By Neil Armstrong

Photo credit: Eddie Grant

The organizers of the celebration of the 105^th birthday of the late Jamaican icon Louise Bennett-Coverley, affectionately known as Miss Lou, are satisfied with the way people engaged with her work at the Harbourfront Centre recently.

Maurice Gordon and Marsha Laylor held a workshop titled “Is That You Miss Lou?” on September 7 — Bennett-Coverley’s birthday — inside the newly named Miss Lou Learning Centre providing attendees with a brief introduction to the poetry and performance style of Miss Lou who was Jamaica’s ambassador of culture. Seventeen years ago, “Miss Lou’s Room” opened at the centre.

Bennett-Coverley was born on September 7, 1919, in Kingston, Jamaica, and died on July 26, 2006, in Toronto, Canada, where she lived for almost 20 years.

“Participants read and listened to several poetry pieces by Miss Lou, namely “Candy Seller,” “Walk Bout,” and “Dutty Tough,” and participated in small and large group discussions where they interpreted and analysed these poems — pulling out words and phrases that puzzled, intrigued or resonated with them and discussing the effectiveness of Ms. Lou’s poetry as a reflection and commentary on daily life,” said Gordon and Laylor.

There was discussion around the linguistic complexity of her writing: her use of language — Standard English vs. Patois — literary devices such as metaphors, personification, idioms, allusions, onomatopoeia, among other things, rhythm and rhyme.

After further discussion about “the importance of rhythm and flow and of honouring our heart’s tongue, participants revised their poems; exchanging English words for Patois, Creole or even Canadian vernacular and then shared their poems with the group,” the organizers said. The aim of the workshop and a variety show, “CCelebrating Miss Lou: A Life of Poetry, Music and Love,” was to preserve, showcase and foster greater interest and appreciation in keeping and or reclaiming your culture, Gordon added.

He said they focused on the poetry, music, and the love that Miss Lou always showed for kids, all Jamaicans, and people in general.  

The team of players and singers included several born in Jamaica or of Jamaican Canadian heritage.

Led by Gordon, who was the host and guitarist, the Pimento Groove band comprises Michael Kennedy, bass; Rickie McIntosh, keyboards; Oniel Fuller, drums and percussion; Keturah Gray, flute and percussion; and Jeffrey Grannum on bass. Singer Mel Dube and poet and writer Mello Ayowere guest performers alongside the band and Laylor providing a wide array of songs from Miss Lou’s repertoire such as “Dis Long Time Gal,” “Linstead Market,” “Evening Time,” “Dry Weather House,” “Jamaican Language,” “Colonization in Reverse,” and many more. There were also games from Miss Lou’s children’s television show, “Ring Ding.”

Noting that the inscription, “En ma fin git mon commencement,” meaning “In my end is my beginning,” was over the fireplace at Enfield House in St. Andrew, Jamaica, Fabian Coverley said his parents, Eric Coverley and Louise Bennett-Coverley, bought the house situated on a hilltop overlooking Gordon Town in the 1950s shortly after returning from their marriage in Brooklyn, New York.

“The inscription still is living and applicable today 22 years and 18 years after they left us and 40 years after they left Jamaica. They were the ideal couple for the works they performed. Eric “Chalk Talk” Coverley, behind the scenes of many productions, and Louise Bennett-Coverley, also known as Louise, Simone, Miss Lou, Aunty Roachie, front of house.

“My mother’s works, still lives on, and is talked and lived daily by the local and international diaspora. Louise Simone Coverley is the renowned poet, actress, first social commenter, comedian, folklorist, singer, writer, and a beloved Jamaican, who tarried over 50 years, working the Jamaican language, referred to Patios. Without technology of today — computers and social media — she made significant, meaningful contributions to Jamaica’s theatre, music, literature, and culture. She impacted the population of all genres, local and international,” he said.

Thanking Gordon and his team for collaborating with the Harbourfront Centre to organize the celebration of Miss Lou’s 105^th birthday, Pamela Appelt — who alongside Fabian Coverley is the co-executor of the Estate of Louise Bennett-Coverley — said Miss Lou was a towering figure in Jamaican culture and was being celebrated in Jamaica, Canada and the USA on that day.

Sharing a brief history of how Miss Lou’s Room came to be, she said at the funeral service for Miss Lou in August 2006 in Toronto one of the ministers of the Ontario government announced that the government would honour her in a meaningful way.