By Antoinette Ifill
There is no dollar amount tantamount to the experience of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival; and as the Mastercard commercial goes it is indeed “priceless”. You can tally up the total amount of money spent to experience what is dubbed as The Greatest Show on Earth, however, you might be left with a feeling that Trinidad Carnival has now become one of the most expensive vacations ever.
With costumes averaging what some of us pay monthly for rent, fetes adding up to the equivalent of a second costume not to mention the never ending list of Carnival essentials that need to be purchased before getting on that plane some of us dare not do the math as we would then have to ask ourselves is there such a thing as “too much” when it comes to the love of Carnival. In spite of the glaring commercialism of this festival, there are still a few activities that one can enjoy in Trinidad and Tobago that will not break the strains of an already burdened wallet.
With a proliferation of Mas Camps in the Woodbrook area, namely between Rosalino and Gallus Streets, making a tour out of visiting each mas camp is an activity that will cost you nothing. The headquarters of TRIBE, Evolution, Mac Farlane Carnival, Trini Revellers, Pulse 8, Masquerade and Dream Team can all be found within the same block. At the mas camps, costumes are displayed for viewing, and one has a chance to observe these creations at leisure.
Woodford Square is the venue for a series of free mini concerts which take place every day at noon from January 21st to 25th, featuring Soca stars such as Peter C Lewis, Machel Montano, KMC, Bunj, Olatunji and Shurwayne Winchester. This very popular event draws a huge crowd so it is best to get there early and enjoy the same artistes that perform at all the various fetes, only you will not be spending a dime!
If a little bit of history is what you desire, check out the Traditional Street Characters Parade from Memorial Park through the streets of Port of Spain on Carnival Friday (February 1st). Accompanied by music and performers such as Moko Jumbies, this ode to mas of long ago features Dame Lorraine, Sailor, Fancy Indian and Pierrot Grenade among other characters and is an enjoyable and informative look at Carnival of the past.
When it comes to “pretty mas”, nothing is a greater spectacle than Kiddies Carnival where the children parade in costumed splendor. This event takes place on Carnival Saturday. With free spectator stands lining the route from downtown Port of Spain to the Queens Park Savannah, pack a picnic basket, walk with a hat, sit and enjoy the spectacle.
Maracas Beach is Trinidad’s premiere water playground, with a long sandy stretch of coconut lined sea front; this beach attracts locals in droves on the weekends. This is the ideal spot for a respite from the hectic pace of Carnival fetes. Enjoy the scenic drive through the rain forest and sample a culinary delight called “shark and bake” when you get there. If time allows, a quick visit to the sister island can easily be achieved for little expense by taking the 2 hour fast ferry, at just under $20.00 (CAN). The ferry departs Trinidad for Tobago in the early morning and returns in the late afternoon making a day trip possible.
It takes little to enjoy the strains of steel pan music from a Pan Yard, chipping down the road covered in mud at J’ouvert or enjoying an impromptu lime at the home of a friend. Take this advice, embrace all that is Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival and forge memorable adventures of your own, that are indeed priceless.
Monday, March 24, 2008
WE SPOTLIGHT - Joy Lapps - Princess of Pan
By Monica Joseph-McIntyre
Joy Lapps wants to see the steel pan accepted on the world stage as a legitimate musical instrument and to see it being paid the same kind of respect instruments like the guitar and piano receive. Lapps, who has been playing the steel pan since she was 13, has seen her hard work and love of the pan pay off. Now 23, she is one of Toronto’s top female pannists, and has earned the title “Princess of Pan.”
Born in Canada to Antiguan parents, Lapps began playing the instrument by chance. The church her family attended was offering lessons and her godmother suggested she take lessons, insisting on paying for the first one. That introduction sparked a passion for the instrument that continues to grow to this day. Playing the steel pan “wasn’t something I decided to do on my own,” she says. “It was guided by my godmother and my parents, but I enjoyed playing so much that I stuck with it.”
She credits her teacher, Vince Kato, for making her the pannist she is today. She started on the bass pan, before switching to the tenor pan. She would often take the instrument home to practice. Kato also took her along when he had a gig and they played duets together.
Since then she has made many solo appearances playing at weddings and dinner receptions and other high-profile events, including a service at the Moravian Church in London, England, the Harry Jerome Awards in Toronto, Ryerson University’s convocation ceremony and ‘Autumn Leaves on Steel,’ a celebration of the pan held at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto.
While an exchange business student in France, Lapps played with the highly respected “Calypsociation Steelband” and at the Carnaval de Paris. In Toronto, she has played with local steelband, “Pan Fantasy,” which won the 2005 and 2006 Pan Alive competition held during Toronto’s Caribana celebrations. This past Christmas season, Lapps has added her tenor pan to the parang group Los Amigos. She is currently practicing for “Snowflakes,” a show celebrating the pan, which takes place in January.
Lapps has so far released three albums: “Praise on Pan: How Great thou Art”; “Make a Joyful Noise”; and her latest, a collection of Christmas carols.
“A lot of my inspiration comes from musicians I meet,” Lapps says. “It’s nice to meet somebody and feel like you can relate to them.”
Lapp now has a business degree from York University, but has returned to York to pursue a degree in music.
For more information visit http://www.joylapps.com/
Joy Lapps wants to see the steel pan accepted on the world stage as a legitimate musical instrument and to see it being paid the same kind of respect instruments like the guitar and piano receive. Lapps, who has been playing the steel pan since she was 13, has seen her hard work and love of the pan pay off. Now 23, she is one of Toronto’s top female pannists, and has earned the title “Princess of Pan.”
Born in Canada to Antiguan parents, Lapps began playing the instrument by chance. The church her family attended was offering lessons and her godmother suggested she take lessons, insisting on paying for the first one. That introduction sparked a passion for the instrument that continues to grow to this day. Playing the steel pan “wasn’t something I decided to do on my own,” she says. “It was guided by my godmother and my parents, but I enjoyed playing so much that I stuck with it.”
She credits her teacher, Vince Kato, for making her the pannist she is today. She started on the bass pan, before switching to the tenor pan. She would often take the instrument home to practice. Kato also took her along when he had a gig and they played duets together.
Since then she has made many solo appearances playing at weddings and dinner receptions and other high-profile events, including a service at the Moravian Church in London, England, the Harry Jerome Awards in Toronto, Ryerson University’s convocation ceremony and ‘Autumn Leaves on Steel,’ a celebration of the pan held at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto.
While an exchange business student in France, Lapps played with the highly respected “Calypsociation Steelband” and at the Carnaval de Paris. In Toronto, she has played with local steelband, “Pan Fantasy,” which won the 2005 and 2006 Pan Alive competition held during Toronto’s Caribana celebrations. This past Christmas season, Lapps has added her tenor pan to the parang group Los Amigos. She is currently practicing for “Snowflakes,” a show celebrating the pan, which takes place in January.
Lapps has so far released three albums: “Praise on Pan: How Great thou Art”; “Make a Joyful Noise”; and her latest, a collection of Christmas carols.
“A lot of my inspiration comes from musicians I meet,” Lapps says. “It’s nice to meet somebody and feel like you can relate to them.”
Lapp now has a business degree from York University, but has returned to York to pursue a degree in music.
For more information visit http://www.joylapps.com/
WE PEOPLE - Miss Jamaica Universe and her hair
By Natasha G. Samuels
Zahra Redwood, 25, is the first Miss Jamaica to be crowned from the country’s Rastafarian faith and the first contestant to compete in the Miss Universe pageant with dreadlocks. While the University of West Indies graduate certainly met the standards (intelligence, articulate, beauty, cultured), her win symbolized acceptance (finally) of the countries minority religious sect.
Rastafarianism emerged in Jamaica in the 1930’s as a result of an interpretation of a Biblical prophecy based on the coronation of Ethiopia’s former Emperor, Haile Selassie I. Reggae artists such as Bob Marley brought the religion’s message of peaceful coexistence marijuana use and African repatriation to the world in the 70’s. Despite their positive contributions to Jamaican culture, Rastas’ have not always been accepted due to their traditional appearance and marijuana rituals. Zahra’s win was a victory for Rastafarians all over the world. Her crowning and participation in the Miss Universe pageant also brought relief to black women whose subjection to the good hair bad hair debates left psychological scars on their self-esteem.
During the live televised Miss Universe contest, it was amazing to see the “vilified” hair streaming down the shoulders of this confident black sister who embraced her hair not because she was trying to make a statement but because this is who she has been from birth. As a result, Zahra never considered that her hair would hinder or aid her chances in the pageant. In an interview with the Jamaican Observer shortly after her April 2007 win, Zahra said, “I really didn’t think of it at all. I am a package; my hair is not a separate entity…so I entered based on the characteristics that all contestants were asked to have, and I fit those.”
There was a lot of media focus on Zahra’s and Miss Tanzania (Flaviana Matata, who was hairless,) because the two contestants didn’t exactly fit the mold of traditional contestants who compete with coifed and fluffed manes of hair. Regarding comments that hers and Miss Tanzania’s entry changed the face of the pageant---she said “change is inevitable, so naturally something like this would have had to happen.” The questions (much of it from the international media) regarding her hair are not new to her either. In a recent interview with WE Zahra said, “from ever since I’ve been growing up I’ve been getting those kinds of questions. I’m just so used to all of that.” She said the questions regarding her hair started since primary school days and came from teachers, students, or people on the road. “I’ve just become accustomed to responding to those questions politely that right now it’s not a huge difference. To international persons locks is a part of the identity of a Jamaican so it actually never matter whether or not, as a matter of fact when you do have locks as a Jamaican the international forum actually sees you as an authentic Jamaican and that was the feed back I was getting when we first made our presentations of our costumes,” she said.
Despite the media attention, she says she was not disappointed in not reaching the coveted top 15. “In everything you do, there must be something gained from it,” she said. She is however satisfied that she was able to make an impression and that she was able to inspire greater self-esteem and awareness in black people and black women.
Currently, Zahra is juggling her busy schedule as Miss Jamaica with a new position as a Medical Representative for Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals in Jamaica. She is planning to publish a book, which will showcase her most glamorous hairstyles, which she styles herself. Her reign as Miss Jamaica ends April 2008.
Zahra Redwood, 25, is the first Miss Jamaica to be crowned from the country’s Rastafarian faith and the first contestant to compete in the Miss Universe pageant with dreadlocks. While the University of West Indies graduate certainly met the standards (intelligence, articulate, beauty, cultured), her win symbolized acceptance (finally) of the countries minority religious sect.
Rastafarianism emerged in Jamaica in the 1930’s as a result of an interpretation of a Biblical prophecy based on the coronation of Ethiopia’s former Emperor, Haile Selassie I. Reggae artists such as Bob Marley brought the religion’s message of peaceful coexistence marijuana use and African repatriation to the world in the 70’s. Despite their positive contributions to Jamaican culture, Rastas’ have not always been accepted due to their traditional appearance and marijuana rituals. Zahra’s win was a victory for Rastafarians all over the world. Her crowning and participation in the Miss Universe pageant also brought relief to black women whose subjection to the good hair bad hair debates left psychological scars on their self-esteem.
During the live televised Miss Universe contest, it was amazing to see the “vilified” hair streaming down the shoulders of this confident black sister who embraced her hair not because she was trying to make a statement but because this is who she has been from birth. As a result, Zahra never considered that her hair would hinder or aid her chances in the pageant. In an interview with the Jamaican Observer shortly after her April 2007 win, Zahra said, “I really didn’t think of it at all. I am a package; my hair is not a separate entity…so I entered based on the characteristics that all contestants were asked to have, and I fit those.”
There was a lot of media focus on Zahra’s and Miss Tanzania (Flaviana Matata, who was hairless,) because the two contestants didn’t exactly fit the mold of traditional contestants who compete with coifed and fluffed manes of hair. Regarding comments that hers and Miss Tanzania’s entry changed the face of the pageant---she said “change is inevitable, so naturally something like this would have had to happen.” The questions (much of it from the international media) regarding her hair are not new to her either. In a recent interview with WE Zahra said, “from ever since I’ve been growing up I’ve been getting those kinds of questions. I’m just so used to all of that.” She said the questions regarding her hair started since primary school days and came from teachers, students, or people on the road. “I’ve just become accustomed to responding to those questions politely that right now it’s not a huge difference. To international persons locks is a part of the identity of a Jamaican so it actually never matter whether or not, as a matter of fact when you do have locks as a Jamaican the international forum actually sees you as an authentic Jamaican and that was the feed back I was getting when we first made our presentations of our costumes,” she said.
Despite the media attention, she says she was not disappointed in not reaching the coveted top 15. “In everything you do, there must be something gained from it,” she said. She is however satisfied that she was able to make an impression and that she was able to inspire greater self-esteem and awareness in black people and black women.
Currently, Zahra is juggling her busy schedule as Miss Jamaica with a new position as a Medical Representative for Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals in Jamaica. She is planning to publish a book, which will showcase her most glamorous hairstyles, which she styles herself. Her reign as Miss Jamaica ends April 2008.
WE BEAUTY - Foods That Make Your Skin Glow!
by Carol A. Allen
Using an advanced skin care system and drinking water daily will give you a healthy, radiant complexion and minimize the signs of aging. But, the foods that you eat everyday are just as important. You'd probably be surprised to learn that many of your favourite foods can actually help you to achieve a natural glow.
Green and orange fruits and vegetables such as spinach, green beans, broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes help to prevent premature wrinkling and bumpy skin. Sweet potatoes, spinach, grapefruit, cantaloupe and tomatoes are high in beta-carotene which helps to absorb light and may minimize sunburn. They contain vitamins C and E and the beta-carotene converts to vitamin A once digested, acting as an anti-oxidant and speeding up new skin cell growth.
Milk, liver, eggs, oily fish, some fortified cereals and margarine contain Vitamin A. B vitamins in milk, liver, eggs, cheese, beef, lentils, nuts and whole grains improve poor circulation often associated with itchiness. Soothe flaky, oily, and dry skin with a sprinkling of wheat germ on oatmeal.
Vitamin E, another powerful anti-oxidant, is found in avocados, hazelnuts and pine nuts. Papayas, rich in vitamin B and beta-carotene, help to cleanse the stomach, the starting point for many disorders. Stomach toxins can appear on your skin as a blemish, pigmentation or dullness. Prevent this by drinking a teaspoon of pure honey with half of a lemon squeezed in a glass of warm water daily and avoiding strong laxatives which can dehydrate the system.
Taken internally, the healing properties of the aloe vera gel are very unique as it detoxifies your system and provides vitamins and minerals. Apply it topically to relieve dry, irritated or damaged skin.
To build collagen and improve your skin’s strength, eat Vitamin C-enriched foods such as broccoli, kiwi fruits, oranges, guava, blueberries, and strawberries. Berries and melons are generally low in sugar which keeps skin firm, while soy milk and tofu are high in protein maintaining the skin’s collagen levels.
Skin elasticity is enhanced by drinking at least 1.5 litres of water per day which makes the kidneys and oil glands function better while minimizing dryness. Limit your tea, coffee and alcohol intake to prevent dehydration. Green tea, however, has powerful health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, preventing tooth decay and cavities, and boosting the immune system.
Iron, found in dried apricots and sesame seeds, improves skin tone. Zinc-enriched foods such as oysters, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, liver, walnuts and sardines, help to soften and repair damaged skin. Onions and garlic contain sulphur which helps to keep your skin smooth.
Cooking with olive oil gives you healthy boost of essential poly and monounsaturated fats including omega-3 fatty acids. It reduces inflammation in the body such as puffy eyes and saggy skin.
A generally healthy diet which includes taking multi-vitamins and minimizing processed and high sugar content foods and saturated fats, can incredibly improve the tone, texture, and brightness of your skin while reducing lines and wrinkles. And, together with a consistent skin care routine, you've got a recipe for glowing success!
Carol Allen is a Skin Care Consultant and Make-Up Artist for Aloette Cosmetics.
You can book a personal consultation by calling (416) 410 7556 or by email to aloette@carrebizness.com
Using an advanced skin care system and drinking water daily will give you a healthy, radiant complexion and minimize the signs of aging. But, the foods that you eat everyday are just as important. You'd probably be surprised to learn that many of your favourite foods can actually help you to achieve a natural glow.
Green and orange fruits and vegetables such as spinach, green beans, broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes help to prevent premature wrinkling and bumpy skin. Sweet potatoes, spinach, grapefruit, cantaloupe and tomatoes are high in beta-carotene which helps to absorb light and may minimize sunburn. They contain vitamins C and E and the beta-carotene converts to vitamin A once digested, acting as an anti-oxidant and speeding up new skin cell growth.
Milk, liver, eggs, oily fish, some fortified cereals and margarine contain Vitamin A. B vitamins in milk, liver, eggs, cheese, beef, lentils, nuts and whole grains improve poor circulation often associated with itchiness. Soothe flaky, oily, and dry skin with a sprinkling of wheat germ on oatmeal.
Vitamin E, another powerful anti-oxidant, is found in avocados, hazelnuts and pine nuts. Papayas, rich in vitamin B and beta-carotene, help to cleanse the stomach, the starting point for many disorders. Stomach toxins can appear on your skin as a blemish, pigmentation or dullness. Prevent this by drinking a teaspoon of pure honey with half of a lemon squeezed in a glass of warm water daily and avoiding strong laxatives which can dehydrate the system.
Taken internally, the healing properties of the aloe vera gel are very unique as it detoxifies your system and provides vitamins and minerals. Apply it topically to relieve dry, irritated or damaged skin.
To build collagen and improve your skin’s strength, eat Vitamin C-enriched foods such as broccoli, kiwi fruits, oranges, guava, blueberries, and strawberries. Berries and melons are generally low in sugar which keeps skin firm, while soy milk and tofu are high in protein maintaining the skin’s collagen levels.
Skin elasticity is enhanced by drinking at least 1.5 litres of water per day which makes the kidneys and oil glands function better while minimizing dryness. Limit your tea, coffee and alcohol intake to prevent dehydration. Green tea, however, has powerful health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, preventing tooth decay and cavities, and boosting the immune system.
Iron, found in dried apricots and sesame seeds, improves skin tone. Zinc-enriched foods such as oysters, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, liver, walnuts and sardines, help to soften and repair damaged skin. Onions and garlic contain sulphur which helps to keep your skin smooth.
Cooking with olive oil gives you healthy boost of essential poly and monounsaturated fats including omega-3 fatty acids. It reduces inflammation in the body such as puffy eyes and saggy skin.
A generally healthy diet which includes taking multi-vitamins and minimizing processed and high sugar content foods and saturated fats, can incredibly improve the tone, texture, and brightness of your skin while reducing lines and wrinkles. And, together with a consistent skin care routine, you've got a recipe for glowing success!
Carol Allen is a Skin Care Consultant and Make-Up Artist for Aloette Cosmetics.
You can book a personal consultation by calling (416) 410 7556 or by email to aloette@carrebizness.com
WE Relationships - Rules of Engagement
By Niama S. Sandy
Expect the unexpected?
You're walking out the door and you realize you don't have your keys. You rummage and rummage, creating an even bigger mess than what may have already existed in your house and still after 20 minutes you got NOTHING. You sit down and decide you ain't goin no where again. You feel something poking you yuh look…it's your keys. But you still don't want to go anywhere. What does it all mean?
How many times have you decided that you were going to stop looking for "it," when the universe seems to align perfectly and the ever-elusive "it" finds you? In the quest to quench our thirsts for companionship we are often met with appetizers. How do you tell the difference between the first and third course? And with that I give you our anecdote for the month.
I have a female friend, we'll call her Cara. Cara, like me, often has frustrating (though, again like me, often wildly entertaining) encounters with males. From the man she was with who wasn't trying to move out of his parents' house, to the medical resident fella she met on Yahoo personals, it was one messy situation after another. Fortunately, this woman is one of the strongest and most resilient people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. With that in mind she decided a break from the disorder and disappointment was in order. Fast forward to two months after that decision; a friend invited her to his house warming. Also invited to this housewarming was a man the host wanted her to meet.
Interestingly and perhaps by providence, this man does not show. While Cara is standing in the doorway of the kitchen talking to the host, another man enters the kitchen. As he walked into the room, they locked eyes – okay maybe his eyes locked on to her behind. The host introduced them. They started to talk. They chatted for the rest of the party, went to an after party after that, exchanged numbers and chatted on the phone for five hours after that. They went out the day after that. For the next week, Danny was calling or trying to hang out with Cara every day. Though she liked him, she began to feel like he was trying to push her into relationship prematurely. As right as it felt, to a degree something just wasn't right. Should she ignore her instincts and go ahead anyway? Time will reveal…to be continued
The rule on engagement for this story…Patience is a virtue. In today's society there are countless ways that we try to expedite the process of finding a mate. From the million and one social networking websites to the ever-popular blind date, we are constantly trying to speed up another one of life's processes that happens in its own time. When it's time for it to happen it will happen. No amount of rushing it - or for some of us fighting it - will make life easier.
Expect the unexpected?
You're walking out the door and you realize you don't have your keys. You rummage and rummage, creating an even bigger mess than what may have already existed in your house and still after 20 minutes you got NOTHING. You sit down and decide you ain't goin no where again. You feel something poking you yuh look…it's your keys. But you still don't want to go anywhere. What does it all mean?
How many times have you decided that you were going to stop looking for "it," when the universe seems to align perfectly and the ever-elusive "it" finds you? In the quest to quench our thirsts for companionship we are often met with appetizers. How do you tell the difference between the first and third course? And with that I give you our anecdote for the month.
I have a female friend, we'll call her Cara. Cara, like me, often has frustrating (though, again like me, often wildly entertaining) encounters with males. From the man she was with who wasn't trying to move out of his parents' house, to the medical resident fella she met on Yahoo personals, it was one messy situation after another. Fortunately, this woman is one of the strongest and most resilient people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. With that in mind she decided a break from the disorder and disappointment was in order. Fast forward to two months after that decision; a friend invited her to his house warming. Also invited to this housewarming was a man the host wanted her to meet.
Interestingly and perhaps by providence, this man does not show. While Cara is standing in the doorway of the kitchen talking to the host, another man enters the kitchen. As he walked into the room, they locked eyes – okay maybe his eyes locked on to her behind. The host introduced them. They started to talk. They chatted for the rest of the party, went to an after party after that, exchanged numbers and chatted on the phone for five hours after that. They went out the day after that. For the next week, Danny was calling or trying to hang out with Cara every day. Though she liked him, she began to feel like he was trying to push her into relationship prematurely. As right as it felt, to a degree something just wasn't right. Should she ignore her instincts and go ahead anyway? Time will reveal…to be continued
The rule on engagement for this story…Patience is a virtue. In today's society there are countless ways that we try to expedite the process of finding a mate. From the million and one social networking websites to the ever-popular blind date, we are constantly trying to speed up another one of life's processes that happens in its own time. When it's time for it to happen it will happen. No amount of rushing it - or for some of us fighting it - will make life easier.
WE BACCHANAL - 10 Things You Don’t Want to Hear From Your Partner
By My PlayHouse
10: “Oh gosh, I’m not in the mood” – You need to take it for the team, don’t be selfish damn it!
9: “There’s someone else” – that’s when you scratch your head and ask yourself, is that why she/he is never in the mood?
8: “I doh know how to cook” – that poses a huge problem if you as well don’t know how to cook. Being anorexic is not an option.
7: “I’ve be intimate with “X” amount of people before you” – Don’t need to know, lie if necessary.
6: After two minutes in bed they say, “ah buss”, when you just getting started – WTF?!?!
5: “Babes go down on me nah (while pushing your head down)” – But ah find you’re bright to be pushing my head. Doh ask me for s**t if you’re not returning the favor. WE WILL FIGHT!!!!
4: “I don’t like your friends and I want you to stop limin’ with them” – Guess What! They don’t like you either, so should I also stop limin’ with you?
3: “Honey, I just came back from the doctor and there’s something I need to tell you” – At that point, that’s when a heart attack will take me over.
2: “Love me up nah” (after now having sex) – *lol*.
1: “We need to talk” – That’s when you play deaf and walk in the other direction right away.
10: “Oh gosh, I’m not in the mood” – You need to take it for the team, don’t be selfish damn it!
9: “There’s someone else” – that’s when you scratch your head and ask yourself, is that why she/he is never in the mood?
8: “I doh know how to cook” – that poses a huge problem if you as well don’t know how to cook. Being anorexic is not an option.
7: “I’ve be intimate with “X” amount of people before you” – Don’t need to know, lie if necessary.
6: After two minutes in bed they say, “ah buss”, when you just getting started – WTF?!?!
5: “Babes go down on me nah (while pushing your head down)” – But ah find you’re bright to be pushing my head. Doh ask me for s**t if you’re not returning the favor. WE WILL FIGHT!!!!
4: “I don’t like your friends and I want you to stop limin’ with them” – Guess What! They don’t like you either, so should I also stop limin’ with you?
3: “Honey, I just came back from the doctor and there’s something I need to tell you” – At that point, that’s when a heart attack will take me over.
2: “Love me up nah” (after now having sex) – *lol*.
1: “We need to talk” – That’s when you play deaf and walk in the other direction right away.
WE FOOD - STEW PEAS with pig’s tail
By Natasha G. Samuels
Like most kids, I was not a fan of red peas. Peas were an even greater woe to those of us who grew up on farms where peas was one of the main crops. As we consumed what we grew, peas was not only guaranteed to show up on Sundays with rice, but it also showed up during the week as peas soup or stew peas.
To me, peas were bland, nasty and served no purpose, especially given the long and mundane process that came with reaping them. The low tech method was to pick the pods from the vine by hand before they were dried on tarpaulin. Once the pods were dry, they were wrapped in the tarpaulin and the tarpaulin was then pounded with a stick to separate the peas from the pod. The peas would fall to the bottom of the tarpaulin leaving the trash from the pods on top. The older women would put a sizable amount of the peas in a large sift and with a skillful and quick upward flip of the wrist, the peas were hoisted in the air momentarily to allow the wind to sort out the remaining trash before falling back into the sift. The naked peas were then measured, bagged and brought to market for sale.
My malice with peas continued into my adult life until a sold out menu and hunger forced me to order the only remaining item, stew peas with pig’s tail. Perhaps, it was the hunger or my maturing palate but the salted pigs tail gave life and flavor to the legume.
Here is a recipe that you can try at home using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
½ lb salted pig’s tail (cut up)
½ cup of red peas
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic minced
2 stalks scallion
Hot pepper (whole with stem in or hot pepper sauce)
Black pepper
Flour spinners (optional)
Method
Soak the pig’s tail and beans in cold water for at least 1-hour.
Boil the peas on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes to help break down the toxic compound – lectin phytohaemagglutinin, which is concentrated in red and white kidney beans. This toxin is known to cause severe gastric upset. Transfer the peas to a slow cooker and add the meat and enough water to cover the meat and peas. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the meat is tender and the peas is almost disintegrating. When the meat and peas is tender, add the thyme, garlic, scallion, pepper, black pepper and spinners (optional).
Serve with white rice. Serves 2 – 3 people.
Like most kids, I was not a fan of red peas. Peas were an even greater woe to those of us who grew up on farms where peas was one of the main crops. As we consumed what we grew, peas was not only guaranteed to show up on Sundays with rice, but it also showed up during the week as peas soup or stew peas.
To me, peas were bland, nasty and served no purpose, especially given the long and mundane process that came with reaping them. The low tech method was to pick the pods from the vine by hand before they were dried on tarpaulin. Once the pods were dry, they were wrapped in the tarpaulin and the tarpaulin was then pounded with a stick to separate the peas from the pod. The peas would fall to the bottom of the tarpaulin leaving the trash from the pods on top. The older women would put a sizable amount of the peas in a large sift and with a skillful and quick upward flip of the wrist, the peas were hoisted in the air momentarily to allow the wind to sort out the remaining trash before falling back into the sift. The naked peas were then measured, bagged and brought to market for sale.
My malice with peas continued into my adult life until a sold out menu and hunger forced me to order the only remaining item, stew peas with pig’s tail. Perhaps, it was the hunger or my maturing palate but the salted pigs tail gave life and flavor to the legume.
Here is a recipe that you can try at home using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
½ lb salted pig’s tail (cut up)
½ cup of red peas
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic minced
2 stalks scallion
Hot pepper (whole with stem in or hot pepper sauce)
Black pepper
Flour spinners (optional)
Method
Soak the pig’s tail and beans in cold water for at least 1-hour.
Boil the peas on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes to help break down the toxic compound – lectin phytohaemagglutinin, which is concentrated in red and white kidney beans. This toxin is known to cause severe gastric upset. Transfer the peas to a slow cooker and add the meat and enough water to cover the meat and peas. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the meat is tender and the peas is almost disintegrating. When the meat and peas is tender, add the thyme, garlic, scallion, pepper, black pepper and spinners (optional).
Serve with white rice. Serves 2 – 3 people.
WE LITERATURE - V.I. Callaloo - a well-seasoned poetry book
Callaloo is a tasty Caribbean dish that is high in nutrients and flavour. Callaloo is a ‘cookup’ of spinach or dasheen and other leafy vegetables, okra, peppers, onions, the usual seasonings and the ‘salt thing’ of your choice. Some of us remember Callaloo to include fried fish, salted pork and ground provisions which makes this dish a complete meal.
The idea for the book came about from the Callaloo concept – a complete meal with different flavours. There are eighteen poets included in this compilation. Each poet has a unique writing style that offers the nutrients which make this pot flavourful and complete. V.I. Callaloo consists of poems of love, awareness, social issues and culture.
The Callaloo Poets are Lavanta Thompson, Oren Hodge, Tremis Skeete, Linette Rabsatt, April T. Glasgow, V. Celeste Fahie, Earold O’Kieffe, Urenna Francis, Stephen Payne, Prudence George, Raja H. Pemberton, Jehu Nisbett, Quincy Lettsome, PH.D., Charles P. Bartholomew, Elton Hazel, Jerome Joseph, Sonjah Smith and Justin Hodge; all with links to the Virgin Islands - both British and US. Some of the poets have roots in other Caribbean islands – Trinidad, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Antigua. Although each poet has a unique background and writing style, each share a love for writing and desire to inspire and uplift readers.
You can purchase V.I. Callaloo online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Yahoo Shopping, Ecampus.com, Booksamillion.com and AuthorHouse online. Copies can be bought in the BVI at Serendipity, Esme's Shoppe, BVI News, Mellows Moods and from all of the poets. V.I. Callaloo is available in St. Thomas, USVI, at the Dockside Bookshop.
For more information about the Callaloo Poets, you can visit www.freewebs.net/vicallaloo, www.myspace.com/vicallaloo or email vicallaloo@hotmail.com.
Monthly poetry readings are also held every third Saturday of each month at Mellow Moods or the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, both on Road Town in the BVI.
When a Rose Stings – Urenna Francis
So beautiful it stood there
Petals perfectly made
Swaying in the wind
Anyone who dares look at it becomes enchanted
By such beauty
To behold its loveliness
Wanting so much to reach out and touch such splendour
Without warning or alert
You reach to pluck a rose
Only to be stung
Because you did not see
What was meant to deceive
What seems to be a rose
Was a serpent in disguise
A Cooking Oddity - Quincy Lettsome, PH.D.
Some may call it a cooking oddity,
Virginners – no peculiarity
To pick a sugar apple, full and green
Boil! A custom never before seen.
Ripe and full, apples come from the same tree
This is something there for every one to see;
They could be hanging close together
Perhaps even touching one another.
A recipe of our ancestral line
Perfected so it will taste mighty fine
Boiled apple – corn pork – a delicacy
Dessert an apple so ripe and juicy!
The idea for the book came about from the Callaloo concept – a complete meal with different flavours. There are eighteen poets included in this compilation. Each poet has a unique writing style that offers the nutrients which make this pot flavourful and complete. V.I. Callaloo consists of poems of love, awareness, social issues and culture.
The Callaloo Poets are Lavanta Thompson, Oren Hodge, Tremis Skeete, Linette Rabsatt, April T. Glasgow, V. Celeste Fahie, Earold O’Kieffe, Urenna Francis, Stephen Payne, Prudence George, Raja H. Pemberton, Jehu Nisbett, Quincy Lettsome, PH.D., Charles P. Bartholomew, Elton Hazel, Jerome Joseph, Sonjah Smith and Justin Hodge; all with links to the Virgin Islands - both British and US. Some of the poets have roots in other Caribbean islands – Trinidad, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Antigua. Although each poet has a unique background and writing style, each share a love for writing and desire to inspire and uplift readers.
You can purchase V.I. Callaloo online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Yahoo Shopping, Ecampus.com, Booksamillion.com and AuthorHouse online. Copies can be bought in the BVI at Serendipity, Esme's Shoppe, BVI News, Mellows Moods and from all of the poets. V.I. Callaloo is available in St. Thomas, USVI, at the Dockside Bookshop.
For more information about the Callaloo Poets, you can visit www.freewebs.net/vicallaloo, www.myspace.com/vicallaloo or email vicallaloo@hotmail.com.
Monthly poetry readings are also held every third Saturday of each month at Mellow Moods or the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, both on Road Town in the BVI.
When a Rose Stings – Urenna Francis
So beautiful it stood there
Petals perfectly made
Swaying in the wind
Anyone who dares look at it becomes enchanted
By such beauty
To behold its loveliness
Wanting so much to reach out and touch such splendour
Without warning or alert
You reach to pluck a rose
Only to be stung
Because you did not see
What was meant to deceive
What seems to be a rose
Was a serpent in disguise
A Cooking Oddity - Quincy Lettsome, PH.D.
Some may call it a cooking oddity,
Virginners – no peculiarity
To pick a sugar apple, full and green
Boil! A custom never before seen.
Ripe and full, apples come from the same tree
This is something there for every one to see;
They could be hanging close together
Perhaps even touching one another.
A recipe of our ancestral line
Perfected so it will taste mighty fine
Boiled apple – corn pork – a delicacy
Dessert an apple so ripe and juicy!
WE FILM - How She Move
HOW SHE MOVE
Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Writer: Annmarie Morais
Release Date: 25 January 2008
Genre: Drama
Rating: Rated PG-13
Filmed in Ontario
How She Move is an energetic, gritty and ultimately inspiring coming of age tale about a gifted young woman who defies all the rules as she step dances her heart out to achieve her dreams. Bursting with raw talent and intelligence, Raya Green (Wesley), the daughter of Jamaican parents, won the rare chance to break out of their drug and crime-infested neighbourhood when she was accepted into the exclusive Seaton Academy. But when her sister dies of an overdose, the family is shattered and Raya is forced to return to the place she tried so hard to escape. To Raya, getting involved with a major Step Competition was her only hope of changing her fate.
The film looks at a real Caribbean immigrant community. Set in Toronto’s “Jane-Finch corridor, How She Move showcases Canadian West Indians like they have never been showcased before.
Screenwriter Annemarie Morais, a Jamaican immigrant who grew up in Canada, developed a deep love of stepping while studying at Canada’s York University. Morais found herself compelled to write a screenplay that would have a young black woman as its central heroine.
How She Move was directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid who, like the film’s lead character, Raya Green, grew up in urban Toronto as an immigrant from Tanzania.
Michelle (Tré Armstrong), one time friend of Raya, also grew up in Toronto, and took classes at the Dance Factory in Mississauga and later attended Erindale School of Dance.
Another Caribbean-Canadian face seen in the movie is Raya`s mother Melanie- Nicholls-King of Trinidadian parentage who grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Windsor.
And then there was Raya`s crush, Bishop (Dwain Murphy), who hails from the Caribbean island of Dominica, was challenged by a high school drama teacher to pursue acting as a career and did so by enrolling in the Acting for Film & Television Program at Humber College. Playing Bishop’s younger brother, Quake, is Brennan Gademans, a BC native hip-hop dancer and actor who made his acting debut playing the young Michael Jackson in a telefilm.
Bishop’s best friend, E.C., is played by rising, Toronto-based actor Kevin Duhaney, who has already been seen in films as John Singleton’s FOUR BROTHERS. Also joining the cast as part of the Jane Street Junta is actor, dancer and Platinum-recording artist Shawn Desman, who plays Tré, the team’s sole white kid who becomes Raya’s unlikely supporter.
Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Writer: Annmarie Morais
Release Date: 25 January 2008
Genre: Drama
Rating: Rated PG-13
Filmed in Ontario
How She Move is an energetic, gritty and ultimately inspiring coming of age tale about a gifted young woman who defies all the rules as she step dances her heart out to achieve her dreams. Bursting with raw talent and intelligence, Raya Green (Wesley), the daughter of Jamaican parents, won the rare chance to break out of their drug and crime-infested neighbourhood when she was accepted into the exclusive Seaton Academy. But when her sister dies of an overdose, the family is shattered and Raya is forced to return to the place she tried so hard to escape. To Raya, getting involved with a major Step Competition was her only hope of changing her fate.
The film looks at a real Caribbean immigrant community. Set in Toronto’s “Jane-Finch corridor, How She Move showcases Canadian West Indians like they have never been showcased before.
Screenwriter Annemarie Morais, a Jamaican immigrant who grew up in Canada, developed a deep love of stepping while studying at Canada’s York University. Morais found herself compelled to write a screenplay that would have a young black woman as its central heroine.
How She Move was directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid who, like the film’s lead character, Raya Green, grew up in urban Toronto as an immigrant from Tanzania.
Michelle (Tré Armstrong), one time friend of Raya, also grew up in Toronto, and took classes at the Dance Factory in Mississauga and later attended Erindale School of Dance.
Another Caribbean-Canadian face seen in the movie is Raya`s mother Melanie- Nicholls-King of Trinidadian parentage who grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Windsor.
And then there was Raya`s crush, Bishop (Dwain Murphy), who hails from the Caribbean island of Dominica, was challenged by a high school drama teacher to pursue acting as a career and did so by enrolling in the Acting for Film & Television Program at Humber College. Playing Bishop’s younger brother, Quake, is Brennan Gademans, a BC native hip-hop dancer and actor who made his acting debut playing the young Michael Jackson in a telefilm.
Bishop’s best friend, E.C., is played by rising, Toronto-based actor Kevin Duhaney, who has already been seen in films as John Singleton’s FOUR BROTHERS. Also joining the cast as part of the Jane Street Junta is actor, dancer and Platinum-recording artist Shawn Desman, who plays Tré, the team’s sole white kid who becomes Raya’s unlikely supporter.
WE ADVICE - Dear Sonya
Dear Sonya,
I lived with my girl for 4 years, we bought a house together and things were going well. One day she decided that things were not working, her parents did not approve of me and our relationship, so she left. I let her take the furniture and whatever she wanted. I make her car payments and cell phone bills (the account is in my name) and I give her rent money sometimes. I dont want her back, but I do want her to be happy. I called her the other day and I think she had someone over, I heard a guys voice in the background. She said it was just a friend!, should I even care?
Dear Sugar Daddy,
Yah you should care, you should care about yourself a little more. This girl just up and left you and also left you with her bills. She wanted to leave and make it on her own, well let her be. I know you care about her, but the girl is taking advantage of a sweet deal. Cut the cell phone, no more car payments and if she cant make the rent, let her to go back to her disapproving parents’ house.
Dear Sonya,
My mother has a new boyfriend in her life. She is 52 and he is 35. He comes over all the time, he hangs out at the house, brings his buddies over. My mom supports him fully. He says he has a part time job, but I never see him going anywhere, except my mom’s purse. I’m ready to go to college next year and I work full time to make money to go to college and my mom is spending all her money on this dude. What is she thinking?, I brought it up to her and we got into a huge fight and we barely talk anymore. I feel like her boyfriend is using her, but she wont listen.
Dear Distraught Daughter,
This guy has it good - maybe its easy for you to see, but remember "love is blind" and plus your mom needs companionship too, she needs to feel good too. At 52, it’s a little more difficult to get out there in the dating scene, so she just may find it that much easier to keep what she’s got. If you are really concerned about this guy- write your mom a letter, this will avoid the 'bickering" and you will have your say. After that, leave it and let it be: don’t strain your relationship with your mom over this guy, just be there for her.
Need advice? Send your questions to dearsonya@wemagonline.com
I lived with my girl for 4 years, we bought a house together and things were going well. One day she decided that things were not working, her parents did not approve of me and our relationship, so she left. I let her take the furniture and whatever she wanted. I make her car payments and cell phone bills (the account is in my name) and I give her rent money sometimes. I dont want her back, but I do want her to be happy. I called her the other day and I think she had someone over, I heard a guys voice in the background. She said it was just a friend!, should I even care?
Dear Sugar Daddy,
Yah you should care, you should care about yourself a little more. This girl just up and left you and also left you with her bills. She wanted to leave and make it on her own, well let her be. I know you care about her, but the girl is taking advantage of a sweet deal. Cut the cell phone, no more car payments and if she cant make the rent, let her to go back to her disapproving parents’ house.
Dear Sonya,
My mother has a new boyfriend in her life. She is 52 and he is 35. He comes over all the time, he hangs out at the house, brings his buddies over. My mom supports him fully. He says he has a part time job, but I never see him going anywhere, except my mom’s purse. I’m ready to go to college next year and I work full time to make money to go to college and my mom is spending all her money on this dude. What is she thinking?, I brought it up to her and we got into a huge fight and we barely talk anymore. I feel like her boyfriend is using her, but she wont listen.
Dear Distraught Daughter,
This guy has it good - maybe its easy for you to see, but remember "love is blind" and plus your mom needs companionship too, she needs to feel good too. At 52, it’s a little more difficult to get out there in the dating scene, so she just may find it that much easier to keep what she’s got. If you are really concerned about this guy- write your mom a letter, this will avoid the 'bickering" and you will have your say. After that, leave it and let it be: don’t strain your relationship with your mom over this guy, just be there for her.
Need advice? Send your questions to dearsonya@wemagonline.com
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