Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

The dangers of drinking bat shit! Diver Caves Into Bat Infested Waters!  Mayan River Runs A Small Price to Pay for Cenote Diving By Stephen Weir This picture, taken in a freshwater Yucatan Cenote (cave) was snapped at the exact moment in time that I realized that in 48-hours I was going to be sick. Really, really sick. Montezuma Revenge. Aztec two-step. GI's. Dysentery. And, let's now forget: flux, loose stools, runs, tourista, trots, and the one I coined after I got back from sink hole diving in Akumal, Mexico, the Mayan Riviera Runs. Not dissing Mexico's Mayan Rivera water system, the cleanliness of their eating establishments or the quality of the ice cubes. This was something self-inflicted and it could have happened in any "fresh" water cave in the world. Blame it on the sanitary habits of flying animals or Cenote diving being just too amazing for my own good. The east coast of Mexico’s Yucatan State is a flat, dry land void of rivers, lakes or much vegetati...

Don’t be shocked when you get Tim Bits in your stocking this year If you run into Kente Claus at a party or a fundraiser before Christmas and he asks what you want under the tree, tell him a Double-Double and a bag of Tim Bits and you may just get your wish, provided there is a Tims close by. DeWitt Lee, a Toronto businessman and long-time community volunteer and supporter of worthwhile causes here in the city, the Caribbean, and Buffalo, NY, has a not-so-well-kept secret: he is Kente Claus! Kente Claus, thanks to a new Tim Horton’s 30-second TV commercial, is probably becoming the best-known Black Santa Claus in the country. “It's running all month,” he told the Caribbean Camera yesterday. “I'm the 2023 Tim Hortons Christmas Claus!” The spot isn't pushing a product; it is a good news advertisement for Christmas. Kente Claus has a big role in the ad as viewers are asked, “Where do you believe Santa's magic comes from?” Spoiler alert: the answer is, “Maybe Santa magic is...

  Celebrate the Spirit of the Caribbean at Carnival Winter Market and Parang Extravaganza on Saturday, December 2nd Princess Trinidad “The Carnival Winter Market and Parang Extravaganza is the work of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival,” explained the newly reconfirmed President of the Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA) Henry Gomez (aka King Cosmos). “We are providing the evening’s entertainment.” Hosted by the charismatic King Cosmos, the Parang Extravaganza features performances by some of OCPA's artists, including Caribbean Monarch Macomere Fifi, Guney Cedeno, Princess Trinidad, and DJ Red X. In addition to his MC duties, King Cosmos will also be performing during the evening. Expect a joyful sound from the singers on stage because it has been a joyful year for the Calypso organization who have seen a rebirth to performing in the city. “We held the first Calypso Monarch competition this summer since 2016,” continued Gomez, “It was a sold-out event. There was also a C...

 Concert cancelled ticket agency returns refunds It is Friday evening, and the last thing you want to see on your Facebook or Instagram account just appeared. The upcoming Sunday festival for which you have tickets has been canceled! This happened last Friday afternoon. In a shocking turn of events, concert promoter Ian Andre Espinet announced the sudden cancellation of the highly anticipated Toronto Soul Music Festival just 2-days before it was set to take the stage at the Rebel Nightclub on Polson Pier. Scheduled for last Sunday, November 19th, the festival promised a stellar lineup featuring renowned artists such as Jully Black, Glen Lewis, DVSN, and several other acts. The Toronto Soul Music Festival aimed to be a multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted celebration of Soul music and its associated genres and culture, specifically highlighting and honoring Black music and culture. In an email sent out at 7 pm Friday evening, Espinet conveyed the difficult decision to pull the plug on...

  Make Way For The Reacher Preacher  We call him the Reacher Preacher, but everyone else in the GTA and the Caribbean knows him as Marvin Ishmael. Ishmael, a long-time Trinidadian-Canadian author, actor, musician, playwright, director, and educator, is all that and more, but he is NOT a preacher. However, that might be about to change next month. Last December, his Toronto agent landed him a small part in the Amazon Prime series "Reacher Season Two," and the fruit of that labor is about to air. The action series, as reported by TheWrap (a leading Hollywood digital media news organization), is one of "Amazon Prime Video’s top five most-watched series ever in the U.S. and globally, according to Amazon, and stands as one of the most-binged original series ever on the streaming service." "Reacher," starring Alan Ritchson, is based on the Jack Reacher book series written by US author Lee Child. The TV show, based on the best-selling books, is shot for the most ...

Just keep your eyes on the flag sir. Caribbean swimsuits for 2024 Haiti Carnival memories dwindle into nothing in the rear-view mirror. The feathered costumes, the high-heeled shoes, and even the pocket flag doo-rags have been relegated to the storage room. If you are planning to go South once the snow flies, thanks to Etsy, there is no need to worry about not being able to wiggle your flag on the beach! Just in time to winter in the Caribbean, Etsy Canada has just listed on its website almost 800 different men’s and women’s bathing suits that incorporate individual island flags and coats of arms in the product. Their merchants' new Caribbean Swimwear bikinis and one-piece suits are cheap, simple, and sexy—well, maybe not as sexy as what we saw this August 4th going down the road. Whether male or female, think 'Oh la las' and not wolf whistles as you wade into the calm blue Caribbean Sea. And poolside, expect fast, maybe even over-attentive service from the hardworking youn...

  On DECEMBER 2nd THE CONNECTOR AND FRIENDS ARE HOLDING AN EPIC CHILDREN'S HOLIDAY PARTY Tis the Season for Giving: Connector Soca Music and E.P.I.C Carnival Join Forces for Toy Drive & Children's Holiday Party As the holiday season approaches, Canadian Calypso singing star Joel Davis and the E.P.I.C Carnival mas band are coming together to connect the children with the joys of Christmas. Davis (the Connector) and E.P.I.C are hard at work organizing the coming third annual Toy Drive and Children's Holiday Party. This festive event promises to bring smiles to the faces of young ones and create lasting holiday memories. The highlight of this initiative is the Children's Holiday Party scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 2, 2023, at the Twilight Family Restaurant (55 Nugget Ave) from 1 pm to 4 pm in Scarborough. To make this holiday season extra special for those in need, the Toy Drive kicks off on November 14th and will run until the day of the Children's H...

Brother to Trini Vampires, Another Chariandy Book Film in the Works? Even as positive social media reviews come in for the current Netflix showing of "Brother," the Caribbean Camera has learned there could be another film based on a David Chariandy book in the works. We talked to Chariandy late last week about how he felt regarding the movie "Brother" being shown on the Netflix streaming service. The movie, made by Virgo Clement, is an adaptation of the Trinidadian Canadian author's hugely successful book published in 2017. "Brother" draws from the author's own upbringing in Scarborough. Chariandy, also a professor at Simon Fraser University (SFU), skilfully weaves a tale of two brothers, children of Trinidadian immigrants (turned into Jamaica in the movie), who grapple with violence and prejudice in a Toronto housing complex during the sweltering summer of 1991. The film became a success under Clement Virgo's writing and direction and was in ...

Brother Here. Brother There. Check out Netflix But Be Quick About It. First, there was the book. Then, there were many book prizes. Next? A movie based on his novel was showcased at TIFF, and it received numerous awards. Earlier, it was screened in theaters across Canada. David Chariandy's Scarborough-based story, "Brother," has made history in both the literary and cinematic realms in Canada. For Canadians who missed out on David Chariandy's "Brother," you have one last chance to discover the phenomenon. Netflix is now streaming the film made in the GTA. However, the streaming service warns that you only have a month to watch it, as the movie will disappear from its catalog on November 21. Chariandy holds the Toronto book prize - sweir pix The film stars Aaron Pierre as Francis and Lamar Johnson as Michael, with supporting cast members including Kiana Madeira, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Lovell Adams-Gray, Maurice Dean Wint, and Dwain Murphy. The screenplay was...

  Indigenous Man Returns to the Court in Winnipeg where He was Convicted 50 Years Ago ­­­­­__________________________________________   More than 49 years ago on March 5, 1974,  Clarence Woodhouse , a young Indigenous man, and a member of the Pinaymootang First Nation on the Fairford Indian Reserve in Manitoba, was convicted of the murder of Mr. Ting Fong Chan in Winnipeg, a crime he did not commit.   On July 18 of this year, two of Mr. Woodhouse’s former co-accused were vindicated in the King’s Bench Court by Chief Justice Joyal in Winnipeg. A fourth accused, Clarence’s brother Russell Woodhouse, sadly died in 2011 before he could be vindicated.   On September 13, 2023,  Innocence Canada  filed an application with Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani for a ministerial review of Clarence Woodhouse’s conviction pursuant to the provisions of the  Criminal Code.   We also filed a posthumous application on Russell Woodhouse’s behalf with the...

THREE WAYS INDO CARIBBEAN POEMS "The Tarragon’s Extra Space seats only about 100 patrons. And while they have a much larger theater in their midtown building (near Casa Loma), the size is of extreme importance to anyone contemplating seeing a new play that actually takes place in Guyana (well for part of the show). Don't think you can get away with waiting until the last minute to buy a ticket for this one! The play, "A Poem for Rabia," has its world premiere on October 25th and is already packing the theater during this week's preview performances. The piece, written by Nikki Shaffeeullah in her playwriting debut, runs in the Extra Space from now until November 12. "The play is an epic journey across time, oceans, and tectonic shifts in political history for three Indo-Caribbean women. 'A Poem for Rabia' weaves the stories of three queer women from the same bloodline: Zahra, a disillusioned activist in 2053, navigating a Canada that has just abolish...