Jamaica Observer Cheryl Thompson (an Associate Professor of Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University) has written a couple of great articles on Jimmy Cliff and the roots of Toronto's Reggae scene. The two articles appear in Spacing. From the introduction... On November 24, 2025, Jamaican reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (nรฉ James Chambers) died at age 81. … Continue reading Jimmy Cliff and the roots of Toronto’s Reggae scene
Category: Arts and Culture
The CCI Research Symposium is taking place this year in Trinidad and Tobago. But you know what else is taking place...? Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2026! Trinidad & Tobago Carnival isnโt just an event โ itโs a cultural force. Rooted in emancipation, shaped by African and Caribbean creativity, and powered by steelpan, calypso, soca, and … Continue reading Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2026
David Dabydeen December 28, 2025 Award-winning academic and Guyana Prize recipient David Dabydeen says he has been officially nominated for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature by European and Chinese scholars, making this one of the rare occasions that a small nation has a nominee. โI am happy that I come from a small country. … Continue reading Guyanese David Dabydeen nominated for 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature
Hurricane Melissa, the first Category 5 storm to make landfall in Jamaica in recorded history, caused catastrophic and unprecedented damage. CBC's Dwight Drummond spoke with Angella Bennett from the Jamaica Tourist Board to learn more about how Toronto is coming together to support those affected at an upcoming benefit concert. Watch the interview at this … Continue reading Toronto communities come together for Hurricane Melissa benefit concert
On December 13, 2025 Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves will be sharing research from her book ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐จ-๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐: ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐๐ง๐) ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ published by the Guyana Heritage Society in 2014, as well as subsequent research findings. This will be exactly 100 years after the Cathedral was opened. Incidentally, … Continue reading From Ashes to Ferro-Concrete: A History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Guyana 1914-2014
โCliff was a poet [who] set his words to music, broadcasting them to the world over speakers and screensโ Jamaican reggae icon Jimmy Cliff passed away on November 24, 2025, at the age of 81. His wife Latifa announced on social media that he had died of pneumonia, following a seizure. She expressed her thanks to everyone who shared his amazing … Continue reading From Kingston to the world: Jamaican music and film legend Jimmy Cliff passes on at 81
Just became aware of this online magazine for new Caribbean literature...PREE. PREE is a unique online magazine for new contemporary writing from and about the Caribbean. We publish original works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, interviews and experimental writing, giving our authors international visibility far beyond the islands. We aim to engage each other as well … Continue reading PREE…an online magazine for writing from and about the Caribbean
December 10th, 2025 Check out the great lineup! It's now been 3 weeks since Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica, and I'm sure you've seen, heard, read about, or maybe even witnessed first hand the devastation the island and the nation experienced. Families and communities are in serious need for help and support, but they continue to … Continue reading Harmonies of Hope Concert: TICKETS NOW ON SALE
The Canada Caribbean Institute and Universities Caribbean collaborated for an online screening of the filmย Madan Saraย by Directorย Etant Dupain. The screening was followed by a discussion panel consisting of: Sandra Wisner, Director of the International Human Rights Program at the University of Toronto, Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law Dr. Sabine Lamour, Professor, Universitรฉ dโEtat dโHaiti … Continue reading “Madan Sara” film screening
Save the date: October 21, 2025 6:30-8:30 p.m. EDT Click here to register You are invited to join the Canada Caribbean Institute and Universities Caribbean for an online screening of the film Madan Sara by Director Etant Dupain. A Madan Sara or Madam Sara (often called Saras), is a woman in Haiti who buys agricultural produce from farmers, transports it to markets, … Continue reading Film Screening: Haiti’s “Madan Sara”