a391: Subject: Caribbean Culture Conferencea391:

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LeGrace Benson <legrace@twcny.rr.com>

The University of the West Indies, Mona campus in Kingston, Jamaica was
the site (Jan. 9-12)
of an outstanding conference on Caribbean culture, heavily focussed on
literature. The
assembly was in honor of Kamau Brathwaite, who honored us with some
breathtaking readings of
his works, including one "in progress."  Vice-Chancellor of the
University, Rex Nettleford,
hoped that the next such conference would include many more poets,
scholars and musicians
from Haiti.  There were apparently only two Haitians there presenting.
However, there were
five panel presentations concerning various aspects of Haitian culture.

It was interesting to observe how the Haitian Revolution and specifically
the proto-hero
Boukman are in the process of becoming emblematic and heroic for other
Caribbeans. One can
hear it in the poetry of Jamaica and Barbadoes especially.

It would be good to see more Haitians at pan-Caribbean conferences.