Talking Trees Literary Fiesta rewind

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Christine

Read our newsletter on the first two Talking Trees Literary Fiestas held on the grounds of Two Seasons Guest House. Stay tuned for news of Two Seasons Talking Trees Literary Fiesta 2013.

Talking Trees Magazine

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Discover Two Seasons Guest House, Treasure Beach, Jamaica

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Christine

Discover Two Seasons Guest House. Watch this short video, then come and rejuvenate your spirit at Two Seasons Guest House, on Jamaica’s South coast, where the welcome is warm and the runnings cool. Ideal for individuals, couples or small group reunions.

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Hear about Two Seasons Guest House here

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Christine

Two Seasons audio

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Treasure Beach Culturefest 2012

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Christine



The community of Treasure Beach will kick off its celebrations of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence with the Inaugural staging of Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 over the weekend of Friday February 24 to Sunday February 26. Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 will offer cultural, sporting, music, literary and visual art events at various locations and forms part of the community’s official JAMAICA 50 and Black History Month celebrations.  

Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 is expected to attract local and international visitors to the area and will serve to expose our visitors to Jamaica’s traditional cultural art forms, while enhancing economic activities in the community.   Accommodation providers, food and craft vendors and other business interests are expected to benefit from the influx of visitors to the area.

Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012’s weekend of activities will kick off on Friday evening, February 24 with Culture Night at Taino Cove, under the theme “A Treasure Hunt of Fashion and Tales”.  

Saturday February 25 – day 2 of Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 – Two Seasons Guest House (www.2seasonsguesthouse.com) will be the place to be for lovers of the written and spoken word, for the second staging of Two Seasons Talking Trees Literary Fiesta (www.2seasonsguesthouse.com/blog). Support for Talking Trees is provided by Jamcopy and the Tourism Enhancement Fund. Bus from Kingston provided by Jamaica Cultural Enterprises.

Saturday evening’s action for Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 moves to the newly reopened South Jammins, where Chanteuse Sharon Martini accompanied by Edison Valencia, Classical Pianist and Assistant Professor of Music at NCU, will once again present An Evening of Song, an eclectic evening of melodic meanderings.

The late night action moves to Jack Sprat restaurant on the beach when patrons will be entertained by popular Negril Reggae artiste Dolly Man and the incomparable Uprising disco.

Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 will also offer an added component for sports fans, with the staging of the EduSport Sports Festival at the Treasure Beach Sports Park on Saturday and Sunday. This sporting cavalcade that kicks off on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. will see Students from Sandy Bank, Pedro Plains, Geneva, Newcombe valley, Munro Prep, Mayfield and Epping Forest who are participants in EduSport, a new primary school initiative that gets children ‘Playing for Success’, displaying their football skills.

Sunday’s sporting event will be the official opening of the newly constructed multi-purpose Court which was sponsored by Scotia Bank.  The court will be opened by Marva Bernard, President of the Jamaica Netball Association.  Special guests will be members of the Boards of Scotia Bank and Breds.  This will be followed by 2 friendly cricket matches between Treasure Beach Masters vs Powell Masters and Treasure Beach Cricket Club vs Uprising Cricket Club.

A shuttle service from strategic locations in the community to all events will be provided by Treasure Tours and further information can be had at the official website, www.treasurebeach.net/culturefest2012.

Treasure Beach CULTUREFEST 2012 is sponsored by treasurebeach.net, Taino Cove Resort, 2 Seasons Guest House, Lady Bird Designs, Jakes Resort, Jack Sprat Restaurant, Breds Sports Park and Treasure Tours.

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Two Seasons Talking Trees 2012 reader – Mark Thomas

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Christine

Mark Thomas is a trained broadcast journalist, who has had a formative career in television at the former Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

He currently works as head of corporate communications and publications at JAMPRO, the Government of Jamaica’s trade and investment agency. He also serves as Chairman of JAMCOPY, the Jamaican Copyright Licencing Agency.

Thomas is also involved in Global Leadership Interlink (GLI), a global network of thousands of professionals and university students committed to transformation in society through the development of values-based leadership.

He regards the art and skill of writing and storytelling as central to the competencies and effectiveness of a corporate communicator. He has written, edited and published a myriad of corporate publications over the years, and sees a distinct niche in writing biographies and historical works.

At Two Seasons Talking Trees Literary Fiesta 2012, Thomas will read from his unpublished manuscript, Football Revolutionary: Biographical Accounts of the History of Jamaican Football through the life and times of Winston Chung Fah.

GENRE: Non fiction, corporate publications

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Talking Trees 2012 panelist – Jean Forbes

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Christine

Jean Forbes is a Jamaican writer of short stories and also stories for children. Her work has been published in the literary sections of the Jamaica Observer and the Daily Gleaner as well as many publications dedicated to children. She holds a diploma in writing for children and teen-agers from the Institute of Children’s literature.

Forbes’ stories have won awards in the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s literary competitions.

She has also adapted her insights in writing for children for a wide range of educational and literacy projects. She served Chief Judge in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture’s PESP competition (2005); and also as a judge in the Jamaica Library Service Reading Competition.

She was a writer of replacement Units (Grades 1 to 3) for the Media Services Unit at the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture; was a presenter and resource person for CARICOM/OAS workshop for new writers that was held in Kingston in 2000; and is a member of the Jamaica Committee for Children’s Literature (A Sub Committee of the Book Development Council). Forbes is also a member of the Jamaica Historical Society and the Social History Project UWI.

GENRE: children and teen-agers

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Little Lennie’s Leisure (Time Books)

The Little Christmas Tree story and colouring book

Short Stories in Collections

Martha Brae Tek mi, no tek me – an anthology of Caribbean Folktales (Carlong)

Why the Rainbird Calls the Rain New Caribbean Junior Reader 1 revision (Ginn)

Imagination – Literacy 1-2-3 (Ministry of Education)

Toad; Midnight; A right to be me; Why the Rainbird Calls the Rain; Night BloomingCereus; Storyland – audio  (Ministry of Education)

 

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Talking Trees 2012 – Children’s programme co-ordinator

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Christine

Born in Kingston Jamaica with roots in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, Ingrid Blackwood is a forester and environmentalist who received her education at the College of Agriculture and University of New Brunswick.

She offers consultancy services on environmental and customer service issues but especially enjoys working with children and civic groups.  In 2011, with the support of volunteers from the Treasure Beach community, Ingrid successfully coordinated the children’s programme in the first staging of Two Seasons Talking Trees Literary Fiesta.

Blackwood is a self professed “lover of nature and a tree hugger at heart” who participates in hiking, swimming, music, 5k benefit runs, poetry and journaling.  She is also a fan of athletics.

 

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Two Seasons Talking Trees 2012 – Recorded talk playlist

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Christine

Total Playing Time 105 mins

Format Length Album and Track Artiste
  2:04 Ole! Bullfight Music From Spain Track 20 Espana Cani P. Maarquina – Ramon Cortez Pasodoble Orchestra
Spoken 2:26  Free and LaughingTrack 7 The Poinciana Tree   Marguerite Orane

www.freeandlaughing.com

 
  2:34 Ole! Bullfight Music From Spain Track 4 Paso Al Fandanguillo A. Urmenta – Ramon Cortez Pasodoble Orchestra
  3:30 Sing De Bible, Track 1 Everything Has Its Time CANTANDOSound of Joyhttp://www.soundofjoyonline.com/
Spoken 1:32 In Blessed MemoryTSTT 2011 Nova Gordon Bell
  3:05 Blow Mr HornsmanTrack 10 Ghost Capturer The Joe Gibbs All Stars
Spoken 5:08 Kiss Mi GrannyTrack 3, Kiss Mi Granny Amina Blackwood MeeksNtukuma_ja@yahoo.com
  3:43 Borrasca Track 1, Isla del Sol Ottmar Leibert and Luna Negra
Spoken 0:56 I’m In a Dancing MoodTSTT 2011 Tomlin Ellis
  4:38 Borrasca, Track 4,Dancing Under The Moon Ottmar Leibert and Luna Negra
Spoken 3:46 Excerpt:Live Broadcast of the service for Professor, the Honourable Rex Nettleford, broadcast on Hotline on RJR 94 FMFebruary 16, 2010 National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, Dance Captain Marlon Simms – February 16, 2010

 

Format Length Album and Track Artiste
  2:52 The Story of Jamaican Music Disc 2, Track 8 The Liquidator Harry J All Stars
Spoken 2:53 “Dilemma of Queenie’s Cousin”From the novel: Till I’m Laid to RestTSTT 2011 Garfield Ellis
  3:50 Java, Track 8 Ska Roll Arturo Tappin
Spoken 0:49 Snow in KingstonTSTT 2011 Nova Gordon Bell
  3:50 Java Track 9Kingston Rock Arturo Tappin
Spoken 2:12 “Mother and Daughter go shopping”From the novel: Barrel ChildTSTT 2011 Pamela K Marshallhttp://www.pamelakmarshall.com/books.html
  4:33 Badly Bent Track 7 How Insensitive Rupert Bent Snr
Spoken 2:16 To Bob MarleyTSTT 2011 Tomlin Ellis
  4:36 Untold StoriesTrack 5, Untold Stories Buju Banton
  4:33 Badly Bent Track 14 How Insensitive Rupert Bent Snr
Spoken 1:55 “Hilda’s Song”TSTT 2011 Veronica Blake Carnegie
  5:56 Badly Bent Track 4I Shot the Sherrif Rupert Bent Snr
Spoken 2:19 Working GirlTSTT 2011 Nova Gordon Bell
  12:35 Java Track 12 Vibes Surprise Arturo Tappin
Spoken 5:23 The Best ofPaul Keens-Douglas Vol 1Track 2 String Bank Paul Keens-Douglas
  20 seconds Untold Stories Track 1 Till Shilo Buju Banton
Spoken 1:01 Oh Dem Bones or EzekielTSTT 2011 Nova Gordon Bell
  3:04 Blow Mr Hornsman, Instrumental Reggae 1968-1975, Track 14, Harvest in the East Tommy Mc Cook
Spoken 1:50 Angles of Reflection Track 47 At The Mission House Lilieth Nelson
  3:52 Java Track 2 Java Arturo Tappin
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Talking Trees 2012 reader – A. Igoni Barrett

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Christine

Adapted from Daylight Media

A. Igoni Barrett is a Nigerian writer with Jamaican roots. He was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 1979 to a Nigerian mother and Jamaican father -  poet, essayist and novelist,  Lindsay Barrett. Igoni attended the University of Ibadan to study agriculture, but left in his final year to pursue a writing career.

In 2005, he won the BBC World Service short story competition.  In 2006, he was the Story Hall Spotlight Artist for the month of May for Rain Tiger.  Also in 2006, his collection, From Caves of Rotten Teeth, was selected as a ‘book of the year’ by the Scottish newspaper The Sunday Herald.  The January 2, 2006 BBC World Service broadcast of ‘The Phoenix’, one of the stories in the collection, was a  Radio ‘Pick of the Day’ in The Guardian.  In 2009, it was chosen as a ‘book of the festival’ at the Garden City Literary Festival.

Other short fiction by Igoni has been published in many print and online magazines, including AGNI, Guernica, Eclectica Internazionale, Kwani? and Stickman Review. His work also has appeared in the anthologies Incommunicado: Tales from across the Empire (2006) and The New Gong Book of New Nigerian Short Stories (2008).

In 2007, he joined Farafina magazine, where he was managing editor until his exit in 2009.  In May 2009, he initiated and managed “9 Writers, 4 Cities: The Book Tour”, which was a 6-week reading tour by several prominent Nigerian writers, including his father. In September 2009, Igoni was a guest writer at the Garden City Literary Festival. He was the founding organiser of the BookJam reading series in Lagos, Nigeria, which featured the writers Michela Wrong, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Binyavanga Wainaina, Helon Habila and Tsitsi Dangarembga, among others.  

In September 2010, he was awarded a 3-month Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship to Mombasa, Kenya.  In October 2010, he was a guest writer at the Storymoja Hay Festival Kenya, alongside Michela Wrong, Doreen Baingana, Petina Gappah and Benjamin Zephaniah.  Igoni Barrett has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, in 2009 and 2010. 

In July 2011, he travelled to Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA for a one-month Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and in September participated in a one-month residency at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Italy.

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Two Seasons Talking Trees Literary Fiesta 2012 – Programme

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Christine

MC: Gwyneth Harold-Davidson

9:00 Recorded talk – a mix of the spoken word and music

10:00 Fiesta Entrée – Monique Morrison, Melanie Schwapp, Easton Lee,

10:45 JAMCOPY speaks

11:00 Panel discussion – Writing for children. Panelists: Diane Browne,  Jean Forbes, Kellie Magnus, Sharon Martini. Moderator: Suzanne Francis-Brown

11:45 Best of St. Bess – Shane Drummers, Fern Luecke, Christine Craig

12:20 Open mic — hosted by Suzanne Francis-Brown. Sign up if your writing can deliver a thrill in three minutes or less!

1:00 Sneak peek – Reading of Aston Cooke’s Jonkanoo Jamboree, a play written especially for Jamaica’s 50th Independence celebration.

1:30 Our talk – Roland Watson-Grant, Kalialah Enriquez, Mark Thomas

2:15 Children speak – presentation from the children’s programme

2:30 African branch – A. Igoni Barrett

3:00 Shooting the breeze – fabian thomas, Michael Abrahams

3:40 Talking drums – Shane Drummers

3:45 Roots and branches – Malachi Smith ,

4:15 Fiesta farewell

Children’s programme: 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m.


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