bigdrumnation

Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [2 of 3]

Reading Time 6 mins2017-01-25 Preparing UWI for the Challenges of the 21st Century: An Interview with Vice Chancellor Sir Alister McIntyre [**Reprint**] Link to part 1 “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 Wider World: Commentaries on… Read More »Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [2 of 3]

Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [1 of 3]

Reading Time 5 mins2017-01-22 Preparing UWI for the Challenges of the 21st Century [**Reprint**] “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 Wider World: Commentaries on My Life and Career, has come with great anticipation because of… Read More »Sir Alister McIntyre, “The Caribbean Man” – Winthrop R. Holder [1 of 3]

A TRIBUTE TO E.R., AND ALSO TO THE GREAT TEACHERS OF THE WORLD

Reading Time 1 minsSidney, Mr Fox, and the Paid Servant, was the title of E.R. Braithwaite’s novel published in 1962. In his The Measure of A Man , a spiritual autobiography, Sidney [Poitier] writes: “When I was a boy there was a schoolhouse, and it was one room. Sometimes we went and sometimes we didn’t, because we were in the fields most of the time . “I got to Nassau at ten and a half, and I quit school at twelve, so what I picked up between Cat [Cat island] and Nassau was just  just enough to read the basics.   “But I had… Read More »A TRIBUTE TO E.R., AND ALSO TO THE GREAT TEACHERS OF THE WORLD

19th October, 1983: As the crows fly above…

Reading Time 3 minsAL ROUGIER on OCTOBER 15, 2016 As the crows fly above, the sun re-emerges after the light drizzle that moistened the bodies of the protesting crowd. Their bodies glistening with the mixture of sweat and raindrops, and pure adrenaline. At this point, Maurice is surrounded by his comrades, in the Operations Room where major decisions are being made. There is a mixture of adults and youths, young and old alike, male and female, supporters and new supporters. With this deadly cocktail of people where values and ethics differ, comes the deadly decision made by his populace who… Read More »19th October, 1983: As the crows fly above…

We Move Tonight: The Making of the Grenada Revolution

Reading Time 4 minsWe Move Tonight: The Making of the Grenada Revolution A Review Fadhilika Atiba-Weza Brunswick, New York We Move Tonight: The Making of the Grenada Revolution by Joseph Ewart Layne St. George’s, Grenada: Grenada Revolution Memorial Foundation, 2014, 203 pages. During the colonial period, the British placed tremendous significance on Grenada and made it the administrative headquarters of the group of Caribbean islands which are collectively called the Windward Islands. Independence brought its benefits and challenges, and the Spice Isle, as Grenada is fondly called had its share — foremost among its challenges was the rule of Gairy,… Read More »We Move Tonight: The Making of the Grenada Revolution

IN CARRIACOU: THE LONG-AWAITED MOTHER AND CHILD RE-MEETING, SEPTEMBER 27-30, 2016

Reading Time 4 mins         (part 2 of 2) Caldwell Taylor   Home is the place where , when you have to go there, they have to take you in. -Robert Frost Our drum is the shortest route to Africa, and the Big Drum ritual signifies the unity of Carriacou’s nine African nations. In order of precedence the nations are: Arada (Rada), Cromati, Igbo, Manding, Temne, Kongo, Chamba, Moko, Banda. The Temne, Number Five in the Big Drum circle,will celebrate a historic reunion in Carriacou, September 27 to 30. The occasion promises to overcome the pain of… Read More »IN CARRIACOU: THE LONG-AWAITED MOTHER AND CHILD RE-MEETING, SEPTEMBER 27-30, 2016

BAI BUREH’S PEOPLE COME HOME TO CARRIACOU: “FOR TRUE, TIME IS REALLY LONGER THAN ROPE”

Reading Time 2 mins[Part 1 or 2] By Caldwell Taylor Bai Bureh (1840-1908) was the fearless Temne fighter who led the 1898 war against British colonialism in Northern Sierra Leone, and, no joke, in the course of his fight he offered a one thousand pound reward for the capture of the British Governor of the territory! The offer was proclaimed in response to the Governor’s call for Bureh’s capture; this call came with a one hundred pound sterling bounty to anyone who provided information that led to the capture of the rebel leader. Bureh was finally taken and was exiled.… Read More »BAI BUREH’S PEOPLE COME HOME TO CARRIACOU: “FOR TRUE, TIME IS REALLY LONGER THAN ROPE”

Grenadian Olympic Athletes Inspire National Pride & National Unity

Reading Time 2 minsA Big Drum Nation Editorial Bigdrumnation wishes to congratulate the seven young men and women (Kanika Beckles, Oreoluwa Cherebin, Kurt Felix, Kirani James, Corey Ollivierre, and Bralon Taplin) who represented Grenada so proudly in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  These athletes (including the two swimmers) showed the world the highest ideals that Grenadians emulate and aspire to — inner strength, discipline, persistence, grace, humility, goal orientation, and resilience.  An appreciation of our athletes cannot be complete without recognizing the administrators, coaches, and other professionals that provided the necessary preparation and support for their success.… Read More »Grenadian Olympic Athletes Inspire National Pride & National Unity

Our Carnival: Playing the Past, Playing the Present, Previewing the Future

Reading Time 2 minsVarious interviews with Entertainment Agents, Promoters, Carnival Organizers, Calypsonians to support this theme. We are starting out the interview series with Mr. Angus Steele, Entertainment Agent and Owner/Manager of Spice Concoction   BIGDRUMNATION: What brought you to this often- maligned business of calypso, soca, and carnival? Angus:  think it’s more about my love for music since I was growing up (learned to play drums with the Pitt brothers – Richard “Sabina” and Selwyn “Kung Fu”, looking on keenly at the years with Rodney “Doc” Rapier and Eddie Bullen and loving the Classical Guitar around the same time to… Read More »Our Carnival: Playing the Past, Playing the Present, Previewing the Future

Vincy Mas in USA Launches with Big Win for New Artiste

Reading Time 3 minsNew Soca Artiste Wins big During Launch of Vincy Mas in USA By Maxwell Haywood Michelle ‘Hibiscus’ Hillocks created history by spectacularly winning both the New Song Competition, and the first ever New Break-out Artiste prize during the tenth staging of the launch of Vincy Mas in the USA. All this sensation took place on Saturday, May 7, 2016, at Bamboo Gardens in Brooklyn, New York, and was organized by Level Vibes, ably led by Ainsley Primus and Caiphas “Super Eyes” Cuffy. After the singing of the national anthem of both the United States and St Vincent… Read More »Vincy Mas in USA Launches with Big Win for New Artiste