Montserratian authors in the Disaster Matters anthology (l to r) Denise Silcott, Edith Duberry, Dr. Howard Fergus, Dr. Yvonne Weekes, Catherine Dorsette, and Elcia Daniel. (Nerissa Golden photo)
Montserratian Writers Included in Caribbean Anthology, Disaster Matters
Brades pupil and Blogger Kearah Ryan and Disaster Matters Editor Dr. Yvonne Weekes.
Several Montserratian writers are featured in Disaster Matters, a new anthology edited by Montserratian professor at The University of the West Indies, Dr. Yvonne Weekes and Dr. Wendy McMahon of the University of East Anglia.
In collaboration with the Montserrat Public Library and under the direction of MC Deonne Semple, Disaster Matters was launched on Wednesday evening at the Brades Arts & Education Centre.
The book is a collection of short stories and poetry from 51 writers. It chronicles experiences of Caribbean people with disasters such as volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes and was produced under a special project to be used in schools across the region.
Additional funding is being sought to make copies available for sale.
The anthology includes works from notable writers and poets such as Kei Miller of Jamaica, Shake Keane of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Lasana M. Sekou of St. Martin. The local authors featured are Sir Howard Fergus, Denise Silcott, Edith Duberry, Elcia Daniel, Catherine Dorsette, Myrle Roach, Jamaal Jeffers, E.A. Markham (deceased), Constanshaw Weekes, and Nathan Gibbons.
Divided into seven sections, the book also incudes notes, questions and activities to assist teachers in guiding discussions on how disasters affect people. The sections are Reading the Signs: Hurricane Preparedness, Storm Watch, Debris: The Impact of Nature, Aftermath: Picking Up the Pieces, State of Emergency, The Earth Trembles, and Rivers of Fire.Former principal and Storyteller Edith Duberry reads Mash Me Up, which is featured in The Earth Trembles section of Disaster Matters.
Copies were presented to representatives of each local school, the Director of Education Dr. Gregory Julius and Librarian Sonja Smith.
Copies will also be available for borrowing from the Public Library.
Disaster Matters was published by House of Nehesi Publishers, St. Maarten.
More photos from the launch available on our Facebook page.
