Zahra Gordon

Blog Archive 2010-2020

  • KAISO! Part 7 (& a half): Mas Women & Women Behind De Mas

    Female Masquerader Carnival 2010, Leslie Robertson-Toney                                         Around this time last year the Washington DC based…

  • A short word on the "Best New Artist"

    This part of Steve Stoute’s letter is where I really started shaking my head: “how is it that Justin Beiber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not…

  • In Solidarity: Ending Mass Incarceration

    Think of Haiti, think of Los AngelesThink of South Africa, think apartheidSisphyian curse- Black America’sForever to struggleAgainst subordination at home; against oppression-Fighting to ensure that justice         and fairplay are assuredThat Black…

  • KAISO! part 6: Buhwamoder, Modern Minstrel. But wha de modda?

    For the sake of time and the Twitteratti, who in this day and age for the most part cannot take long, heavily cited blogs, I will try to keep this short and get straight…

  • KAISO! Part 5: What about the music?

    Asking the question why Buhwamoder gets more airtime than Kurt Allen in Trinidad is the same as asking why Lil’ Wayne gets more airtime than Talib Kweli in the US. To me, it seems…

  • (re)-viewing black history month: interview with south-african activist Andile Mngxitama

    February has now come to be known as Black History Month  (BHM) in the US. Initially Negro History Week, since 1915 the celebration of black achievement pioneered by Carter G. Woodson has transformed into a month…

  • KAISO! Part (4): Moko Jumbie

    Gayelle The Channel has launched their coverage of Carnival and as usual they have some great programming. There was a segment on recently about the Keylemanjahro Moko Jumbie School  showing the processes behind concepts…

  • KAISO! Part 3: Gripping for Dear Life Behind A Skirt

    Doused in blue paint and demanding money he drew nearer. “Pay de devil!” he sang while ferociously beating his biscuit-tin drum. This is mas? Or this is madness? I being too young to tell the difference…

  • KAISO! Part 2: de reason why

    so why do i care about (anti) master narratives, mas and a set of other things people already dash by de way side? its simple: memory is a hell of a thing and i…