Boston catches painter's eye in new show

Wandeka Gayle's rendition of Boston beach

Among painter Wandeka Gayle's inspirations, as this Gleaner piece shows, is the famous Boston beach (her impression of it anyway).

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120513/arts/arts4.html

Gayle opened her exhibition and launched a short volume of poetry, at Kingston's Red Bones art gallery

Prelude to Pork

Strolling towards the Boston jerk Centre yesterday, we came across this process: a pig been stripped an cleaned in preparation for jerking - such activities were in full swing with the Boston Jerkfest on for tomorrow (Sunday, April 8).

We also spent a little time with one of the enterprising

craft-sellers, who wasted no time showing us "artistry" and explaining his motivations.




Then later that evening, a perfect benefaction: the full moon peeping through the lush growth of the coastal main. its a sight many take for granted, particularly those hurtling along in the mini-buses and shuttle taxis plying the east-west corridor.

But we couldn't let it pass.

Ships Ahoy for Portie

The parish of Portland figured prominently in the Saturday edition of the Gleaner, what with the upcoming Boston Jerk Festival and other events (see my upcoming post on "Super Sunday"). this one highlights potential opportunities for the Marina against the backdrop of initial signs of a thaw in strict US snactions against travel to Cuba.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120331/news/news1.html

Surf's Up, Part II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC2c6dGDLRo&feature=relmfu

Came across this in a "semi-random search" (if such a thing can be) of Portland links. Check it out. the guys are doing a lot with little.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC2c6dGDLRo&feature=relmfu

Boston in the News(II): Surf - and School - Is Up

The Jamaica Surfing Association recently received a letter from a few of its members from the North Coast chapter who are seeking support in the form of a grant in order to  fund the construction of  a school near the beach that would benefit children in the Boston Bay area of Portland.

According to Denyse and Tristan English, once children in the area become comfortable with the sea in this sea-side community, they become excited to learn to surf. Therefore, the fund would allow them to combine the children’s love for the beach and love for learning by building their school in a permanent location near to the beach.

“One reason it seems like a great idea to link up with Jamaican Surfing Association is that JSA offers scholarships to young surfers with academic promise. We’d like to give the youth of Boston more opportunities to win those scholarships, accomplishing high marks with the help of our school, which will give both academic tutoring and opportunities to learn to surf,” said Denyse and Trystan.

The duo aim to accomplish this by promoting youth empowerment through a focus on a broad educational program. The course will begin with the ABCs of reading and writing, and cover topics such as Jamaican history, geography, arts and music, environmentalism, nutritional awareness, and physical fitness that focuses on water safety and surfing.

The program, which is currently being run outdoors on the beach, has has a significant impact on the lives of young students. “The students have shown loads of love and dedication towards the school. Children who haven’t had much experience with the sea have learned to become familiar with it by having lessons on the beach, which involved swimming tutorials, diving, discovering creatures and just playing in the waves,” says the duo.

Although these Portland youths enjoy this environment and are eager to learn, Denyse and Tristan are experiencing several challenges that are affecting the smooth operation of their education program.

“We’ve been through tough challenges at times, so that we had to put the school on hold for a few weeks but the children found this unacceptable, and they came to get me at home three days in a row, straight after school! They expressed their desire to study every single day. Three times a week is not enough for them! This is difficult, because at the moment we don’t have our own space. Weather and time constraints don’t always permit us to meet on the beach, so we’ve been having lessons on the grass near a busy main road.”

Both Denyse and Tristan are motivated by the dedication and thirst for knowledge that they have seen in their students, and, despite recent challenges, are committed to the development of Jamaican youth. “Our ambition is to fulfill our students’ desires; they are thirsty for knowledge, curious about the world, and they deserve to have the opportunity to learn! We feel we simply can’t let them down.”

“Boston Bay is a place that naturally invites children of all ages to learn to play in the water. It is also a perfect spot to nurture the next generation of Jamaican Surf Association champions. We want everyone to be able to try surfing, but for those who display talent and determination, we want to help them attain their goals of JSA scholarships and team membership. We will focus on the whole child, so that surf training doesn’t take priority over school work and studies. We want the surfing youths of Boston Bay to be well-rounded: literate, knowledgeable about the geography of Jamaica and other places they may visit in the world, able to handle money and travel, as well as being great surfers. We want them to be active citizens, who are a credit to their community, who will one day come back to help the next group of children coming up behind them.”

For more information, or to see how you can help with this cause, contact the Jamaica Surfing Association at 876.750.0103 or email jasurfas@hotmail.com

From the Jamaica Surfing Assn via surfgirlja

Boston in the News (I): Jerk Swings Home

Having secured a ringing endorsement from newly elected Member of Parliament Dr Linvale Bloomfield, the coastal town of Boston, Portland, will see the return of its jerk festival on Sunday, April 8.

For residents, the news couldn't have come at a better time, with many saying they had given up hope of ever seeing the festival again staged in the popular east Portland community.

"Boston is the official home of jerk and there's no way this community should not have its own jerk festival," said Karen James, a resident of neighbouring Fairy Hill. "Anywhere you go in the world and you see people jerking they will always claim they are from Boston. It is great that Jamaicans will once again be given the opportunity to come and be treated to the finest jerk dishes in the world."

Instant hit

The Boston Jerk Festival began in 2000 and became an instant hit with patrons across Jamaica. However, in 2007, organisers, saying the festival had "outgrown" Boston, moved the event to the Folly Great House in Port Antonio. The event also changed names to become known as The Portland Jerk Festival.

Dr Bloomfield, however, noted that the Boston name was not only synonymous with jerk worldwide, but that a festival "at the home of jerk" was a fitting way for Portlanders to commemorate Jamaica's 50th anniversary celebrations.

"I am very pleased with this initiative and it has my full support," the MP explained.

Coordinator of the event, Stephen Williams, was quick to point out that the Boston festival has nothing to do with the annual Portland Jerk Festival which is held on the first Sunday in July, noting "it's very important that the distinction is made".

"Ours will be the Boston Jerk and Cultural Festival," Williams noted. "We will be assembling some of the finest jerk men in the world and patrons will again have the opportunity to taste the real Boston authentic jerk dishes. If you have never been to Boston then you have never truly tasted jerk."

The festival, he said, will be a day filled with entertainment and great food, including the traditional jerk pork and chicken, roast fish, breadfruit, festival and other delicacies.

Parking facilities, Williams added, will be at Fairy Hill, the Boston playing field, and also at neighbouring Castle.

"We will also have a two-way shuttle bus system for patrons coming in from the Port Antonio route and those coming from the St Thomas side. We have also moved to a bigger venue at the Boston Community Centre," he said.

Safety of patrons

The police, he said, will be on hand to direct traffic, and to ensure the safety of patrons. The entertainment package will include popular reggae artistes George Nooks, Jimmy Riley, Tinga Stewart, Specialist, Harry Toddler, Hero, Contractor, Toya, Foota Hype, Dadda, Junior Mervin, Javaughn Genius, Major Mackerel, Food Kartel, PZ, Leroy Gibbons, Eddie Fitzroy, Carl Dawkins, Foxy Brown and Ruffian.

Section of Boston Jerk Centre

There will also be a cultural village, a kiddies' village and other local acts. Admission is $800 for adults and $400 for children.

The venue is located just a stone's throw from the Boston Jerk Centre, and less than half an hour east of Port Antonio's town centre.

This year, patrons can expect a wide variety of foods, with the addition of conch, mutton, shrimp and lobster, all cooked in traditional authentic jerk sauce. Vegetarian meals will also be available.

Title sponsor for the event is Wisynco. There is a host of associate sponsors, including Tropical Vibes, Downsound Records, Petal's Variety, Bay View Villas, IRIE FM, and North Coast Times.

-From The Gleaner, March 15, 2012