National Fruit – The Ackee (Blighia sapida) “Carry me ackee go a Linstead Market, not a quattie wud sell” is a line in the popular Jamaican folk song ‘Linstead Market’. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica as well as a component of the national dish – ackee and codfish. Although the ackee is … Continue reading Jamaican History: Jamaica National Fruit – The Ackee
Tag: Trinidad & Tobago
Commonwealth Writers Announces 2014 Short Story Prize Shortlist
The writers shortlisted for the 2014 Commonwealth Short Story Prize are revealed today. The Prize provides a platform for writers from the 53 countries of the Commonwealth to inspire others by bringing compelling short stories to a wider audience.
Full list of shortlisted stories and authors:
Pacific
Janine Mikosza, Monkey Boy, Australia
Michael Hunt, Playing the Stringless Guitar, Australia
Daniel Anders, Hummingbird, Australia
Lucy Treloar, The Dog and the Sea, Australia
Julian Novitz, Tenure, New Zealand
David Herkt, Rhododendrons in Mist, New ZealandAfrica
Adelehin Ijasan, Ikanre, Nigeria
Michelle Sacks, All Them Savages, South Africa
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Let’s Tell This Story Properly, UgandaAsia
Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Grandmother, Singapore
Sara Adam Ang, A Day in the Death, SingaporeCanada and Europe
Idrissa Simmonds, On The Other Side, Canada
Jack Wang, The Night of Broken Glass, Canada
Tracy Fells, Household Gods, United Kingdom
Lucy Caldwell, Killing Time, United Kingdom
Luiza Sauma, Agnes Agnes Agnes, United KingdomCaribbean
Helen Klonaris, Cowboy, Bahamas
Maggie Harris, Sending for Chantal, Guyana
Charmaine Rousseau, Miss Annie Cooks Fish, Trinidad and Tobago

Prize promotes strongest new stories from across the Commonwealth
The writers shortlisted for the 2014 Commonwealth Short Story Prize are revealed today. The Prize provides a platform for writers from the 53 countries of the Commonwealth to inspire others by bringing compelling short stories to a wider audience.
Regional winners for the Commonwealth Short Story prize will be announced on 14 May for each of the five regions: Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The overall winner will be announced in Kampala, Uganda, on 13 June to coincide with a series of Commonwealth Writers initiatives in East Africa.
This year unpublished stories were entered by almost 4,000 writers from the five regions of the Commonwealth: Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific. For the first time entries from the Cayman Islands, Mozambique, Swaziland and Tonga were received for the Prize. The judges reflect…
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The Tobago Jazz Experience 2014
From April 19 to 27, 2014, Tobago will be celebrating the Tobago Jazz Experience at different venues, including Speyside, Signal Hill, Scarborough, Castara, and the Pigeon Point Heritage Park. Performers will include Tessanne Chin; Tarrus Riley; John Legend; Earth, Wind and Fire; Chryssee; Brandy; Keyshia Cole; and R’Kardo St’von. See links below for more information.

From April 19 to 27, 2014, Tobago will be celebrating the Tobago Jazz Experience at different venues, including Speyside, Signal Hill, Scarborough, Castara, and the Pigeon Point Heritage Park. Performers will include Tessanne Chin; Tarrus Riley; John Legend; Earth, Wind and Fire; Chryssee; Brandy; Keyshia Cole; and R’Kardo St’von. See links below for more information.
Description: The Tobago Jazz Experience (TJE) 2014 is a celebration of jazz, along with the indigenous music of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. Staying true to its promise of offering “much more than music” however, the Tobago Jazz Experience incorporates the cultural and historical practices that define the island of Tobago as an ideal destination.
Visitors can indulge in the gastronomic experience that is the authentic dirt oven bread indigenous to the village of Castara; take a walk off the beaten path into the Main Ridge Reserve; immerse themselves in cultural treats such as…
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Jamaican Writers: Two Jamaican writers Finalists for the 2014 Hollick Arvon Caribbean Writers Prize
Four emerging writers from Trinidad and Tobago are among eight finalists for the much-coveted 2014 Hollick Arvon Caribbean Writers Prize, now in its second year. The formal announcement of these finalists will be made today at the media launch of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest at Nalis, Abercromby Street, Port of Spain. The Prize, administered … Continue reading Jamaican Writers: Two Jamaican writers Finalists for the 2014 Hollick Arvon Caribbean Writers Prize
Machel Montano Keynote Speaker at 40th Florida Caribbean Students Association Leadership Conference
International recording artist and Caribbean music ambassador, Machel Montano, will serve as the Keynote Speaker for the upcoming 40th Annual Florida Caribbean Students Association Leadership Conference on Saturday, to take place April 4-6, 2014, at Miami Dade College, North Campus. In collaboration with Miami Dade College Tropical Beat CSA, the Florida Caribbean Students Association (FCSA), … Continue reading Machel Montano Keynote Speaker at 40th Florida Caribbean Students Association Leadership Conference
Three Jamaican Novels Up For Burt Award
Diane Browne’s Island Princess in Brooklyn (Jamaica, Carlong Publishers Caribbean), A-dZiko Simba Gegele’s All Over Again (Jamaica, Blouse & Skirt Books) and Colleen Smith Dennis’ Inner City Girl (Jamaica, LMH Publishing) have been named as nominees for the award. An initiative of the Bocas Literary Festival, held in Trinidad, the Burt Award’s aim is to stimulate growth in the region’s novel writing sphere, especially in the area of young adult novels.

The Gleaner celebrates the fact that three of the six books shortlisted for the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature are written by Jamaicans. The article stresses that “Jamaica continues to blaze a trail in the region’s literary field.” See excerpts with a link to the full article below [also see previous post Finalists for Inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature]:
Diane Browne’s Island Princess in Brooklyn (Jamaica, Carlong Publishers Caribbean), A-dZiko Simba Gegele’s All Over Again (Jamaica, Blouse & Skirt Books) and Colleen Smith Dennis’ Inner CityGirl (Jamaica, LMH Publishing) have been named as nominees for the award. An initiative of the Bocas Literary Festival, held in Trinidad, the Burt Award’s aim is to stimulate growth in the region’s novel writing sphere, especially in the area of young adult novels.
When The Gleaner contacted Gegele, she expressed her gratitude at being considered for the award. While stating that…
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Jamaican Music: Who is Tessanne Chin, Season 5 Top 3 finalist on NBC The Voice
By: Denise N. Fyffe. Copyright © 2013, Denise N. Fyffe This Fall 2013, Tessanne Chin from Jamaica made a big impression on United States/Americans and music lovers worldwide. Tessanne signed up to be a contestant on Season 5 of NBC The Voice. Jamaicans have loved and known of Tessanne's talent and prowess for many years … Continue reading Jamaican Music: Who is Tessanne Chin, Season 5 Top 3 finalist on NBC The Voice
Jamaica and The London 2012 Olympics: Jamaica 4×100 breaks World Record, Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Micheal Frater, Nesta Carter
The Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt, anchored Jamaica to victory in the 4x100 relay Saturday night in a world-record 36.84 seconds at Olympic Stadium to capture his third gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He's unbeaten as an Olympian, winning the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at back-to-back Games. "It's always a beautiful thing to end off like … Continue reading Jamaica and The London 2012 Olympics: Jamaica 4×100 breaks World Record, Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Micheal Frater, Nesta Carter
Jamaica and The London 2012 Olympics: Jamaica’s Medal Count as at August 11, 2012
Jamaica Sport Gold Silver Bronze Total 4 4 4 12 Athletics 4 4 4 12 - Men's 100m JAM BOLT Usain JAM BLAKE Yohan USA GATLIN Justin Men's 200m JAM BOLT Usain JAM BLAKE Yohan JAM WEIR Warren Men's 110m Hurdles USA MERRITT Aries USA RICHARDSON Jason JAM PARCHMENT Hansle Men's 4 x 100m Relay … Continue reading Jamaica and The London 2012 Olympics: Jamaica’s Medal Count as at August 11, 2012
London 2012 Olympics: Athletics Medal Count as at August 11, 2012
Athletics - Medal count Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 United States of America 9 13 7 29 2 Russian Federation 8 4 6 18 3 Jamaica 4 4 4 12 4 Great Britain 4 1 1 6 5 Ethiopia 3 1 3 7 6 Kenya 2 3 4 9 7 Germany 1 4 … Continue reading London 2012 Olympics: Athletics Medal Count as at August 11, 2012