Local News

Immortalizing Aunty Tek’s Name

St. George’s, August 18, 2011 (GIS) – Several new features are being added to this year’s Ministry of Culture Spice Word Festival. They’ll include the hosting of three workshops: one on publishing; another for writers of children’s work; and a third on creative writing.

“The creative writing workshop will focus on short stories and publishing in short steps,’’ said Daisy Hazzard, chairperson of the 2011 Spice Word Festival organizing committee.

At a recent meeting of the committee, Minister with responsibility for Culture, Senator Arley Gill, announced that the literary event is being renamed the “Aunty Tek Spice Word Festival.’’

“Aunty Tek’’ is renowned Grenadian and Caribbean folklorist, Thelma Phillip, who was honoured and presented with an award at the inaugural festival last year.

The renaming of the festival is to “immortalize’’ Ms Phillip’s name, Sen. Gill said.

The 2011 festival, from October 19 – 21, will pay tribute to educator Christine Clarkson for more than three decades of service to theatre and the dramatic arts.

Among the writers to be showcased, three have been designated as the “featured authors’’.

They are former Governor General, Sir Paul Scoon; England-based university lecturer Jacob Ross; and biographer Verna Wilkins, founder of Tamarind Books.

Ms Wilkins and Mr. Ross will also serve as facilitators for the festival workshops.

“We have parents, teachers and children who tell stories and write all the time. We want them to start thinking about putting them together and about publishing them in books, in newspapers, online and on blog sites,’’ Ms. Hazzard said in emphasizing the importance of the workshops.

Another new component of the festival will be spotlighting Caribbean and international authors now living and working in Grenada.

In the run up to the October event, organizers will be visiting the various parishes with the hope of identifying and discovering storytellers and other spoken word artistes.

In addition, the organizing committee will soon be holding a press launch for the festival, which will include a three-day book fair with live reading by adults and children.

The festival will culminate with what is being described as a “grand concert.’’ Among the confirmed concert performers is Trinidad Rapso artiste, Brother Resistance.

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