February 2014
Issue 22
Muraldo D.C They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun GM mosquitoes to fight malaria Stuart Hall – the Godfather of Multiculturism
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The new Yaa Asantewaa – p3 Muraldo D.C – p4 They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun – p5 GM mosquitoes to fight malaria – p6
Whenever I tell people of Culturepulse magazine I am often asked, “What’s the website?” For those who prefer to trawl through the web then the web address is www.issuu.com/culturepulse when you can view all of our publications on the issue platform.
11 million homes in Europe – p7 UK economy enjoys growth – p9 30 foot Hosay on display – p12 African Diaspora – p14 Stuart Hall – p15
We are currently working on getting all the back issues of the magazine on the ISSUU website so please bear with us while we work on getting this done.
Neil Latchman launches new CD – p19 Guyana Red Cross gets Japanese money – p19
Culturepulse is a digital magazine that you don’t have to search for, it comes directly to you through our mailing list and available through LinkedIn and Facebook. Our readers and contributors come from all walks of the Diaspora and not just the Caribbean. Contributors from Malawi, St Martin, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, UK and the US are all making Culturepulse the success that it is. We thank you all for your continued support and being part of the distribution process by which the magazine has grown. Our success cannot be measured without you. Cover photo courtesy Muraldo DC
David Kalloo
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The new Yaa Asantewaa Arts The multi-million pound newly refurbished Yaa Asantewaa Arts in Maida Vale has launched a series of new and exciting programmes of artistic classes and regular events, with weekly classes in fitness, after school clubs. There are classes especially for persons with special needs, youths and elders alongside a Saturday school for all ages, evening classes in dance, fitness, drama, carnival crafts and creative writing at The Yaa Centre (formerly known as the Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre).
brilliant,' by Leni Lawal, a newcomer to the centre. Yaa Asantewaa Arts have plans to hold monthly social events that are family oriented, creating an atmosphere where the entire family can come to enjoy the rich diverse music and dance cultures of the Caribbean. Monthly events will feature forums, especially for writers and dancers to discuss and support each other and their networks.
As part of its monthly programme Yaa Asantewaa Arts holds 'Crick Crack Saturday' (the last Saturday of every month except August) featuring performances by a range of artists from a variety of fields i.e. dance, actors, poets, singers and more, along with resident performing arts company Muraldo D.C.
The new programme also includes a three month Black History season starting in September with a wide range of exhibitions, talks, films, book launches and performances. The centre has many more activities and events planned for the coming year and well into the future. For further information and a programme of events taking place at the Yaa Asantewaa Arts please visit their website at: www.yaaasantewaa.com Or contact Caroline on 07586 757706 or email:carolinemuraldo215@btinternet.com /admin@yaaasantewaa.com
The newly refurbished Yaa Asantewa Arts
In July 2013, the evening featured a presentation of the Josephine Baker Story devised and performed by Jreena Green (member of The Jiving Lindy hoppers and former dancer of The Lion King). The evening was described as 'absolutely 3 The Muraldo DC at the Yaa
The Muraldo Dance Company Muraldo DC has developed work for three main areas, performance in venues such as theatres, performance spaces, festivals etc, educational work and Church ministry.
Muraldo D.C. is a Christian dance company, which mainly utilises traditional African and Caribbean dance forms. The company is committed to portraying everyday life from a Christian perspective, along with taking every opportunity to promote the awareness and appreciation of black culture, with a particular emphasis on traditional Caribbean dance.
Muraldo DC offers educational establishments the opportunity to utilise their professional skills as qualified teachers to imaginatively apply dance as an effective tool of learning. The company recognises the full potential of dance as a means of not only developing personal skills but as means of exploring a wide range of subjects, a potential often not realised.
The Artistic Director, Caroline Muraldo, who was born on the UK to Caribbean parentage holds two degrees in dance studies and has currently begun work towards her PhD. As a performer, Caroline began learning and performing versions of Quadrille with the renowned dance practitioner H Pattern and with Desmond Clarke who runs a Community Quadrille group at the Albany Centre, Lewisham. Caroline has also undertaken research, as part of her degrees, into the history and characteristics of this unique dance tradition and is continuing to do so at PhD level. Caroline has performed with many of the leading black dance practitioners in this country.
For Primary schools MDC teach basic ‘Africanistic’ style movement combined with storytelling, dance games and songs especially at key stage 1 and below.
There are three core members of the company who also hold degrees and qualifications within the Performing Arts. The company made its debut performance at the Black International Women’s day held at the Brixton Academy, London in March ‘97, with a dance piece specially choreographed for the occasion. The piece ‘Aspects of Woman’ was described as ‘Brilliant!’ by the event co-ordinator Tony Fairweather.
The company also offers: - After school clubs - One off workshops - Whole & half day classes - Fix term & long-term classes Residencies - School performances Choreographic work for special performances -Teacher’s inset training -Annual courses in the Caribbean.→
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A book worth reading
The company creates work especially for the Christian Church, itself a nondenominational organisation, ministering within all Christian denominations. We offer classes in this area of dance as above For further details contact: Muraldo D.C 48A Navarino Road
They Gave The Crowd Plenty Fun is a lucid study of the impact of West Indian cricket on those of Caribbean birth and descent in Britain. It traces the history of the relationship between cricket and the Caribbean diaspora from the start of Caribbean mass immigration to Britain in the 1950s. Colin, with traces of humour, also reflects on his life as a second generation West Indian boy in 1970s/80s Britain.
Hackney London E8 1AD Tel: 0207 241 1753 Email: info@muraldodc.com Website: muraldodc.com
Muraldo D.C
“Colin has brought out, with tremendous power and depth, how important the achievements of West Indian cricket were to the self-respect and sense of identity of West Indian people in Britain.” Clem Seecharan, Emeritus Professor of Caribbean History, London Metropolitan University. They Gave The Crowd Plenty Fun: West Indian Cricket and its Relationship with the British-Resident Caribbean Diaspora by Colin Babb £8.99. ISBN: 978-1-906190-55-2. Published by Hansib Publications Email: info@hansib-books.com Website: http://www.hansibpublications.com Telephone: 01920 830283
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Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to fight Malaria Could have on the environment.” Through the Freedom of Information Act GeneWatch discovered that Oxitec did not submit any risk-assessment with its application to the UK government on its move to Panama. Oxitec, in their defence claim that “Panama regulators produce their own risk-assessment and the regulators approved the release.” Oxitec over the last decade has conducted labbased and field tests to ensure the safety of its product.
In a move to help eradicate the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread diseases such as dengue and malaria, Oxitec, a UK biotech company began releasing 240,000 genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes a week in the Nuevo Chorillo region of Panama. The idea behind Oxitec’s project is release the genetically modified male mosquitoes that will breed with the female Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria and dengue. The offspring from the GM mosquitoes and the Anopheles will die, thus decreasing the population which the hope will reduce the spread of the disease.
Oxitec said that “inevitably some GM female are released by accident” these GM mosquitoes are not designed to breed in outdoor conditions. However, the presence of tetracycline an antibiotic used in agriculture allows them to produce off springs that can survive. GeneWatch are concerned with these worrying effects regarding GM products where, the new strain breeds and spread out of control and perhaps have a negative impact on the ecosystem. Haydn Parry the CEO of Oxtiec stressed that the “company would not introduce the mosquito in an environment where the antibiotic tetracycline is present.”
Oxitec have already released more than 3 million GM males in the Cayman Islands to test the project back in 2010. Reports are, the “mosquito population decreased by as much 80% within a 3 month” period in the region. However, Oxitec came under heavy criticism as the Cayman Islands have lax bio-safety laws and it is alleged that the company failed to properly inform the residents of the Islands regarding the release of the GM mosquitoes. A spokesperson for Oxitec said the company it did inform the public however, “It is true that the spotlight public information video did not explicitly state that the trial mosquitoes were genetically modified. The company stated that while this was an unintentional omission, “there was never any attempt to hide the fact” that the mosquitoes were GM.
Oxitec is currently developing a malaria resistant mosquito with the hope of replacing the wild mosquito population that carries the disease.
GeneWatch, a group wary of GM technology has shown concerns about the release of GM mosquitoes in Panama citing “potentially negative impacts it
David Kalloo Source: Epoch Times
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11 million empty homes, enough to house Europe’s homeless Speaking to the Guardian, David Ireland, chief executive of Empty Homes Charity said “Europe’s 11 million empty homes may not be in the right places but there is enough to meet the problem of homelessness across Europe.”
Whether it is coincidence or not, it seems that Culturepulse is a trendsetter. No sooner had I published an article about female genital mutilation, the Evening Standard and Daily Mail (UK) carried articles on the subject. Culture pulse also featured an article on poverty, only to discover that the Guardian (24-02-14) published a report highlighting the extent of empty homes across Europe, which could end the chronic homelessness that is widespread.
Earlier this year MEPs passed a resolution where they demanded that the European Commission develop a strategy for EU homelessness without delay. The vote in favour of this venture was 349 to 45. Is it not incredulous that people would actually vote against resolving homelessness? One of the growing problems with empty homes is where investors are buying properties to leave and hoping to profit when market prices rise.
According to the Guardian’s report there are over ‘11m homes empty across Europe – enough to house all of the continents homelessness twice over.’ In the UK alone there are 700,000 empty homes with Spain and France having the highest number of empty properties, 3.4m and 2.4m respectively. This just reaffirms my question, are we ready to tackle poverty? My answer is simply, No.
With Spain having the greatest number of empty homes, it appears, according to the Guardian’s report are down to “Britons and Germans buying homes in the sun” in a construction boom during the mid 2000s when the pound was strong and helping to feed construction industry in Spain.
One of the core reasons behind the staggering number of empty properties in Spain is the 2007 property market crash. It has reduced property prices by 45% causing investors and homeowners to leave homes empty instead of selling at the current market price. In many instances too, banks were holding on to properties to sell when market value recovered. In Ireland where there are some 400,000 empty properties, only 4,000 of these are earmarked to be handed over to public housing; hardly a drop in the ocean to solve the 4.1 million homeless people across Europe.
One thing that is constant throughout the Guardian’s report, and that is, it is greed that is fueling homelessness and poverty. One of the most expensive areas in London, known as ‘Billionaires Row’ many properties are empty, some even falling into disrepair but despite this, prices there wont ever depreciate.
David Kalloo
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‘Exploring the Diaspora’
UK economy enjoys grow£h also showed signs of growth as builders merchant reported a 12.4% rise in profits.
At last there are signs of an improvement in the economy is upon us after years of negative growth stifled by recession, global stagnation and the Euro crisis that had Europe on its edge.
The economy’s growth has also nudged a rise in the minimum wage up 3% to £6.50. The low Pay Commission said it is “necessary to see rising real wages in the economy with sustained economic growth.”
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there’s an overall growth in the economy of 1.8% with business investments up by 8.5% and the ONS predicts growth to be up by 2% by the end of the first quarter of 2014.
David Kalloo is not an economist or financial analyst
Business services and finance proved to sharpest growth in the economy, driving confidence in other areas of the service sector. The economy’s slow but steady growth has fueled confidence in the job market too as unemployment figures have tumbled as firms recruit new workers to meet growing demands. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said “The growth indicator is at its highest level” echoing the ONS prediction of the surge in confidence in the economy, the CBI said “we expect output to grow in the next 3 months.” Mark Gregory an economist said, “Companies have weathered a prolonged period of uncertainty.” Such positive reports from analyst and economist alike can only help to further boost confidence in other companies and investors to fuel the economy that has been stagnated for almost a decade. Shopping centre giant Westfield’s saw a 3.1% rise in sales in its two London shopping centres and recruitment firm Hays have seen a considerable rise in ‘white-collar’ hiring. The housing market
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Mapping the human brain worked Willis “dissected brains from sheep, dogs and expired patients” to help in producing the “first accurate map of the organ.”
A group of neuroscientists at the Martinos Center for Biomediacal Imaging (US) are charting the biochemistry of the brain, surveying how our billions of neurons produce and employ thousands of different kinds of proteins. The US government is currently backing the research through the Brain Research through Advance Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN). Barack Obama announced the large-scale project aimed at speeding up the mapping of our neural circuitry, thus giving scientists the tools they need to get a dynamic picture of our brain in action. Scientists are already starting to “identify differences in the structure of ordinary brains and brains of people with disorders such as schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.” The research by scientists as they map the brain in greater detail is to learn how to “diagnose disorders by their effect on anatomy.” They are hopeful that it could perhaps even understand how these disorders arise.
Understanding the brain was very much time consuming and, it took another century for scientists and researchers to “grasp that the brain is an electric organ” where, voltage spikes travel through it and out into the body’s nervous system.” However, even in the 19th century scientists still knew little about the “paths those spikes followed.”
Scientists have been studying the brain for centuries. However, by the 1800s they could only make out regions visible to the naked eye. New technologies have enabled scientists to look deep into the hidden structures of the brain, giving highresolution images, never possible before in mapping the brain.
One of the most remarkable studies of the brain was invented by psychiatrist Karl Deisseroth and his colleagues. They came up with the idea to make the brain transparent. This way, they “douse the brain with glowing chemical labels that “latch on to certain proteins or trace a specific pathway connecting neurons in distinct regions of the brain.” The method was aptly called CLARITY. Despite the breakthrough with CLARITY, the brains studied are dead brains. Scientists still need “different tools to explore the terrain of living brains.”→
The 17th century scientific revolution shed new light on brain research leading to the British physician Thomas Willis who “recognized that the custard-like tissue of the brain was where our mental world existed.” In order to understand how it 10
Digital Eyestrain Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has helped over the decades to reveal networks involved in all manner of thought process. For example, “recognising faces to enjoying a cup of coffee or tea or even remembering a traumatic event.” Computers are now being trained to recognise signals from the motor cortex which could help paralyzed humans walk again according to Miguel Nicolelis at Duke University in the US. Nicolelis said, “Eventually brain implants will become as common as heart implants” with research and studies continuing, backed by the US government into the most complex organ in the human body.
A new report from the Vision Council revealed that 7 out of 10 adults now suffer from Digital Eyestrain. What is Digital Eyestrain? The strain is caused by looking at digital screens for extended periods of time “something our eyes are not equipped to do” according to optometrist, Justin Bazan medical advisor at Vision Council. Symptoms for digital eye strain includes; dry, red and irritated eyes, blurred vision, back, neck, or shoulder pain and headaches. Looking at computer screens, Smartphone’s and other devices at intermediate distance causes the strain and ultimately fatigues the eyes. High-energy visible blue light emitted by devices such as computer screens and smart phones are detrimental on impacting on vision in the long run. While almost half the people surveyed were aware of the potential hazard, little is done to minimize its dangers.
Despite the innumerable amounts data on research and studies of the brain, it remains and continues to baffle scientists who, after hundreds of years are slowly beginning to map how the human brain really works.
Within the last year the optical industry has made exceptional strides to develop lens technologies that can address the cause of digital eye strain. Computer glasses are also transforming the way we look at computer and hand-held screens. The Vision Council said, “People can take precautions to reduce the risk of digital eye strain. One of them is using the 20-20-20 rule where every 20 minutes, take a 20 minute break and look at something 20 feet away.” Other ways of reducing risk is creating an ‘eyegonomic’ workstation with proper lighting, seat adjustments and monitor settings. Enlarge your computer text and browser window for easier viewing, and, remember to blink, staring at screens can dry your eyes.
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33 FOOT HOSAY TADJAH ON DISPLAY THROUGHOUT CARNIVAL In the courtyard of the National Museum stands a 33ft wonder of Trinidad artistry. For the next 2 months The Artists' Coalition of Trinidad & Tobago (ACTT) is staging a multi-media exhibition on their historic ‘Guild of Masters’ project at the National Museum on Frederick Street, Port of Spain. The Guild is a unit that passes on local traditional skills by the recreation of masterpieces by Elders with younger apprentices. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a re-created 33ft Cedros Hosay Tadjah as has not been constructed in almost 100 years! The exhibition was launched on Wednesday5thFebruary 2014 with a feature address by the Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration the Honourable Dr Rodger Samuel who remarked that the historic event shed light on the nation’s need to preserve more of its Legacy. There were also remarks delivered by Guild sponsors First Citizens Bank through its head of Communication Dexter Charles and the United States Information Service (USIS). The 33footTadjah is the product of the ACTT ‘Guild of Masters’ project which attempts to pass on dying local traditional skills. The Guild is a special workshop where Elder Master Artisans work with Master Younger Apprentices to re-create cultural Masterworks- and the entire process is recorded audio-visually and codified. Modern Hosay Tadjah show only go up to 12 feet, Tadjahs going over 30 feet are a local tradition thought dead for 100 years... The Master Artisan in this case was Reish Baboolal from Cedros and the lead Apprentice was Byron Joseph who led a team of Apprentices from Cedros, Chaguanas, and the East/West Corridor.
ACTT and its president Rubadiri Victor have been working on projects to document and pass on local Elder knowledge for some time now. ‘Project Memory’ is a project documenting the biographies of Elders, and the Guild is the project to pass on skill. ACTT has mapped dozens of traditional skills that have disappeared in the last 15 years and have identified 144 skills that are now in clear and present danger of disappearing. This means that the skills are only in one or two Elders’ heads. These skills range from dirtoven making and baking to major technical skills like King and Queen costume making...→
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ACTT’s team decided on the 33 foot Hosay Tadjah as the first Guild artefact because they wanted to start with a rural object as opposed to an urban object. The Tadjah also has special significance for Trinidad and Tobago due to the Hosay Riots of 1884.The Tadjah was a symbol of African and East Indian solidarity, and Hindu and Muslim unity against colonial oppression. To this day East Indian and Africans, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and members of African faiths all work together on building Tadjahs at Hosay time. Tadjahs are the central objects in the festival of Hosaythe Shia Muslim Remembrance of Muharram. The name Hosay comes from "Husayn" the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in championing non-violence. Cedros and St James are now the primary sites of Hosay with ceremonies on the North Coast and in San Fernando disappearing in the last decades.
The conceptual team for the Guild included Adesh Mike Singh- Guild architect and codifier, Kirk Langtonmaterials specialist, Dave Williams and ‘Dragon’- movement specialists, and TGN Media who were the Guild audio-visual documenters. ACTT president Rubadiri Victor says, “The 30ft Hosay Tadjah is just the first of many ‘Guild of Master’ projects. The next Guild projects will deal with recreating past Carnival Kings and Queens and Ramleela craft traditions. We are calling on public and private sector as well as individual patrons to support the Guild to help rescue the nation’s patrimony.” The Guild of Masters is under the patronage of the Office of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The exhibition will be up for viewing from February to April and tours are available for schools and institutions.The Museum is open from 10am- 6pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from 2pm- 6pm on Sundays.
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Is the African Diaspora really shunning their homeland? The African charity, AFFORD (African Foundation for Development) the “Bonds that tie the African diaspora to their respective countries are weakening.” So much so, that many of them are sending less remittances to their homeland. The survey conducted by AFFORD found that almost 64% of those that took part in the survey have n regular contact with family or extended family in their country of origin. The charity found however, that over 70% are interested in business opportunities in their homeland, mainly in land and family business. A great majority of those surveyed believed that remittance was like a ‘handout’ and not likely to make any real impact in the contribution towards any form of sustainability. According to AFFORD “migrants became more integrated into the host countries” a stark difference from previous generations who participated in African development.
Recently I read where the African diaspora was losing touch with its roots and it stoked a fire in my mind to the question, is the Caribbean diaspora suffering the same fate? Speaking to some fellow Trinidadians in my age group, I discovered that it was not in their agenda to return to Trinidad, however, some did explore business opportunities in the homeland, especially in property. I gathered too that many of them many the annual pilgrimage for carnival but has adopted the host country, Britain as home. I do know that there are many second and third generation Caribbean diasporans who have never been to the region. I will need to explore this aspect of the relating to the wider Caribbean further.
www.afford-uk.org
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Stuart Hall, the godfather of multiculturism Stuart Hall, the man who coined the term ‘Thatcherism’ and turned cultural studies from a low-status form to it being taken seriously, has died at the age of 82. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica and became part of the Caribbean diaspora who journeyed to the ‘motherland’ Britain. His father held a senior position of chief accountant with the United Fruit Company and his mother, a formidable woman was very much in tuned with the ethos of her distant Britain. Hall was educated at Jamaica College in Kingston where he received a classical English education and allying himself with the ‘struggle for independence from colonial rule.’
power and politics.’ Stuart’s ideas drew on the interdisciplinary perspectives of ‘literary theory, linguistics and cultural anthropology ‘to analyse diverse subjects such as youth sub-cultures, popular media and gendered and ethnic identities. Hall’s charismatic leadership at Birmingham University and working on a ‘shoestring budget’ made a tremendous impact on the subject of Cultural Studies. He shifted his debate on ‘media, deviancy, race, politics, Marxism and critical theory’ which are very much inherent and used in media and cultural studies today.
Armed with a Rhodes scholarship, Hall arrived in Britain in 1951 to study at Oxford University. After abandoning his thesis on Henry James, Hall moved to London and worked as a supply teacher in Brixton, he later became a lecturer in film and media at Chelsea College. It was in London where he began, his work on popular culture and after he co-authored the book, The Popular Arts in 1964, it opened a ‘field of inquiry he was to develop in Birmingham.’
A teacher of ‘enormous influence’ Hall was never into academic point-scoring. He was courteous and generous towards students, activists artists and to all those across the globe who knew him and came to love him, winning him ‘accolades from universities worldwide.’ According to one Guardian writer, Hall ‘never thought of himself as a scholar’ it was this humble nature by which he was loved and respected the world over and, it gave him great source of pleasure to collaborate with others in public debate, globally.
Richard Hoggart who founded the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham University invited Hall to join him as its first research fellow. Within four years Stuart Hall became the acting director of the centre and in 1972 was appointed director. It was at Birmingham that Hall created the foundations of Cultural Studies and catapulted it from a minority pursuit and into the ‘interweaving threads of culture,
He later joined the Open University as professor of sociology where, the OU was attracting the ‘possibility of reaching out to those who had fallen through the 15
conventional educational system.’ It was during this time that Margaret Thatcher became victorious in the British election. Her victory had convinced Hall of a new ‘Conservatism’, marking a profound cleavage in British political history’ prompting him to coin the term ‘Thatcherism’ in an article in Marxism Today.
multiculturism.’ The vice-chancellor of The Open University Martin Bean said of Hall: ‘He was a committed and influential public intellectual of the new left, who embodied the spirit for…openness, accessibility, a champion for social justice and of the power of education to bring change in peoples’ lives.’ David Lammy, MP for Tottenham describes him as ‘Someone I had huge respect for, a real father figure. He was a kind and generous man.’
His campaign for racial justice also earned him the accolade of ‘godfather of multiculturism’ Diane Abbott, Labour MP for Hackney North said “For me he was a hero. A black man who soared above and beyond the limitations imposed by racism and one of the leading cultural theorists of his generation.” If Hall’s involvement with theorisation of the forms political hegemony emphasized his passion it was his focus on ‘race and post colonialism, and on theorising the migrant view of Britain’ that he cherished. He launched a series of courses in communications and sociology and has produced an ‘astonishing array of edited volumes, essays and journalism which has been translated in many languages.’ He has written countless political speeches, radio and television talks, almost all of which are studied by media and cultural studies students.
Stuart Hall’s impact was felt not only in the UK but throughout and outside the realms of academia. His writing on ‘race, gender, sexuality and identity and the links between racial prejudice’ and the media during the 1970s was groundbreaking. Tim Adams writing in the Observer said; “You come to see how pivotal his (Hall’s) voice has been in shaping the progressive debates of our times – around race, gender and sexuality.” John Akomfrah, a film maker who made a documentary called The Stuart Hall Project which was shown at the BFI in September last year further cements Hall as one the pioneers if not the pioneer of cultural studies. For too long the influence of black intellectuals struggled to ‘gain coverage in classrooms, lecture halls and TV screens. In writing the foreword for Sarita Malik’s book; Representing Black Britain, Hall wrote, “even after 400 years as a colonizing and imperial nation, the British still find it difficult, if not impossible, to tell the difference between
Hall has influenced academic, political and cultural debates becoming the leading figure on the development of Cultural Studies discipline for over six decades, earning him the title of the ‘godfather of 16
‘racial and ‘racist’.” Even after hundreds of years of living and intermingling, subjugating and colonising, the British was still arrogant in understanding race and identity. It may take many decades for another Stuart Hall to emerge however, the legacy and his academic mark is indeed indelible into British system of thought and learning.
Stuart Hall: Born 3 Feb 1932 – Died 10 Feb 2014 He is survived by Catherine, Becky and Jess. His grandchildren, Noah and Ishaan and his sister Patricia.
D.Kalloo Photos courtesy Google
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Briefly…….. Women of the World id the theme of the International Women’s Day event taking place at the Southbank Centre in London. Among the number of key speakers at the event is the 16 year old Afghan Malala Yousafzi who was shot in the head by the Taliban. And who has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trinidad is real bacchanal for true yes! Imagine the doctor charged with giving Michael Jackson an overdose that supposedly caused his death was ‘wining up in ah band, jamming on ah woman’ in Trinidad carnival 2014.
Vivienne Westwood will be in conversation with Shami Chakrabarti, speaking in-depth about her life, work and activism. Female Genital Mutilation is under the microscope as Nimco Ali tackles the horrific practice affecting an estimated three million people a year. In keeping with the agenda of women, India Knight and Laura Bates will discuss ‘Does page 3 make the world a better place?’
In this day and age of modernity and the ability to be what you want to become, it is frightening to think that some black women are still wishing they were of lighter skin complexion. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o revealed that she had often wished she was ‘ligherskinned’ until she set eyes on and, drew inspiration from the beautiful Sudanese model Alek Wek. Come on people Love your skin, love your life and chart the destiny that is in your very own hands.
The Women of the World event takes place from 5 -9 March 2014 at the Southbank Centre, London SE11. For information and details go to wow.southbankcentre.co.uk/events
Arley Gill, former Grenadian minister for culture said that Grenada’s soca artiste Mr Killa and Tallpree should have a band to accompany them on local, regional and international stage. The two artiste participated in Trinidad carnival 2014 with Mr Killa placing second in a three way decision with Iwer |George and Destra Garcia for the International Power Soca Monarch with Tallpree not in the top finishers. Gill said, “Tallpree was done a serious injustice” by the judges.
David Lammy, MP for Tottenham lashes back at Ukip leader Nigel Farage. Speaking with the Evening Standard Lammy said: “London is a city that overcome the Plague, it has overcome the Great Fire, it has overcome the Blitz and in fact it was the Blitz that led to London at its toughest point not drawing up a drawbridge and saying you should not come here, but actually opening its doors. When Nigel says that London is full, remember that we are only this year reaching London’s population in 1939. So when we talk about immigration and we talk about the problems that we have in London let’s not blame the immigrants for the jobs let’s go out and create them; let’s not blame immigrants for the housing crisis that we have here in London. Let’s blame the politicians who refused to build houses over successive years.”
The online fashion retailer Boohoo.com shares are expecting to fetch 50p in a stock market flotation. The move will value the online company at £500m so if you want to capitalise on some shares at a reasonable rate and hope for a good return this might be your chance.
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Guyana’s Red Cross gets Japanese money
Neil Latchman launches CD “A lovely Tenor of consistent quality with passion and emotion....he reveals the songs' meanings to an extent rarely encountered.....Few ever reach such depth of interpretation and sympathy."
The Japanese government has given the Guyana’s Red Cross a US$61,478 grant to help with the purchase of ambulance. Yoshimasa Tezuka, the Japanese ambassador to Guyana said the fund will go “towards the procurement of a fullyequiped ambulance to the Guyana Red Cross Society.
David S. Baumgartner, Amazon Review
Internationally acclaimed, Trinidad born Tenor, Neil Latchman, is joined by a stella cast of musicians - Australian concert pianist, Coady Green, Brazilian Cellist, Tania Lisboa, Maltese Harpist, Cecilia De Maria, American Cellist, Patrick TapioJohnson, Chinese Violinist, Minsi Yang, Greek Violinist, Orpheus Papafilippou and Trinidad Soca singer, Jemima Douglas in a CD which pays tribute to Mr. Latchman's homeland of Trinidad & Tobago. Entitled, "Dedication Vol.1", the songs are from Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Greece, Iran and India and dedicated to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The CD's Foreword by Baroness Howells of St. David applauds Mr. Latchman "in pioneering new ground for synergy between the calypso and the classics".
The First Aid coordinator for the Red Cross in Guyana said; “Having a personal ambulance to help injured persons is a timely boost to the organisation….the assistance exemplifies the true nature of Japanese friendship.” The scheme targets the areas that are aimed at improving basic human needs and will help to providing training and improve the First Aid services provided by the Guyana Red Cross Society.
Mr. Latchman explains that it is the privilege of growing up in the multicultural and multi-ethnic twin islands of T&T which has allowed him to appreciate the music, rhythms and songs of other cultures as can be heard in this CD which includes a number of South American dance pieces depicting the Rhumba and Samba alongside the T&T Calypso rhythms. Dedication Vol. 2 will be released later this year. Dedication Vol. 1 will be launched on Wednesday, 12th March 2014 at 6.15pm at the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London under the auspices of the High Commissioner, HE Mr. Garvin Nicholas.
Guyana Red Cross Society Secretary General Dorothy Fraser receiving the grant from Japan’s Ambassador to Guyana. Yoshimasa Tezuka
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The Cambridge Literary Festival
Jacob Ross at the festival. I would have loved to see more Caribbean and African writers being represented here and even those in the diaspora as well. For further information and to book tickets to the event please book at: adcticketing.co m or telephone 01223 300085 you could also follow the event on Twitter @camlitfest, on Facebook cambridgeliterary festival and at camlitfest.
The Cambridge Literary Festival 2014 begins on April 1 and runs until the 6th. The festival director, Cathy Moore said, “We’ll be opening our doors to writers from all over the world. Novelists, poets, historians, scientists and children’s authors, comedians and politicians will come together for the six-day celebration of the written and spoken word.” The Festival will feature over 60 writers making it bigger than ever before and will feature a ‘provocative debate’ in the Cambridge Union Hall according to the organisers. So whatever you do this spring, be sure to make a date in your calendar and visit The Cambridge Literary Festival. Despite an impressive line-up of world famous authors including children’s writer Jacqueline Wilson there are just two notable black writers Patience Agbabi and 21
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