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A Carnival Story by M. Martin Lewis [part 2 of 2]

Reading Time 2 mins[Continued: Link to part 1 Like everything Shortknee their songs were just as much a mystery. Unlike Jab Jab songs, they were not created in any village on some moonlight night; no one claimed authorship, heck they were not even in our language. They seemed to have verses where chorus should be and they referenced things, places and people that were outside the known universe. There are Shortknee Q & A’s that have troubled me all my life. Why their sleeves were so big? And was there any significance to the colors of their costumes? Who made… Read More »A Carnival Story by M. Martin Lewis [part 2 of 2]

A CARNIVAL STORY by M. Martin Lewis [part 1 of 2]

Reading Time 2 minsA CARNIVAL STORY By M. Martin Lewis Note well: I’m not talking about this lovable cuddly Shortknee in New York that Val and company play every year, advertising in Carib News and lifting their masks to peer into NBC cameras on Eastern Parkway. As anything in New York, that’s the watered down version of my earliest fears. A real Shortknee’s face was never exposed; you guessed at who it was. Exposing the identity of the Shortknee was a no no. Not one part of a Shortknee body’s could ever be exposed, and therein lay the evil; how… Read More »A CARNIVAL STORY by M. Martin Lewis [part 1 of 2]

CARNIVAL PROCLAMATIONS

Reading Time 1 minsBakhtin wrote: “Carnival is a pageant without floodlights and without a division into performers and spectators.”   Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975) Russian philosopher, literary critic, semiotician, and the putative “father of Carnival Studies.”   “Carnival Proclamation”, the title of a Lord Melody composition. Melody [aka Fitzroy Alexander] was born in Trinidad to a Grenadian mother. A handful of Melody’s calypsoes were performed and recorded by Harry Belafonte. Belafonte’s likeness is featured on a Grenadian postage stamp. Melody’s “Carnival Proclamation” NOTICE   CARNIVAL REGULATIONS THE public is hereby warned that the following acts constitute offences against the law:- (a) Celebrating… Read More »CARNIVAL PROCLAMATIONS

Big Drum Nation’s Grenada Bibliography (1787 – 2015)

Reading Time 57 mins  Grenada Books local or overseas, by author, title, and year of publication Adkin, Mark. Urgent Fury: The Battle for Grenada: The Truth Behind the Largest U.S. Military Operation Since Vietnam © 1989 Anstis, Shirley. They Call Me … A look at nicknames on the Caribbean island of Grenada Artesian water supply of Carrriacou – Report by E. Lehner with notes on the general geology of the island, Government Printing Office (1933) Badejo, Fabian Adekunle. Revolution As Poetic Inspiration: Grenada in ‘Maroon Lives’  Bain, Francis. A child of the carnival © 1978 Bain, Francis. Beyond the Ballot Box © 1980 Beck, Robert J. The Grenada Invasion:… Read More »Big Drum Nation’s Grenada Bibliography (1787 – 2015)

The Literary Elements of Carriacou Carnival

Reading Time 4 minsBig Drum Nation interviews Nicholas Cox February 2015 Big Drum Nation (BDN): This year the Carriacouan Carnival comes under this scintillating theme, “Celebrating the Legacy of Shakespeare: Embracing the Splendor of our Traditional Mas”, what is the Shakespeare Mas? Nick Cox (NC): As I know it Shakespeare Mas stems from the use of speeches adapted from the writings of William Shakespeare in a duel of words between masqueraders. The theme appears to be battling European armies who attempt to outwit each other using speeches from Shakespeare’s plays, most commonly “Julius Caesar.” The costumes are colorful and mask the entire… Read More »The Literary Elements of Carriacou Carnival

Comments: Senator the Honorable Brenda Hood

Reading Time 3 mins  Our theme of this BDN issue is “Moving Forward in Unity to Build a Stronger Nation.” We  are compiling the contributions of writers, artists, poets, photographers, our leaders, and everyone with a voice and view to share on Grenada’s 41st anniversary of independence.   Senator the Honourable Brenda Hood Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture     QUESTION: What is the culture ministry’s definition of culture? The definition of culture has been clearly outlined in the Grenada National Cultural Policy and I believe it gives us a better understanding of our vision for the work being done… Read More »Comments: Senator the Honorable Brenda Hood

Comments: Honourable Derrick James

Reading Time 3 mins As you are fully aware, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique will be celebrating its 41st anniversary of political independence from Britain on February 7, 2015. Birthdays are times to reflect on life lived, paths traveled, and upcoming opportunities to take advantage of. As it is for the individual, the same is true for a nation. Big Drum Nation (BDN) is joining the festivities as we celebrate our nation’s accomplishments, appreciate our shared ideals, and assess our potential. We are seeking the contributions of writers, artists, poets, photographers, our leaders, and everyone with a voice and view… Read More »Comments: Honourable Derrick James