10 / 12
Miss Lou is Institute of Jamaica Fellow
Published August 12, 2003
By Damion Mitchell
T
HE INSTITUTE of Jamaica has
announced the establishment of the
’Louise Bennett/Eric Coverley Col-
lection’ as part of its initiative to preserve the
work of the two Jamaican luminaries.
Chairman of the Council of the Institute
of Jamaica, Professor Barry Chevannes, made
the disclosure at the induction ceremony for
the Hon. Louise Bennett-Coverley as Fellow
of the Institute of Jamaica at the Little The-
atre, yesterday evening.
Miss Lou, 83, and her husband of 48
years, the late Eric, who died last August at
91, have been recognised as ’key players’ in
the development of Jamaican theatre.
Professor Chevannes said in an interview
that ’the Institute has a number of memora-
bilia and artefacts from the two cultural icons
and on the occasion of the honorary fellow-
ship that is being awarded to Miss Lou, a
decision was taken to expand the collection.
’Hopefully, some of what Louise Bennett
has in Canada, as well as here in Jamaica,
will become part of the treasure.’
Among the items obtained for the collec-
tion are photographs, excerpts from theatre
performances and videos.
missed last year’s conferment
Professor Chevannes could not say when
the collection would be officially launched.
Miss Lou’s nomination as Fellow of the
Institute of Jamaica was announced on Janu-
ary 15 last year; however, she was unable to
attend the March 27, 2002 induction.
In presenting the statement of induction
yesterday, executive director of the Institute
of Jamaica, Vivian Crawford, announced that
Miss Lou has been selected by fellow induct-
ees as an ’honorary fellow’.
She joins Sir Roy Augier, George Lam-
ming, and Professors Gerald Lalor and Rex
Nettleford as fellows of the Institute who are
still alive. The others are Edna Manley, Philip
Sherlock and C.L.R James.
The Institute of Jamaica was established
in 1879 for the encouragement of literature,
science and art and elects persons who have
made significant achievements in any of these
areas as fellows of the organisation.
Published April 25, 1949
Louise Bennett
In Ramson Hall
Recital Friday
The JamaicaArts Society presents Louise
Benett in a recital at Ramson Hall, Duke
Street, on Friday April 29, 1949 at 8 p.m., as-
sisted by Dickie Dalhouse and Lester Wilson.
As is well known Louise Bennett is one
of our foremost exponents of folk-lore and an
adept of rhyming all the interesting features of
our everyday Jamaican life in Dialect.
Schools now encourage the dialect which
is a distinct and not-to-be-forgotten part of
our culture.
The Jamaican Arts Society in presenting
Louise Bennett is beginning on the mission
much needed in Jamaica and that is the pre-
sentation of persons in recitals of the spoken
word. Of course, Louise Bennett’s programme
is very comprehensive and up-to-the-minute.
She even promises to include any important
happenings that might take place within the
last few days before her recital.
She will appear in varying moods as will
be required by the items and costumes which
will be used in the presentation of certain
special items.
Admission will be by programmes which
are available at Montague’s Music Shop and
at the Jamaica Times Store, King Street.
Published April 3, 1967
Louise Bennett entertains
at Kiwanis luncheon
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Kings-
ton were entertained at their weekly luncheon
at Sheraton-Kingston Hotel on Tuesday, May
28, 1967 by Jamaica’s foremost folklore
artiste, Louise Bennett.
Miss Bennett who was the special guest
at the meeting, was joined by her audience
when she sang the Jamaican digging song
Lost Can’t find
, Then she recited four of her
popular poems
South Parade Pedlar
,
No
Little Twang
,
The Boy with the Oxford Ac-
cent
and
Ban’s a Killing
.
She, also gave a short talk on how she
became interested in the Jamaican dialect,
explaining that she believed it gave a true
expression of the people of the country. She
thought that most Jamaicans loved, “to tek a
bad sinting and mek laugh.”
The guest speaker afterwards presented
president; Mr. Ivor Brimble, with an auto-
graphed copy of her latest book
Jamaica
Labrish
.
The vote of thanks was moved by Mr.
Seymour Loftman, who also presented Miss
Bennett with, a Certificate of Appreciation.
Mr. Ronnie Nasralla introduced the guest.