bigdrumnation

Hurricane Janet, September 22, 1955

Reading Time 1 mins Sixty years later today Janet smolders in the Grenadian mind. “Janet”, the Hurricane, stands for fury and apocalyptic fire! Curiously, the word “hurricane” is derived from Harucan, the  name of a Carib “Indian”  god who shot calamitous winds.   Poet Derek Walcott acknowledges the Carib deity in a poem entitled “Huracan”.   Once branching light startles the hair of the coconuts, and on the villas’ asphalt roofs, rain resonates like pebbles in a pan, and only the skirts of surf waltz round the abandoned bandstand, and hear the telephone cables hallooing like fingers tapped over an Indian’s mouth, once the… Read More »Hurricane Janet, September 22, 1955

Phyllis Shand Allfrey

Reading Time 1 mins Dominican Phyllis Shand Allfrey, 1907-1986, poet, journalist, editor, novelist and politician, was the only woman to hold  a Cabinet post-Minister of Labour and Social Affairs – in the Grantley Adams’ led Federal Government of the West Indies,1958-1962. Ms Shand held the ministerial office in the face of much heckling from some of her ministerial colleagues, who believed the woman belonged in the kitchen. Before going to Port-of -Spain, site of the federal government,  Ms Shand published The Orchid House in 1953, a novel that has won the status of ‘Caribbean classic’. Shand, founder of the Dominica Labour… Read More »Phyllis Shand Allfrey

RIP Calypsonian Rootsman (Yafeu Osei)

Reading Time 1 mins   By Clevil James Calypsonian Rootsman (Yafeu Osei) passed away from complications with diabetes on Friday August 20 at his home in Trinidad. Rootsman, born in Tobago 64 year ago, started singing as a student in elementary school, where he won a competition in 1967.  In 1976 he made the decision to fulfil his dreams and become a professional calypsonian. Rootsman, although skilled in calypsoes on social commentary, was better known for his soca numbers like Parkway Rock, Rach Meh-Rack Meh, Soca In The Palace etc. etc. Rootsman has received numerous honours from all over the world… Read More »RIP Calypsonian Rootsman (Yafeu Osei)