As part of Rosslyn Hill Chapel's 'Celebrating Black Lives' series,
this month we celebrate a Jamaican poet, folklorist and a cultural icon, Louise Bennett-Coverley.
Louise Bennett-Coverley (1919-2006), known as Miss Lou, was a Jamaican writer, educator and promoter of Patois, the Jamaican language. She took pride in who she was and celebrated her origins through poetry, performances and humour even though Jamaican language and culture were looked down upon at that time. Through her actions and likeable personality, she empowered Jamaicans to embrace their cultural identity.
One of her famous works "Colonisation in Reverse" depicts Jamaican lives through humour and lightness yet points to important societal issues.
She was aired on TV and radio and thereby gained international popularity and relevance. Her significant contributions to Jamaican culture were acknowledged by the Order of Jamaica and the Norman Manley Award for Excellence awards.
Louise Bennett-Coverley elevated Jamaican traditions across the world through self-acceptance and self-love and her legacy is to inspire young people of colour to do the same.
“Yuh see how life funny? Yuh get a blessing out of bad luck.” - This speaks to her belief in resilience and finding good even in difficult situations.
“I have been teaching my people that their language is valid, and they should not be ashamed of it.” - Miss Lou spent her career promoting Jamaican patois, fighting against the stigma often attached to speaking the language.
Each month we mark the significant life of a person of colour as a positive statement and a contribution to redressing historical imbalances in our society. More profiles.
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