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Reading Time 9 minsProceedings from the 1st Annual Symposium on the Grenadian Revolution of 1979 – 1983, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, October 19, 2017 I come to the Grenada Revolution through stories.  First the snippets of stories, family histories really, relayed to me mainly by women—my mother, aunties, and grandmother. In these stories, which were really conversations that I was allowed to listen in on, everyone agreed both that the revolution was a progressive period in Grenada’s history, and also that the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada was necessary, that it had saved the nation from some unexplained… Read More »“Generational Ties, Revolutionary Binds: Literature, Archive, and Questions of Gender” — Laurie Lambert

Reading Time 2 minsThe Grenada Revolution (1979 – 1983) and its subsequent collapse On 19th October in New York City, a symposium was held in memory of the Grenadian Revolution and those who died on 19th October, 1983. 34 years ago, on Fort Rupert, located in St. George’s on the small island of Grenada, at the bottom of the Caribbean basin, a revolution died. The Symposium, entitled 1st Annual Symposium on the Grenadian Revolution of 1979 – 1983 focused on two points: the revolution itself 1979 – 1983 and the days 18th, 19th, and 20th of October 1983. The relevance… Read More »The Grenada Revolution Symposium Presentations – Atiba Rougier (Introduction)

Reading Time 11 mins  In the year 1977, a calypsonian from Trinidad &Tobago named the Mighty Unknown caused patrons to the calypso tent to be falling off their seats when he performed a calypso called, “Ah Vex”. Unknown, in his cleverly constructed offering, threw four stanzas of piccong at the St Lucian poet whom the calypsonian alleged had had the temerity to be critical of the place which had been good enough to extend to him, its generosity; “Derek you must be fou bé dangé or mad Sit down on river stone and talk river bad You wouldn’t talk about… Read More »Nobel Laureate, DEREK WALCOTT; TRINIDADIAN? — Llewellyn Mac Intosh

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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

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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.

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

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…