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SPOTLIGHT ON MISS LOU
Who: Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley
Date of Birth: September 7, 1919
Profession: "First Lady of Comedy," Author, Poet, Activist
Credits: Humorous verses in Jamaica Dialect 1942, Jamaican Verses and Folk Stories, Laugh with Louise 1962, Jamaica Labrish 1966, Anancy and Miss Lou 1979. Records: Jamaica Folksongs, Folkways 1953, Jamaica Singing Games 1953, Miss Lou's Views 1967, Listen to Louise 1968, Carifesta Ring Ding 1976.
On Wednesday 26th July 2006, beloved Jamaican cultural icon Louise Simone Bennett-Coverly, affectionately called 'Miss Lou', died at the Scarborough Grace Hospital in Toronto, Canada at age 86. |
Even Mother Nature mourned
It was as if Mother Nature was mourning Miss Lou's passing. For at about 3:40 pm - 30 minutes before her funeral service at Coke Methodist Church in Kingston ended yesterday - heavy rains accompanied by deafening thunder, lightning and strong winds began. Continue
They came to celebrate the life of Miss Lou
THE mood outside the Coke Methodist Church in downtown Kingston yesterday was one of celebration and festivity, instead of the usual gloom associated with funerals, as Jamaicans celebrated the life of the nation's cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverly, better known at home and abroad as Miss Lou.
The throng of people who lined the streets to pay homage to Miss Lou enthusiastically waved Jamaican flags, which, along with T-shirts bearing Miss Lou's image, were on sale outside the church in the business district of the capital. The words under Miss Lou's photo read "Walk good and good will follow you". More
Homecoming - Bodies of 'Miss Lou' and Eric arrive
At exactly 4:20 p.m. yesterday, the bodies of the uncrowned cultural queen of Jamaica, Louise Bennett-Coverley and her husband Eric, arrived back home to Kingston, Jamaica.
The bodies of the beloved 'Miss Lou' and her husband were aboard an Air Jamaica flight from Canada where the two lived for several years before their deaths. The bodies were transported back to Jamaica to be buried at National Heroes Park in Kingston.
From about four o'clock, a small gathering of friends, government officials and well-wishers converged on the ramp at the airport, awaiting the arrival of the airplane transporting the bodies. More
Why Miss Lou makes us happy
There are two kinds of people that other people are always smiling around. The first group is crazy people (because we need to put them at ease and slowly back out of the room) and the other kind is - Miss Lou.
Miss Lou is the kind of person around whom you can't help smiling. I don't actually remember when I first met Miss Lou, because our introduction came through her words when I was in primary school butchering her poetry. But in 2003 I met her in live and living colour. During her last visit to the island, I, still a relatively young and hopefully intrepid reporter, was granted an interview with a cultural icon. More
Walk good, Miss Lou
BELOVED Jamaican cultural icon Louise Simone Bennett-Coverly, affectionately called 'Miss Lou', died yesterday at the Scarborough Grace Hospital in Toronto, Canada at age 86, triggering a flood of tributes from the political and artistic communities, all of which recognised her pioneering role in promoting Jamaican folklore worldwide.
"She believed passionately in her country and in her work as an artist," Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said, adding that Miss Lou never failed to promote confidence in the extraordinary abilities, skills and talents of the Jamaican people.Continue
Res' yuself, Miss Lou . feel the evenin' breeze
There are many things about our little country which, especially in the past few years, have brought nothing but shame. However, there are also many shining examples of talent, brains, a sense of connection to one's roots, and just sheer goodness.
Louise Bennett-Coverly, who said goodbye on Wednesday to Auntie Roachie and the dozens of characters who populated her head, was one of those shining examples. She never had a lot of money, although she lived comfortably. Keeble McFarlane's view
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Should Miss Lou be named a national hero?
JAMAICANS, amidst the outpourings and tributes over the body of beloved Jamaican cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverly (Miss Lou) on the second day of the public viewing of her body yesterday, passionately debated whether or not she should be named a national hero? More
The life and times of Louise Bennett-Coverley
Louise Bennett was born in Kingston in 1919. She was the daughter of the late Augustus Cornelius Bennett (businessman) and his wife Kerene (nee Robinson).
She was educated at Calabar Elementary School, Ebenezer Primary, St. Simon's College (1933-36), Excelsior High School (1936-38) and Friends College (Highgate).
The young Louise always had an irrepressible sense of humour and a flair for dramatics. She described herself as "an average student".
On Christmas morning 1936 Louise made her first real public appearance when she performed at the annual concert at the Coke Methodist Church. She was then 17 years old. She recited a poem she had written in Jamaican dialect and received a prize of one guinea ;($2.10) from MC Eric Coverley, who would later become her husband. Continue
Labrish with Miss Lou
Today we rerun the last two interviews done by The Gleaner with cultural icon Mrs. Louise Bennett-Coverley, who died on Wednesday, July 26, in Canada. The interview below was done on her last visit to Jamaica in August 2003, when she attended the official opening of Emancipation Park in New Kingston. Continue
Miss Lou - a true revolutionary
The Editor, Sir:
Louise Bennett, Miss Lou, our cultural icon, can rest in peace with the knowledge that she has given her life to the recognition of the cultural identity of Jamaicans.
Miss Lou was born 81 years after the abolition of slavery and lived for 86 years. Her consciousness must be judged against the time and place in which she found herself in history. Continue
Demand for Miss Lou's work increases
Immortalised through her numerous works, Louise Bennett-Coverley's legacy will flourish for all time. Miss Lou had approximately five publications and 11 records. She also has countless books written about her work and contribution. Details
Miss Lou, my mentor
The Editor, Sir:
Miss Lou has been my mentor from the days of Ring Ding. I was not fortunate enough to be among the many children who joined her each Saturday morning for what I call a session of cultural awareness.
Apart from the fact that my parents were Seventh-day Adventists, my mother's beliefs were Eurocentric, hence she had very little tolerance for patois and anything of African ethnicity. Continue
'Miss Lou': A monumental figure in Jamaican culture
Louise Bennett-Coverly, who died yesterday in Toronto Canada, was arguably the most beloved of Jamaica's cultural figures. Report
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