BVI Book Highlight: "The Virgin Islands Dictionary" by Kareem-Nelson Hull

 

"Face Mek Up," "Goonk," "Lass Lap," "Shame Box," and "Yabba" are words that Virgin Islanders know very well. Our native tongue is English; however, we have our unique British Virgin Islands dialect. In our islands, we may have word and phrase variations for certain things, and our accents may be a little different. However, when we communicate, we understand each other.

Virgin Islands author and public relations professional Kareem-Nelson Hull compiled a dictionary of Virgin Islands words and phrases in "The Virgin Islands Dictionary: A Collection of Words and Phrases So You Could Say It Like We." Mr. Hull, who also co-wrote the Territorial Song, "O Beautiful Virgin Islands," with his sister, Ayana Hull, also an author, is someone who promotes Virgin Islands history and culture. He also runs the VIlingual page on Facebook where he shares Virgin Islands history.

Any Virgin Islander who peruses the dictionary will be smiling and nostalgic because Kareem has captured our culture through language. Each word has its Virgin Islands spelling, pronunciation, and sample sentence. The authors also shares some rules that Virgin Islanders are very familiar with. The one that made me smile is "We didn't sleep together." If a Virgin Islander tells you that, it means that you have not greeted them. Always remember to say, "Good Morning (Mawnin)," "Good Afternoon (Afternoon)," and "Good Night (Evening)."

The definition that I would like to share is 'Crab Foot and Hangers,' which the author lists as a noun/adjective. I remember hearing and using this phrase as a child.

Crab Foot and Hangers

Definition: particularly unattractive penmanship (like that of a doctor) while either taking notes or writing to someone

My Sample Sentence: The teacher told me to rewrite the essay because she couldn't understand my crab foot and hangers.

I also encourage visitors to the islands to get a copy of this dictionary. You will become familiar with aspects of our traditions, as well as our language.

Kareem shared that he became inspired by various sources to create this dictionary - during his educational journey and after residing on another Caribbean island. He advises other writers to write about what they know, what interests them, and what exhilarates them. Kareem is hoping to publish a Virgin Islands Book of Proverbs soon. 

As you thumb through the dictionary, you will realize that this project would have taken time, patience, and immense research to complete. Kareem-Nelson Hull, I salute you and offer my congratulations on this excellent work.

Linette Rabsatt

Poem: Guardian of My Galaxy by Linette Rabsatt

Original poem, "Guardian of My Galaxy" written by Linette Rabsatt paying homage to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. 

BVI Book Highlight: "The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit" by Delores Jones

 

Do you know the 'Fruits of the Spirit' listed in the Bible? Mrs. Delores Jones expounds on these fruits in her recently published children's book, "The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit." In Galatians 5:22-23, we read "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Mrs. Jones used the main character, Silver Spoon, to depict how the nine 'fruits' apply to daily life. She shared that her inspiration came as she envisioned spoons being alive. 

Mrs. Jones not only wrote but also illustrated the book. Her main character, Silver Spoon, is a silver spoon who faces situations that we encounter daily. In the book, we meet his family, Daddy and Mommy Spoon, Grandpa, Grandma, and sister, Katy. His friends include Woody, Bronze, Plastic Spoon, and Chrome Spoon.

Each chapter highlights one of the 'Fruits of the Spirit.' In the chapter on Kindness, the author refers to Ephesians 4:32, "and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you." Silver Spoon visited a neighbor with his father and gave her flowers to brighten her day.

In the chapter on Patience, the author highlights Pslams 40:1, "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." Silver Spoon sees his friend run across the road before a driver stopped to allow crossing. While Silver Spoon wanted to run across the street, he remembered what he learned about patience in Sunday School. Instead, he waited to cross. This chapter not only highlights a 'fruit of the spirit' but also encourages road safety.

"The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit" is ideal for young readers. The author shares biblical teaching with relatable scenarios and colorful illustrations. Children will enjoy the characters and their stories while learning more about being responsible, respectful, and strong.

Happy 2021! First Blog Post

What can I say about 2020? I have had my share of triumphs and dilemmas in this historical end of the second decade of the 2000s. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the American election, the world remained glued to all forms of media. President Donald Trump overwhelmingly lost the United States Presidential Election and, of course, refused to concede. COVID-19 cases have overtaken the world, and economies are stressed, our children learn online, and many people are out of work. The year 2020 has closed, and President Trump is still in denial, and COVID-19 remains a topic of focus. With COVID-19 vaccines already being administered, people are debating whether they would take them.

I wrote and posted the above image on December 31, 2020, because despite the pandemic and the global stresses, we continued to waste time, bullied others, and shared things that we should have been ashamed of with the world. We also didn't take the opportunity to engage our imagination and just copied everyone else. We continued to be overly critical and hurtful to others. I will not expound on the various instances that fuelled that post. However, I have tried to stay off that behavior, but I know I have to work on myself. I've been short-tempered, impatient, grumpy, and inflexible.

I don't subscribe to resolutions when a year turns; instead, I aim to improve myself daily. I will still be agitated and impatient because that's me. I can continue to work around issues and speak up when I am frustrated. I can suggest solutions to situations and be willing to throw a hand in solving the problem. 

I want to continue entrepreneurial pursuits, increase the yield in my garden, add more content to my blog, and improve my wellbeing. I want to be me. I want to continue dancing, singing, and enjoying nature. 

I think there's a lot that we need to change and appreciate as a people; however, I don't think we are ready for it. I've written about the culture and traditions because these topics have been on my mind. We need to re-examine what we see as tradition and accept that culture evolves. We have lost ourselves trying to hold on to traditions and have forgotten about the youth and their sub-culture.

I wish everyone the best for 2021. Don't expect that this year will be perfect - especially if we are not doing what we are supposed to do concerning COVID-19 protocols and being our brothers' keepers'.

Hot Songs To Keep On Your Playlist - Part 2

When you release Part 1 of something, a Part 2 has to follow. When I published my August 3, 2020 blog post, "Seven Hot Songs Released in 2020 to Keep on Your Playlist - Part 1," I felt that a wealth of musical creativity was blooming. To close out 2020, I have compiled a list of songs of various genres and styles that bring different messages and encourage us to love, laugh, live, stand up, and take action. Music influences, entertains, riles up, calms down, and touches our soul. 

I am familiar with most of the artists, but I am a fan of the oldies. However, I try to stay updated on new trends in music. I first heard Kendake, Kevykevnow, and Banco Bizmol in the BVI's Department of Youth Affairs and Sports' Rap Battle. My children introduced me to BuGgz Blasé, V.I. General and Shawndehrapper who won the Stop the Violence Rap Competition. 

I am an avid soca lover, so I always check to see what Patrice Roberts, Machel Montano, and the other top artists release. Of course, I will never publish a list without reggae music, and I had to include Niyorah from the United States Virgin Islands and Tarrus Riley from Jamaica. While the BVI did not host a traditional festival celebration in 2020, I wanted to highlight songs from a few local bands.

BVI 2020 Festival Songs Recap

While we did not have a traditional festival, several bands created songs that would have brought hyped contention for the 2020 Road March title. VIBE brought us "Show Me What You Got," All Bout Music Entertainment "ABM" came with "Tha Style," and Our Music Group "OMG" sang "TSA Precheck." All the songs brought what revelers and troupes would have wanted, and the local radio stations have kept these tracks in rotation. 

2020 Hits to Keep on Replay
"Lighters Up" by Kendake
I find Kendake to be a powerful lyricist who knows how to flow her words. After seeing her perform in the Rap Battle, I wanted to hear more from her, and I would always comment these words when her name came up. She was the only female in the competition and made it to the final round. In "Lighters Up," she chants, "Really doesn't matter as long as you run your race, and put yourself in the place to receive everything great." I truly hope to continue to hear more great music from her.

"Beautiful Soul" by Niyorah
Niyorah is one of my favorite USVI Reggae artists. His music always has a positive message and never disappoints. When I first heard "Beautiful Soul," I had to listen to it twice because it was so mellow and uplifting. You can easily relax and unwind and listen to him singing, "You are a beautiful soul, just take one step at a time, in everything, God is control, just take one step at a time."

"Hakuna Matata" by Banco Bizmol
Banco Bizmol, also known as Pep Dawg, was the winner of the 2020 DYAS Rap Battle. Hype, intense, creative, and energetic are just a few words I will use to describe his performance style. He is super-confident and handles his words well. "I screaming Hakuna Matata cause I got no worries, I stacking my pesos to put my mama in a casa, when I need to work, I call up the plug...I had the rags then I get riches and now a n**** living proper, my pockets only get fatter, I get dirty for mine, ain't no 9 to 5, I been on the grind, I stacking money like I building a pile..." are a snippet of the lyrics.

"Pray For Me" by Wildlife featuring Priceless
"I know they pray for me, out in these streets trying to stack up these commas, I know they pray for me..." are the opening lines of this song by Wildlife featuring Priceless. Priceless adds, "I know my momma pray for me every night, I hear her talking to God, I know the streets can get dangerous, that's why I pray for my dogs." This duo reflects their acknowledgement for the Most High in this inspirational track.

"If Jah" by NJAR
NJAR is no stranger to the Virgin Islands music scene. "If Jah" is an inspirational track which incorporates the hook, "If Jah is standing by my side, then why should I be afraid" from Tony Rebel's "If Jah/Jah is by My Side. NJAR chants, "This is not an easy road, sometimes we feel like giving up, who feels it knows...is when you dig deep, you gonna find some things...."

"Laugh Now, Cry Later" by Drake and Lil Durk
Drake has been a mover in the Hip Hop genre and this track shows his continued versatility and longevity. Drake raps, "When he tell the story, that's not how it went, Know they be lyin', a hundred percent, Moved out the Ritz and forgot 'bout the Bent', Valet just called me to tell me come get it." Lil Durk, known for "Locked Up" and who recently released the "The Voice," adds "Bring Drake to the hood, surround Drake around Dracs, Even though I got a case, I'ma do what it take, And I never been embraced, And the money's hard to make, So I bet they on they face right now."

"Tender" by Patrice Roberts 
Patrice Roberts is a female soca icon and can be named among the greats such as Denise Belfon and Alison Hinds. Some of her recent hits include "Carry On" on the Pop's Guitar Riddim and "Into You" on the 10X Riddim; and "Tender" on the Tender Touch Riddim is surely another hit for 2021. In a soulful soca vibe, Patrice sings "If I give you all my love, then would you treasure? Would you cherish and never let me go? Cause you na go find someone to love you better, if a one thing there for certain, I want you."

"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" by Ofenbach & Quarterhead featuring Norma Jean Martine

I saw this song in my YouTube feed and I was curious because the name is a common children's song. It is quite catchy. A snippet of the lyrics is "I've been praying to a thousand different stars, To a thousand different arms 'til I found you, I've been chasing 'bout a thousand different hearts, For a thousand million hours, now I've found you...."

"High Life" by Machel Montano 
Machel Montano is one of the biggest soca artists in the world. He started performing as a child and continues to move crowds and influence soca trends worldwide. Machel has collaborated with Doug E. Fresh, Beenie Man, Skinny Fabulous and many others. "It's all about high life, we vibrating on, a high frequency, vibrating on, a high energy, we coming to you live with a bag of good vibes" are a sample of the lyrics in this 2021 soca track.

"Lighter" by Tarrus Riley featuring Shenseea and Rvssian

Tarrus Riley is currently one of the top reggae artists who has numerous hits including "Superman," "She's Royal," "Cold Kisses," and "Getty Getty No Wantee." Shenseea, an upcoming female artist, starts off this song with "Baby, when the bright lights start to fade, fire up your lighter, Float on with the waves, You make me feel lighter...." Tarrus chimes in with "Endless loving and it cyan expire, Ah who seh Jah Jah never answer prayer? Yuh know seh yuh have di loving fi mi body when yuh hold me, And if yuh call me, we go home."

"Upgraded" by BuGgz Blasé and V.I. General
BuGgz Blasé is a vocalist in ABM and is also a rapper. In "Upgraded," he chants "Flow so much like I liming, ain't my wave to be riding, ball like Mike in the gym, dog, but the punchlines hit them like Tyson...." V.I. General has several other tracks including "My Fav" and "Settle Down." He adds to the track, "They try kill my vibe, they won't get no bly... man, I wonder why, I don't need a scope, I can take them all through the sites...."

"Like Mee" by KevyKevNow 

"Who you know drip like me?" "Like Mee" shows the rapper's ability to flow consistently on an uptempo instrumental, making this an enjoyable performance. His opening rap is "Young KevyKev and I fresh than a mother son, dress to impress when I come around, if you think you bad, better simmer down, I can see it in your eyes that you been a clown...."

"My Heart" by ABM 

"My Heart" is from ABM, who brought us "Tha Style." IJ is the singer on this groovy track, and he croons about the woman that has taken his heart. He sings, "I just wanna hold you close, Your body is so amazin, let's dance the night away, come spend your life with me, I just wanna give you some loving, I just wanna know if you feeling me...."

"Stop The Violence" by Shawndehrapper

Shawndehrapper is a high school student who has amazing athletic and musical potential. He participated in the recent Rap Battle and went up against adults and some veteran performers. His lyrics ask us to stop the violence in the community: "We together like Myron, Jumping hurdles - Kyron, do wah I say like Simon, Simon say stop the violence."

Artists to Look out For in 2021

Shiloh and Shedien also have some exciting gospel music coming for 2021. This husband and wife duo are awarding-winning Gospel artists who bring life and energy into their stage performance as they praise God. One of their upcoming tracks is "Praise the Lord" based on Psalm 150.

Other artists to look out for: UYG Flizop and PNut Deh REal Nutt "PNDRN" from the US Virgin Islands, and Jefé Tunez, Killa Tooma, Arkyy, and youngsters, Khoy Don and YOHKEM from the British Virgin Islands. 

BVI's Got Talented Rappers - 2020 Stop the Violence Rap Contest Highlights

BVI's got talent in all aspects of life, and music is something that we love. As our culture continues to evolve, our local artistes integrate different musical genres. They have mixed gospel music with reggae and soca, and we have our own brand of soca and calypso that has a unique sound compared to the other Caribbean islands. We also have more emerging rap artists, especially teenagers, who have developed their performance and lyrical styles.

I was excited when I heard that Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines, BVI's Sixth District Representative, was hosting a Stop the Violence Rap Contest on Sunday, December 6, 2020. She hosted the event in conjunction with Dr. the Hon. Natalio Wheatley, Seventh District Represenative, and At-Large Representatives, Hon. Shereen Flax-Charles, Hon. Sharie deCastro, and Hon. Neville Smith. It meant that the closet poets and rappers would have the opportunity to win a prize for showcasing their talents on an important topic. JTV Channel 55 aired the contest live on Facebook to ensure that more persons could enjoy the event.

Six contestants signed up for the contest; however, five performers/duos took the stage. We saw performances from Pak and Da G, Shawndehrapper, Kishon Thunder, Turbulence and JJ, and Royston Warner. Masa Pemberton hosted the event, and DJ Phenom played the music. We also enjoyed performances from Aaron Parillon, Giovanni Herbert, Priceless, and Kendake with her hit, "Lighter's Up" performed during the show.

The performers all had unique styles and lyrics, which made the competition tighter.

• Pak and Da G, well-known BVI rappers, gave us an uptempo vibe with a high energy performance: "Put the guns down, spread a lil love, not the violence, therapy a must, community need guidance."
• Kishon Thunder, DYAS Rap Battle Finalist, knows how to work with words well: "The cycle repeats every time we have somebody die in these streets, and the level of crime always seems to increase."
• Turbulence and JJ, father and daughter duo, encouraged us to stand in solidarity: "Put your hands in the air if you want to stop the violence, BVI love - we breaking all the silence, put the guns down, stop all killing now, let's bring peace and love back in this town."
• Royston Warner, a debut performer, made us think harder about ourselves: "Chills to spine, another mother crying, another angry soldier and the cycle just rewinds, it's simple mathematics...."
• Shawndehrapper, Elmore Stoutt High School student, authlete and aspiring rapper and pilot: "My name is Shawn, and I'm yelling stop the violence, tired hearing shots, tired hearing sirens, choppers roaring in the streets like a lion, Mommas crying cause their sons keep on dying"

Aaron Parillon, Njar Lamothe, and Giovanni Herbert judged the competition and declared winners as:

• Best Lyrics: Shawndehrapper
• Best Arrangement: Pak and Da G
• 1st Place: Tied with Pak and Da G, Shawndehrapper and Kishon Thunder
• 2nd Place: Tied with Royston Warner and Turbulence and JJ

Since the rappers tied in first and second place, the host announced that there would be a freestyle battle. Pak and Da G declined to freestyle, so Shawndehrapper and Kishon Thunder battled with their words. After two rounds of freestyling, Masa announced the winners as:

• 1st Place: Shawndehrapper
• 2nd Place: Tied with Royston Warner and Turbulence and JJ

Both Hon. Caines and Hon. deCastro  awarded Kishon Thunder special prizse for his performance.

I was able to speak with the winner, Shawndehrapper (Deshwan Doyley) who shared, "I feel if you feel you have the talent to do something, just do it! Don't mind what people have to say. My goal is to be a big rapper in the BVI like Priceless, Banco Bizmol, and many more." Listen to his song, "Stop the Violence," on Soundcloud.

Culture and Tradition and Our Changing Lives

Culture is our way of life. Our way of life evolves with technology, our changing needs, regional and global influences, economic development, and our interests. While we see everything around us changing, we crave the nostalgic feelings we had when we were young. We want to see traditions kept alive even though we only want to 'see' but not actively participate in them. We say, "Someone must keep it alive!" We love our modern conveniences, yet we want to 'see' the old-time ways.

Governments invest in culture and preserving tradition because it is important to record history so that future generations can appreciate the journey that the forefathers took. Fifty years ago was a different time. The population had different needs. The people did not have access to the media when compared to the availability today. The population make-up was different; we would not have made the strides we enjoy today without the population shifts.

We need to look at our culture and improve the way that we live with each other. Our culture includes our beliefs, customs, and behaviors. We cannot lose our identity, but we need to appreciate that times have changed. We have to invest in worthwhile ventures that preserve our identity and offer quality entertainment. We have to look past investing in activities that drain the public purse because we want tradition. Enable the mechanisms to allow sustainability with regulation so that we can balance the costs and output.

Also, we have to look at the changing needs of the people and their interests. If you put on events and activities and no one attends, then you have missed the mark. Enhance the promotion, involve other segments of the population, especially the youth, and record the events for future showing.

As we look at culture, we cannot forget the young people because they are the ones to carry forward the traditions. However, we must remember that they have a budding culture too among their peers. Therefore, we have to hear their voices, view their art, and read their stories as they add to the culture as well. I am sure that the elders scolded the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers about their clothing and their music. It is no different today because parents today compare music and styles. We, the parents of today, lived through the criticism and changed aspects of the culture as we also were influenced by the factors shared earlier.

Culture is what we do, how we behave, and why we behave the way that we do. We cannot ignore the influences that have shifted our way of life, and we cannot forget our history. We must record our stories so that future generations can appreciate the ongoing journey.

A few things that we can do are:

1. put more local books in the education curriculum
2. give the young people the forum to express themselves in their genre
3. assist industries through investment and promotion
4. offer incentives to culture bearers
5. re-establish museums and offer virtual viewings of aspects of culture
6. gather ideas from the population on what they see as the culture and how we can preserve it
7. recognize when it is time to let go

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