The University of the West Indies
at Mona, Jamaica
The University of the West Indies
at Mona, Jamaica
This multidisciplinary conference honours the legacy of Miss Lou, iconic Caribbean writer and performer, through plenary sessions, academic panels, round-table discussions and performances.
The title of the conference, “Noh Lickle Twang” (taken from her poem of that name), resonates on multiple levels. First, there is the matter of how intonation affects its meaning. Is it an ironic commentary on the notion of “progress” or rather a statement of defiance, of confidence in cultural sovereignty and multiplicity? It demonstrates Miss Lou's typically humourous critique of the socio-political ramifications of language use in a (post)colonial context. She celebrates the forked tongue and com(ed)ic spirit in which Caribbean discourse critiques imperial accents, coloniality, and other hegemonies. Foregrounding migration and the complex relationship of Caribbean culture to “foreign”, Miss Lou's work anticipates the discourse of diaspora, even as it raises questions about performance, identity and cultural politics within the region. Ultimately, this refusal of “lickleness” evokes the largeness of Miss Lou's vision, repertoire and continuing influence.
We a go keep up one boonoonoonoos celebration fi Miss Lou, fi honor her fi di special work she do as a storyteller, a actress an a writer. We a go have nuff session weh people who study all kind a different-different subject a go talk bout di big-big legacy weh Miss Lou lef fi we. An we a go have concert weh we show di kinda culture weh Miss Lou did a defend.
Den yu see fi her poem, "Noh Lickle Twang," a it a di banner fi di whole-a celebration. A nuff tings she coulda mean when she draw dat deh card, yu know. If you say it one way, yu can see seh she really see wid di poor uman who bex cause her pikni come back from farin “not a piece betta dan how [im] did go weh”. But same time she mek we laugh after di uman. Wa mek di pikni ha fi change up di way im talk, fi suit other people? No fool-fool someting dat! After all! … A so Miss Lou she do all de while, you know, tek serious ting mek joke.
Den when yu really tink bout it, yu see seh all a dem big word weh dem university
people like fi use; and all di high subject dem love fi chat bout all like "hegemonies"
and "coloniality" and "socio-political ramifications"; di whole a dat boil down to di
said same ting dem weh Miss Lou she use to write bout: colonization in reverse an
such di likes. Long time Miss Lou a tell we seh fi we Jamaica language no lickle. She seh we fe proud a who we is and weh we a come from. Big tings! An a so we a go big her up fi it.
We invite submissions for papers and panels which may focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Panel Proposals (400 words) and Paper Abstracts (approximately 200 words), along with a brief C.V. of the presenter(s), should be submitted to the following address no later than November 30, 2007:
Email: liteng@uwimona.edu.jm or mary.gray@uwimona.edu.jm or carolpinnock@gmail.com
Phone: (876) 927-2217
Fax: (876) 970-4232
The University of the West Indies
Mona, Jamaica
Tel: (876) | Fax: (876)
