Trench Town Messiah – Martin P. Felix

Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [3 of 3]

Reading Time 8 mins2017/01/28 Preparing UWI for the Challenges of the 21st Century: An Interview with Vice Chancellor Sir Alister McIntyre [**Reprint**] Link to part 1 Link to part  2 “If we don’t know from where we comin’ / Then we cyah plan where we goin”. – Black Stalin, Caribbean Unity (1979) Born in St. Georges, Grenada, Sir Meredith Alister McIntyre is considered one of the Caribbean’s eminent thought shapers and academicians. This highly celebrated Caribbean integrationist and internationalist has served the Caribbean in various capacities, representing the region in many international forums. The December 12, 2016, launch of Sir McIntyre’s book, The Caribbean And The… Read More »Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [3 of 3]