Mocko Jumbie, as it is called in the Caribbean, has been a part of the Virgin Islands culture for more than 200 years. The phrase "Mocko Jumbie" may have different meanings according to the different tribes that practices the art. "Mocko" could mean "Mock" or it could mean "Good God."
There's tendency among some reggae fans to tune out most of today's dancehall deejays, dismissing them as untalented shysters. While that's an essentially justifiable reaction, there are deejays - mostly of the conscious variety - who are worthy of our attention. One in particular is Prezident Brown. Tune out his new release - To Jah Only - and you'll deprive yourself of a relevant body of work that's likely to sway and have you listening for more of this style. To Jah Only is a neat package that adroitly intertwines the traditional with the contemporary. The title track, which leads the album, gently combines slow guitar picks with Nyabinghi drumming, amid Brown's assiduous delivery of some trusty Rasta melodies. The familiar Duppy Conqueror rhythm by Bob Marley is acquired on In This Life, and it's superimposed with a message that counsels mankind about his covetous ways. This theme is also continued with Pomps and Pride. One of the livelier tracks is Micro Chip, and Brown does a nice job keeping pace with a very demanding tempo. But the strongest is undoubtedly Faith - an instant classic that unveils Brown's versatility and true talent. His encyclopedic expressionism sets him apart from the ordinary, and he's truly one of our best links between the past and the present. [Dean Fraser]'s latest album - Retrospect - is a delightfully appetizing reminiscence of classic hits that are masterfully reproduced for everyone's listening pleasure. With 12 tracks, this album takes you back to mento, through ska, roots, and up to the present.
* Friday, June 10 - The Rhythms of the Caribbean Ball, 7 p.m. to midnight at The Plaza Hotel New York. Hosted by NBC anchor Jenna Wolfe. A "barefoot" black tie affair. Tickets start at $350 and a portion of the proceeds go to finance scholarships to Caribbean nationals pursuing careers in tourism. The Caribbean Travel & Cultural Fair will take place 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 8 at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal. Admission is free. It will feature Caribbean performers and entertainers, as well as a Caribbean wedding organized in collaboration with the Global Bridal Group.
"We're not a Jamaican station. We're not a Trinidadian station. We're not a Bajan [Barbadian] station. We're not an African-American station," [Carl Nelson] says of his station, which broadcasts from Davie, near Fort Lauderdale. "Our target audience is the entire Caribbean [community], and that includes second-generation Caribbean Americans and people [of other nationalities] who like Caribbean-American music." Nature of service "We don't see the radio as a juke box," he says. "We're here to serve the community and just because you put some music on the radio doesn't mean you're serving the community." "Everybody who's advertised with us has reported good results," he says. "That's because they're getting a mix of people. They [reach] people from all the different islands. They get African Americans. They get whites. For them [the advertisers]it's a plus."
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC - The Barbados-based Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has signed an agreement with the Institute of Critical Thinking at the University of the West Indies (UWI) that could result in a "paradigm shift from role learning and regurgitation to real thinking".
The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no visas going to nationals of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the period of the past five years, as in the case of Jamaica and Haiti.
"It is important because we are black first," said Joseph, a U.S. resident since 1970 and a registered Democrat, "then we are Caribbean or American." "As a black man walking down the street (in the U.S.), no one knows if he is Caribbean or not," [Irwint Claire] added. "Plus Caribbean people have played important roles in advancement of African Americans. "It is a very significant time for Caribbean Americans," he said. "Caribbean nationals should look at it as a good time to be in the U.S...One ([Barack Obama]) from the ranks is moving forth."
Today, Grace, Kennedy & Company is aggressively moving forward to meet new goals with a range of policies and programs designed to ensure its pr-eminent position in both the Caribbean and the world. These efforts include an ambitious brand "re-launch" complete with new logo, vibrant new label designs, and a new advertising campaign driven by a positioning statement reinforcing the company's pre-eminence: "Grace Foods, Genuine Caribbean Taste. Enjoyed Worldwide." While its first priority will always be towards serving the nutritional needs of its Caribbean home and "family," Grace, Kennedy & Company has now embarked on an aggressive new push into another world market, with plans to expand its sales to West Indian "expatriates" living abroad, as well as to the burgeoning number of people everywhere who desire the genuine taste of the Caribbean. Thus, the re-launch of the Grace brand, as a true "world brand" began in May of this year with this new positioning line as its corner stone. The advertising campaign, crated in conjunction with Michigan based consultants Stone & Simons Advertising, includes an overall theme, "The New Face of Grace," designed to address the brand's new logo and labeling, as well as the new "faces" around the world who are choosing Grace Foods for their "Genuine Caribbean Taste."
She said Jamaica is determined to become the model for economic revitalization of the hemisphere and for securing the country's well-being. During the ceremony, [Audrey Marks] was recognized by Martin O'Malley, governor of Maryland, with a citation honoring her as Jamaica's first female ambassador to Washington. The citation was presented by Jamaican-born Shirley Natham-Pulliam, the Maryland House of Assembly delegate.
Two Florida Democratic congressmen have been pushing the [George W. Bush] administration to permanently cease deportation of Haitians because of the hardship being experienced in the impoverished country. Kendrick Meek and Alcee L. Hastings, strong Haitian cates, have assailed the istration's policy on Haiti, ing that Haitians have, for long, been victimized by Washington's "double standard" immigration policies. Meek, who represents Miami, said Haiti "over-qualifies" for TPS, bestowed when the U.S. government determines eligible nationals are temporarily unable to safely return to their home country because of ongoing conflicts, environmental disasters or other "extraordinary and temporary conditions."
