Posts tagged Jamaica

The Grand opening of the Cool Runnings Restaurant, at the Jamaica Association of Montreal, was held on Saturday, May 28. It was a wonderful moment to welcome members of the Asociation, organizations, community associations, elected officials and members of the public to formally inaugurate this new restaurant. The event included blessing the restaurant and offering a toast to its success. Organizers also took the opportunity to thank the many individuals and chefs who graced the kitchen over the years. Jamaica Pride was one of the original restaurants that started with Rupert Edwards and Courtney Allen as early as 1997. They …

Cue strains of Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ with wisps of smoke carrying the smell of jerk seasoning and other delightful scents in the mid-summer sunshine and breeze on the island that is Parc Drapeau…. For the past four decades or so, Jamaica Day, the annual celebration of music, food, arts and crafts and everything Jamaica has been ‘nicing-up’ Montreal, as one of the biggest outdoor festivals in our community. However, the event has been in jeopardy because of some sour notes and out-of-timing ruminations as two competing groups of organizers claim ownership of The Day and the rights to host …

The release date has been set for January 12, 2024, the Marley family is fully invested in the project and world awaits the much anticipated biopic of a Caribbean icon and one of the biggest names in music on the global stage, Bob Marley. The stage is set. The still untitled movie will be a collaboration between Paramount Pictures and Tuff Gong with several of the legend’s children Cedella Marley, Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley and his wife Rita Marley acting as co-producers. So far some major decisions have been made with a Hollywood heavyweight Reinaldo Marcus Green, who directed …

It’s not unusual that Vernon Maytone has chosen to give his fans an extra servings of his musical delights by jam-packing his latest CD, Different Time with 18 tracks of a multi-genre compilation. You see, his passion has always been to make music and share it with music-lovers around the world. So after a five-year hiatus that includes almost three years in complete COVID-19 lock-down the Montreal based international reggae legend was more than ready to reconnect. This time around, Maytone says he wants it to be a physical coming together between him and his fans. That’s why that in …

During my childhood and post pubescence period I was no stranger to how often the term “light skinned” or “dark skinned” was used to identify, categorize or stereotype people based on skin tone. Almost on a daily basis I witnessed grown adults openly and repeatedly stating their skin preferences, along with the accompanying attributes or odium. The irony lay in the fact that the speakers and judges were also people of color. To the best of my recall, during my sojourn in Britain despite the subtle but really clever modification of British type racism, the issue of colorism was never …

Rosie Awori (LJI) “Finally, the universe is giving value to black skin,” this was part of an Instagram post from Leila Lopes a former Miss Angola who bagged the title of Miss Universe in 2011. Pageantry has come a long way since the crowing of beauties such as Janelle Commissiong and Wendy Fitzwilliam from Trinidad and Tobago, Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana paved the way for the likes of Jamaican Canadian Tishina Thompson to dream of getting the coveted crown of Miss Universe. Tishina who is Jamaican heritage was born in Montreal into a family of community activists. Her grandmother, the …

Hugh McDonald (Boo) Lashley Sunrise: March 7, 1948 – Sunset: March 26, 2022 It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of: Hugh McDonald (Boo) Lashley of Montreal, formerly of Curwen Avenue, Bayville, St. Michael, Barbados. He passed away peacefully on March 26, 2022 at the Jewish General Hospital. Hughie had a great smile and easy laugh. He was a charmer who made friends effortlessly. He could often be found reading (Westerns mostly – why, no one knows!?), heard yelling during heated games of dominoes, and dancing while singing along off-key to his favourite music. Son of the …

Rosie Awori (LJI) Across the community, women leaders come from an array of disciplines from academia to health to administration and are finding themselves at the helm of community organizations. And they are helping to chart a path forward for their respective associations and for the Black and Caribbean community. These intrepid female leaders are also finding ways to mix their personal and family lives together with their commitment to community to help lift lives. JOAN LEE – Committed to the cause When her daughter received a scholarship from WIBCA, Joan Lee’s curiosity peaked into the workings of thew association …

Muddy Waters had a song on his 1977 album “Hard Again” called “The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll”. It wasn’t just a statement but an actual historical accuracy and artistic archaeological fact. The basis of most modern western music is in fact the tradition of the blues from the Mississippi Delta in the United States. As Black people brought all sorts of remnants of African culture to the Diaspora during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, Africa-Americans brought the biggest treasure trove with them to the southern shores of America. With roots in several African music …

Rosie Awori (LJI) On Saturday, December 11, officers and members of the Jamaica Association of Montreal pulled out all the stops to ensure that their annual general meeting and election of officers was carried out. So even when the power went out minutes into the meeting the 27 members who were at the hall on Jean Talon avenue, along with 24 others who were on-line were able to continue and saw the process through. At the end of the night, the association had a newly elected board of directors and executives. Mark Henry, who was voted in as president in …