New book by distinguished Barbadian poet/scholar published in St. Martin
PHILIPSBURG:--- Liviticus by Kamau Brathwaite was the first book launched by the Symposium of CARIFESTA XIII, at the Walcott Warner Theatre, UWI, Barbados, on August 19, according to organizers.
Liviticus is one of four new titles by noted authors such as Edwidge Danticat and Mervyn Morris launched last weekend and this week by the prestigious Symposium for the region’s unique festival of arts and culture,” said Jacqueline Sample of House of Nehesi (HNP) — Brathwaite’s St. Martin publisher.
“The introduction of Liviticus at the launch by guest speaker Dr. Viola Davis included her reading from Mr. Kamau’s seer-like poetry,” said Sample.
In the address by Dr. ChenziRa Kahina the pan-Caribbean and pan-African aspects of the Liviticus celebration were pointed out. She also commended CARIFESTA for honoring Brathwaite as one of “our great ones while they’re still amongst us.” Dr. Kahina, who spoke on behalf of HNP at the launch, is the director of the Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center at UVI, said Sample.
Brathwaite, at age 87, was kept in the loop about the launch program by the Symposium and HNP. However, wrote the Nation News this week, “It was a bittersweet moment for his wife of 19 years, Beverley, who was happy with the recognition being accorded her husband but was sad that Brathwaite could not be there due to his health.”
The Sunday edition of Barbados Today called Liviticus a “masterpiece.”
“I’m also happy that Clara Reyes was the guest artist who recited poems from the new book,” said Sample. “The audience members appeared happy too as they collected all of the Liviticus copies from the University Bookshop.” Reyes is a director of the National Institute of the Arts in St. Martin and attended CARIFESTA as an observer.
Liviticus is available at UWI Bookshop, Barbados; Van Dorp, St. Martin; A Different Booklist, Toronto; and SPDbooks.org https://goo.gl/XsmxjP.
CARIFESTA ends on August 27, 2017.
Liviticus, “masterpiece” by Kamau Brathwaite opens CARIFESTA Symposium book launch series.
