Jamaican literary and cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverley would be the focus of an necessary occasion on the 2022 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. Three icons of Jamaican poetry—Olive Senior (Poet Laureate) and Pamela Mordecai—and one acclaimed newcomer—Jason Allen-Paisant—will likely be among the many featured authors on the annual literary competition headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago. The Gleaner experiences:
Working from April 28 to Might 1 with the theme ‘4 Days to Change the World’, the competition will as soon as extra be offered on-line, with occasions livestreamed by way of the web site bocaslitfest.com and on the YouTube and Fb platforms. Your entire competition programme is free to all, with no tickets or registration required.
Jamaica’s present Poet Laureate, Olive Senior, will headline the competition’s closing occasion on Might 1, together with poet Pamela Mordecai. Each writers are thought of among the many most important and revolutionary voices in up to date Caribbean poetry, and 2022 brings new collected volumes of their poems, which they may learn from and talk about at Bocas 2022. Senior’s Hurricane Watch (revealed in January by the UK’s Carcanet Press) and Mordecai’s A Fierce Inexperienced Place (developing in Might from the US writer New Instructions) each mix new poems with picks from the authors’ earlier books, providing summaries of two excellent literary careers. Mordecai and Senior will learn from their poems and be a part of a dialog with St Lucian author Canisia Lubrin, winner of the 2021 OCM Bocas Prize.
ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE
In the meantime, literary and cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverley would be the focus of one other NGC Bocas Lit Fest occasion on April 28. 100+ Voices for Miss Lou, a brand new anthology edited by Opal Palmer Adisa and revealed by UWI Press, brings collectively a various vary of essays, poems, and tributes. In a particular ‘Required Studying’ session at Bocas 2022, Palmer Adisa – herself a celebrated poet – will introduce the ebook and discuss Miss Lou’s enduring significance and relevance for up to date Jamaican and Caribbean readers.
The 2022 NGC Bocas Lit Fest may even function a proficient new Jamaican poet whose work is already profitable plaudits. Jason Allen-Paisant – born in Espresso Grove, Manchester, and at the moment based mostly in Britain – is the winner of the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Poetry for his debut ebook Pondering with Bushes (revealed by Carcanet Press). He’s now a contender for the general cross-genre prize, alongside Jamaican Kei Miller, winner of the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Non-Fiction for his essay assortment Issues I Have Withheld, and Trinidadian debut creator Celeste Mohammed, winner of the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Fiction for her novel Pleasantview.
The three winners will learn from their work within the OCM Bocas Prize ceremony on Saturday, April 30, when chief choose Roger Robinson will announce the winner, who will take residence a money award of US$10,000, sponsored by the T&T-based regional firm One Caribbean Media.
The 2022 NGC Bocas Lit Fest consists of 20 occasions and dozens extra writers from throughout the Caribbean and the diaspora. Different programme highlights embrace discussions on the Trinidad and Tobago mental C.L.R. James and the Guyanese activist Andaiye, a showcase of latest Puerto Rican poets, a Friday-night celebration of Caribbean LGBTQI+ writing, and a ‘Massive Thought’ dialogue panel on how the Caribbean should reply to the existential risk of local weather change.
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[Shown above: Poets Olive Senior (Poet Laureate of Jamaica) and Pamela Mordecai.]