In the first of this three-part series dedicated to Calypso History Month, we learned that calypso is a genre of music which has played a very important role in the processes of confrontation, revolution, and revival in the Caribbean, as well as the invention and establishment...
“ They want to see your whole anatomy, they want to see what you doctor never see. They want to do what you husband never do, still you ain’t know if these scamps will hire you. Well if is all this humiliation to get a job these...
“…all Caribbeans know, more or less intuitively that in the final analysis, the only sure possession the undertow of history has left them is their paradoxical culture.” - Antonio Benitez Rojo Out of the ashes, we rise. Darkness will always make way for the dawn, and...
“The trouble around difference is really about privilege & power-the existence of privilege & the lopsided distribution of power that keeps it going. The trouble is rooted in a legacy that we all inherited, and while we’re here it belongs to us. It isn’t our fault....
“Wi girl dem run like Merlene Ottey, wi boys dem run like Donald Quarrie- wi drink fish tea and wi feel irie”. This line taken from a popular cheer sung by children at Sports Day events across Jamaica embodies the pride of Jamaicans and our passion...
It appears that the legacy of colonialism has not been completely exorcised from Caribbean society. Puerto Rico has been under the rule of the United States (US) since 1898, and today, Puerto Ricans are rising up against what many consider a blatant attempt at neo-colonialism and...
In 2006, Time Magazine called Jamaica ‘the most homophobic place on Earth’. Violence and hate crimes targeting members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community along with harsh anti-gay sentiments in Jamaican dancehall music had earned the country that title. The country is among...
From Belize in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south, and the array of beautiful island nations between, Caribbean people share a crucial characteristic which has shaped the Caribbean identity existing today - a tumultuous history of slavery and indentureship. African slavery and European...
At any time of day, from just about every street corner, bus or car, the loud pulsating beats can be heard around Jamaica. The hypnotic beats and unwieldy lyrics reverberate with the intensity of the people with whom it has long become synonymous. Dancehall music is...
“If you educate your girls you will have everything in the future” were the words issued by Theresa Kachindamoto, senior chief in the Dedza District in Central Malawi. Theresa successfully annulled 850 child marriages in Malawi in the past three years, saving girls as young as...
Human trafficking, often called modern day slavery, is a serious violation of human rights which affects almost every country in the world to varying degrees. More than 130 countries are affected by human trafficking, including in the Caribbean. High rates of poverty in some Caribbean countries...
“Don’t give something and then take it back, otherwise, you’ll get a boil on your eye,” is a very common saying in Trinidad and Tobago. It speaks to the practice of keeping one’s promises and being true and genuine in all giving. On Earth Day 2016,...
According to the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) the most recently completed showpiece of Chinese engineering in Jamaica, the North-South section of Highway 2000 is 66 kilometres long and allows motorists to travel from the capital city Kingston to the resort town of Ocho Rios in less...
Some might think that the phrase “rape culture,” is simply an exaggerated myth made up by angry, man-hating, bra-burning feminists to push their own agenda. However, they could not be more wrong. It is real and it is prevalent in Caribbean society. Trinidad and Tobago is...
It’s easy to spot Caribbean people. They tend to be the ones walking as though they’re dancing, speaking as though every word is part of a melody, and unable to keep their hands out of the conversation. These musical talents were put to use in the ‘1.5...
Words In The Bucket is a team of global citizens with the common goal of raising awareness and information about issues related to human rights protection, social inclusion, development and environment.
We are "Rethinking World Thinking"