Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

2018 Books in Review – 8 For 18.  By Stephen Weir (original story from edited version in the Caribbean Camera)   Caribbean Canadians and authors who write about Caribbean issues in the Great White North continued to hold their own on the Canadian literature scene this year. From award-winning novels to children’s titles about the black experience, these are top 10 books that book sellers, the media and of course the Caribbean Camera recommend you consider before the clock ticks out on 2018. Esi Wins  - Photo From The Giller Prize 1. WASHINGTON BLACK.   Esi Edugyan’s latest novel is truly the book of the year in Canada, and, is also racking up sales the US and the Caribbean.   No, she isn’t Bajan – the BC writer’s parents are from Ghana -- but she nails 19 th  century slaving Barbados better than anyone else in Canada ever has.   Her most recent novel,  Washington Black , won this year’s $100,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize...

Same day afternoon show added Mighty Sparrow surprise guest for Snowflakes Tribute to Greats   By Stephen Weir If you saw the advertisement for the giant Snowflakes  Tribute to the Greats  concert in last week’s Caribbean Camera, did you catch organizer Wendy Jone’s drift when she mentions special guest star in the ad?    No? Well, the cat is now out of the bag, the special guest is the world’s most famous Calypso singer: The Mighty Sparrow and an afternoon show has been added to accommodate the demand for tickets!   It has been a long long time since the Mighty Sparrow was last in Toronto.  He did make an appearance in 2014 at the Caribbean Tales Film Festival screening of the biopic The Glamour Boyz but he did not sing.  That will all change January 26 thanks to Patricia Ward (Sparrow’s Canadian based daughter) and Pan Fantasy’s Wendy Jones for making it all happen. “We have invited him to come and perform many tim...

X Marks The Spot For Last Big Fete Before Christmas   By Stephen Weir for the Caribbean Camera   The X-factor at last weekend’s Sagi Time fete was an early early Sunday morning performance by raising Soca star Olatunji. The Trinidadian singer flew into Canada just hours before taking to the stage in Toronto to entertain a room filled with his fans. With the holidays almost here, the  annual Sagi Time (short for Sagitarius Time) had a near full house for the last big bash before Christmas. Held at the Eglington East Latvian Community the fete combined good food, Trinidadian and Canadian performers and a well used large dance floor.   Trinidad's Olatunji Olantunji  (Edward Yearwood) earned global recognition when he won Trinidad's  International Soca Monarch in 2015, after singing his blockbuster single "Ola” (which he sang at Sagi Time). In September he was a contestant on the UK X Factor  and competed on the wildly po...

Bathurst and Bloor Underground. See You In 100 Years. By Stephen Weir A time capsule to mark the role that the Bathurst Bloor Annex Corridor has played in the history of Caribbean and African peoples in Toronto is soon going to be buried in the ground in a busy city construction site.  “ This is another way that we as a community can mark our history,” explained Itah Sadu, the owner of the A Different Booklist.  “This area, around the intersection of Bathurst and Bloor, has a real history – here we can trace our peoples right back to the Underground Railroad!” For now the time capsule sits in the front window of the Bathurst St bookstore and cultural space. And, as customers and the curious come inside, everyone is encouraged to sign small pieces of paper and place themselves inside equally small bottles and put it into the waiting plastic box time capsule. The Different Booklist is a fitting place for the Time Capsule to be created. The store features books...

--> Birthday Message – No Talk of Retirement Until Louis Saldenah wins his 20 th Carnival Band of the Year title. By Stephen Weir Toronto, ON ...  It was a Carnival birthday party for the ages! Louis Saldenah, the most winning bandleader in Canada, used the R word only once while talking to the Caribbean Camera on Friday night at his birthday bash at the Windies Bar and Restaurant in Scarborough.   “ I’m 68 today and I am feeling great but you know I could easily walk away from all of this” he said.” But there are a few things I HAVE to do before I retire and turn it over to my (adult) children.” Louis Saldenah, the Trinidadian born bandleader of the Mas K Camp immigrated to this country 48 years ago. He brought to Canada a family winning tradition of mas. His famous father, Harold ‘Sally’ Saldenah, was one of Trinidad’s most successful bandleaders. 
 40 years ago, Louis Saldenah launched his first Toronto mas costume band (Shangri-La) and promptl...

Like a bolt of lighting, PayPal’s Xoom jumps out of the starting blocks on Tuesday in Toronto By Stephen Weir PayPal fired a bolt over the bow of Jamaica’s  GraceKennedy Currency Trading Services ( Western Union).    Yesterday PayPal’s money transfer company, Xoom launched a new Canadian service by announcing it had just signed  eight-time Olympic Jamaican gold medalist Usain Bolt as its global brand ambassador. “At Xoom, we’re deeply committed to delivering the fastest possible money transfer experience to our customers, so Mr. Bolt was a natural fit to be our global brand ambassador,” Julian King, Vice President and General Manager of Xoom told the Caribbean Camera at the company’s Canadian launch. “We look forward to working with Mr. Bolt during an exciting time as we expand our services. He will be appearing in our marketing materials and representing us at selected events,” King continued. “Is he coming to Canada? Nothing that I can announce …....

Sierra Holder the dancer in orange YOUNG CARIBBEAN CANADIAN ACTRESS SIERRA HOLDER IS OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD STARTING TONIGHT By Stephen Weir When the curtain rises tonight at the Elgin Theatre for the official opening of the Pantomime Wizard of Oz, two cousins, and their dog will be performing together for the very first time.   Sierra Holder, an Ottawa actress with strong Caribbean ties (her mother is from St Lucia and her father from the Bahamas), is making her debut on the big stage – the first role since finishing Sheridan’s Musical Theatre Performance programme just a few months ago. Sierra Holder plays multiple supporting roles in the Pantomime and is the understudy for Dorothy – which means she has to be ready to fill in for the star, Camille Eanga-Selenge, if she can’t perform.   It is a sure bet that Sierra isn’t hoping that Camille literally breaks a leg out on stage. “ She is my cousin! I just so excited to be out there with her, ” explains t...