Orgasms, ol'higue, oranges.. readings from green antilles

[Spoiler alert] Jamaican Tanya Batson-Savage read her story Ruth about a God fearing woman who had to deal with rude questions from 'that girl' her daughter .. about whether she had an orgasm.

I muttered to the prize winning Guyanese writer sitting next to me that it is such a relief to hear about people who have orgasms and not about death and murder.

Felene Cayetano from Belize read a poem and a story linked to the poem. Garifuna words and a place called Dangriga.

Richard Georges from the BVI read a couple of poems, one about Prosper.. the slave who was murdered by Arthur Hodge. Arthur Hodge was the first West Indian slave owner who was hanged for the murder of a slave. Another poem, about Bush tea was interesting. I think for many Guyanese, BVI is a place to go and get work, and then to come back to Guyana  The poet's grandfather had lived in Guyana.

Joanne Hillhouse read from The Boy from Willow Bend - a bit about a funeral and no death.

Naijah Imojah smiled and said she sometimes speaks with Barbadian accent and she wondered whether we heard it. I tried to shout "say 'sit on de bench' "but the nice imposing colonial house venue  the better of me and fortunately it did not disrupt the nice Caribbean touchy feely-ness. She dedicated her work to those who have suffered from police brutality.


(Not sure whether this also means brutality of the immigration officers but I am  rude here rather than in the polite space where the readings were taking place)

Ruel Johnson talked politics.. it seems that Guyana is the 'ass end' of culture (I hear Mavado is coming for Valentine's and tickets are 3,000 , same price as one of Ruel's books.. )  and I heard from the back of the room that work is going on to bring Guyana back. I thought, ow lard, none of de odder readers bring dey country party politics here, why we had to be different. He read a short story by Akola Thompson - written in creolese, around the true story bout the "coolie woman who wandered into the black man village" where the citizens thought she was Ol Higue and beat her to death.
No one has been charged for the murder of Radika Singh who was killed in Bare Root.

During the reading, there were several twitters from the audience.. including at parts where the violence was written. Apparently, many people laugh out of nervousness at scenes of violence in theatre and so.

I muttered to the patient man sitting next to me that .. you see, all you Guyanese could write about is death and murder.

Next time there is one of these events there must be something .. some story about say.. two men making love in parliament buildings.. a black man and a coolie man maybe while debate going on about gay marriage..

Jane King from St Lucia read four poems.

Shivanee Ramlochan  who I only knew as a reviewer, read two of her poems around the Trinidadian mythical figure the Duenne - a child who dies before it is baptised and whose feet are turned backwards.   There is the line which struck me, though I am not a poems man .. but it sounded really ominous ""I will never make you walk again, if you will be mine."

A man sitting next to me asked if we had Duenne in Guyana , but I said no, but we had  Ol Higue.

I don't know though, like how people trying to make doubles now.. whether we will get duenne soon.

Kim Dismont Robinson read from a story about a brother and sister. My neighbour and I said.. the accent is very interesting and that is something that was commented on by another Guyanese. Bermuda is far away from Guyana. We know about the Bermuda Triangle and I know Bermuda is dealing with gay marriage.
So it was interesting to hear about loquats , and about the 'East Indian' owned shop. The reading though was about the very precious Bermuda oranges, apparently very sweet.

I came home to Google the Bermuda oranges to see what they looked like.



This event was hosted by CaribLit, the Caribbean Literature Action Group,NGC Bocas Lit Fest, "Trinidad and Tobago's festival of words, stories, and ideas", Commonwealth Writers, the British Council, CODE, and the Moray House Trust at the end of a workshop for fiction editors. The persons who attended the workshop are all published writers.

It was interesting to hear of the work of the readers too.. many of them are actively involved in different ways in the literary work of their countries. 

I can't imagine the CARICOM Heads of Government would have been this interesting.