Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

[ColeS]

This is a trip report of some sort, but I think it belongs in the book forum as it is a book festival report. However, if it belongs in the trip report forum, please feel free to move. Thx.

I was really excited about Calabash 2009. I have never "stayed over" at Calabash before. I have gone on a day trip, but never stayed over for the entire weekend. This year I just had to. I had to. I am not a writer, well, I sometimes write, but I would consider myself a writer; but I am definitely a reader. I like to attend book festivals, but a book festival in Jamaica, in Treasure Beach for that matter, is just the GREATEST!

For those of you who dont know what Calabash is, I took this staright from the website www.calabashfestival.org

<span style="font-weight: bold">About Calabash</span>
<span style="font-style: italic">The Calabash International Literary Festival was founded in 2001 by novelist Colin Channer with the support of two friends, the poet Kwame Dawes and the producer Justine Henzell. Their aim was simple—to create a world-class literary festival with roots in Jamaica and branches reaching out into the wider world.

A three-day festival of readings and music with other forms of storytelling folded in the mix, Calabash is earthy, inspirational, daring and diverse. It’s the only annual international literary festival in the English-speaking Caribbean. All festival events are free and open to the public. Passion is the only price of entry. But voluntary contributions are accepted.

The festival is produced by the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust (the Trust), which also produces publishing seminars and writing workshops. The Trust is affiliated with the Friends of the Calabash International Literary Festival, a registered 501(c)(3) corporation in the United States.</span>

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Sometime in March I heard that Calabash was cancelled due to funding (lack there of) and that my long awaited Calabash Trip 2009 was not going to happen

I had posted a link on this in the book forum some of you may remember. According to the papers the JTB had cut the funding, etc etc etc. Well, due to the outcry of the founders, attendees, community, and just people who know what a value this is, other opportunities came forth and funding was secured from other sources as well as the JTB.

Yes! Thank you!!

To reiterate, calabash truly is a a value. I am of the firm belief that Literature needs to be celebrated. It needs to be discussed, debated, and found, in person, among friends. And what better way to do so than in a tiny Caribbean Island in a the tiny and picturesque town of Treasure Beach.

--------

Ok, so I was to be in Jamaica for work a couple weeks prior to Calabash, and decided that I would just take my vacation right after, stay on the Island and get my Calabash fix.

But where to stay? I wanted to be right in the action. In the thick of things! I found out that someone I had recently became acquainted with was also going to Calabash and she was getting a villa, on a beach, with room to spare. SHUT UP!!!!
Well, I contacted Marcia Mayne (she was interviewed by Xavier HERE by the way) and secured my room on Billys Bay at Villa Hikaru. Yes!!

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

I am booked. Ready to go.

I have already been on the Island for some time, but was mainly looking forward to the last part of the trip.

I am loving the Calabash 2009 Logo.



I am heading to Calabash from Ochie by way of ... Well, I am thinking we should go Mobay then go through Whitehouse etc etc. No, my brother is driving me and he goes through Browns Town, through aahhmm...aahhhmmm .... some other places. I think he may have gone through Clarendon/Santa Cruz/Junction ... I dont know. I just know we ended up in Treasure beach and had roast yam and saltfish on the way. I didnt care that the ride took us 4 hours. Now we gotta find Billys Bay, which is where Villa Hikaru is. We found it. Heaven. Didnt know that what we were looking for, but I am glad thats what we found.

[Stormmey]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Very nice Coless

[Magician]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Mi neva know seh Marcia so famous. Meeda beg her a autograph.
(Still blaming her on my money fiasco in Cuba! )

4 hours to reach TB? Yuh brother need to invest in a map!

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Thx Stormmey!

Magic - Marcia is cool peeples I am glad I met up with her.
You know, I havent passed on your Cuba money fiasco to her yet, but I will

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Where was I? Oh yeah! Just arrived at the villa.

I should add too that I was working very hard the weeks prior and did not get enough sleep, and to top it off I was a bit stressed. And when you are stressed and dont get much sleep, alot of things can happen, including flu/aches/pains/cold. I had it all the day before arriving at Calabash. I was surviving and keeping up only on the tactfulness of my aunt who had woke up in the middle of the night the night before and gave me some pills (dont ask me what, it may have been panadol multisymptom or something) and rubbed me down with rubbing alcohol. I was still a little sick but was heading to calabash with all broken wings. Nothing could stop me. I say that for a reason, a reason that to this hour I am kicking myself. You will see.

So, yes, at the villa. My new friends had gone ahead to Pelican Bar (darn brother and the 4 hr ride!!). I took a couple minutes to venture around the villa before I headed out to meet them at pelican.











It was now around 1pm maybe. I was ready to get to Pelican. I was starting to feel the vibe of the weekend. Calabash starts tonight, Friday at around 7:30pm. The lineup includes <span style="font-weight: bold">Junot Diaz, Edwidge Danticat, Melvin Van Peebles, and Mutabaruka and Tarrus Riley performances </span> With that thought in mind, it was a good time to get a drink! I was starting to get a slight headache. Aches and pains coming back. Brush that off!!! Shake the feeling - off to catch a boat I go!

I head down the beach.

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Walking down the beach I have a red stripe on my mind. Ache in the back of my neck, shake that off!!!!





After bawling down the price for a ride from Billys bay to Pelican Bar from $80US to $2,000JA, I was off to the bar in the ocean.

On something similar to these.




I am in a boat, on my way. Pictures, what pictures?! Dont ask me for any of those! That ride was ... was ... not even a ride!! It was a chase through all the fears I had stored in my mind! It was rough, thats all I can say. G.O.D and I, we are on VERY personal terms now ... we got closer during that ride.

I am told, and have proven however that the ride I got there is not normal. Very Fast. Not very normal. Perpendicular boat in the middle of the ocean. Not normal.

But I have arrived.

And I am greeted!


Hello Floyd!!!



Met up with the ladies. Caught up on the past couple days (they checked in a couple days before me), and relaxed. Red Stripe in hand.

A couple authors passed through pelican while we were there. Including Geoffrey Philp, Kwane Dawes, and Stacyann Chin.

Chatted with Geoffrey Philp for a while. He told us about his mango walk adventure earlier that day. I wish I had a picture of his white, now yellow, shirt.

After they left, I beleive we were the only ones left in the bar. We relaxed, had another round, chatted, laughed, and talked about the evening to come.

Headache. Shake that off. Stuffy nose. Shake that off! I dont have time for that! Its Calabash time!

Aaawww.... What a great choice I had made to come.

I walked around the bar, took some pics. Look who I found.


And some others.

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Its time to leave Pelican. Gotta get back to the villa and get ready for the evening. I hitched a ride with my friends. It was awesome! Calm. Not the ride I took over. It was actually fun too. Got to take some pics.

[seemiyah]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

great start! waiting for the rest.....

[Magician]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Pelican Bar still de pon mi list. One day...

So you got to meet celebrities there! Wicked. Especially in a place where they can't escape easily without an autograph and Q&amp;A

You didn't seem sick on Saturday at all at all.
A mussi some good medicine dem gi yuh Friday night.

[MsExced]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Really cool Coless, looking forward to the rest

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Ms exced, Seemiyah - thx

Magic - re the map and the brother with no directions: remember a while back you posted about that new map you got in ja, the red one? Well, I bought that same map while in Jamaica sometime last year, a couple weeks after your post. I had it. I gave it to him before we left the house. He left it on his bed \o/ It started out bad ....dwl ...

I really enjoyed pelican. I really did. Its a must do.

You are correct, I wasnt sick on Saturday .... which brings me to Friday night ....

The absolutely gorgeous ride ended at Billys Bay. On the way there I was able to take in the beauty of the south coast that I missed earlier. What a place! The coastline, the calm, the serenity, the beauty; they all threatened to take my breath away.

This is the best place on earth to speak and read the written word. No where else would have done. No where. I wish I had some coastline pictures, but I was too taken aback. Sorry. Maybe my friends have some; if they do I will see if they will share.

We are back at the villa. Its maybe 5pm or so. The event takes off at 7:30. A couple people went to get massages, a couple of us stayed back, took our showers. Layed on comfortable loungers on a verandah that overlooks the ocean. A drink and a book in hand. We proceed to relax for the couple hours that we have. We fell asleep. All of us.

I needed sleep. I knew I did. Didn’t get any the nights before, and I knew I was coming down with something. All from a lack of sleep. So I set my alarm because I knew that I would probably fall asleep and not get back up until morning. It was one of the best naps I have ever had. In my entire life. The breeze, the ocean, the clean air. The atmosphere, surrounded by people who are also in appreciation of the moment. Just thinking about it now forces my breath into a slow waltz.

The alarm goes off, I feel refreshed. Its 7:00pm. Our ride is coming at 7:15.

Our ride. Jefton (whose name he later told me is actually Jefta, but I will call him Jefton here on out because I am now fond of the name). The ladies had met him earlier in the week and he was our transport for everything by land and by sea! He took us all around back and forth to jakes for Calabash. He took us to Black River into town, took the ladies to Little Ochie and he was also the boat ride to and from Pelican! Gotta love him! And what a spirit and heart this guy has! Just one of the most calming and pleasant souls to be around.

So Jefta picks us up at 7:15 and we are in the back of his pick up truck to Jakes (which is about 10mins away from the villa). There are five of us by the way. Riding in the back of a pickup truck (which by the way will be the way we get to most, no, make that all places that weekend), we are on our way. The breeze feels good, duss duss is coming, the ocean smells drifts into the back of the truck, there is a necessary calm, and the good feeling sinks into your soul, settles warmly there and then embraces the rest of your body.

Jefton pulls over. We are at Jakes/Jack Sprat.






I can feel the excitement creeping up. A couple days before I had started reading Edwidge Danticat’s Brother I’m Dying. She was reading that night. I think she is up first. Now I am super excited. I have read all her books except for The Dew Breaker. She is one of my favorites. I am looking forward to hearing her read.

But more than anything else, I am looking forward to the Tarrus Riley performance ...

[ColeS]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Ok, I will have to continue this later this afternoon.

[Magician]

Re: Coless Come Buk Magic @ Calabash 2009

Need da pikcha of di 5 a unu inna di pickup to replace di image dats inna mi mind dat mek mi