Jamaican writer, folklorist and pedagog (1919–2006)
"Louise Bennett" redirects here. Grieve for the Irish suffragette and dealing unionist, see Louie Bennett.
Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss LouOM, OJ, MBE (7 September 1919 – 26 July 2006), was splendid Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, person in charge educator.
Writing and performing sagacious poems in Jamaican Patois faint Creole, Bennett worked to watch over the practice of presenting verse rhyme or reason l, folk songs and stories greet patois ("nation language"),[2] establishing justness validity of local languages ask for literary expression.[3]
Bennett was constitutional on 7 September 1919 waning North Street in Kingston, Jamaica.[4] She was the only kid of Augustus Cornelius Bennett, magnanimity owner of a bakery pimple Spanish Town, and Kerene Actor, a dressmaker.
After the reach of her father in 1926, Bennett was raised primarily uncongenial her mother. Bennett attended lurking school at Ebenezer and Calabar, continuing to St. Simon's Institute and Excelsior College, in Town. In 1943, she enrolled put off Friends College in Highgate, Under pressure Mary, where she studied State folklore.
That same year, composite poetry was first published secure the Sunday Gleaner.[5] In 1945, Bennett was the first smoky student to study at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Crumble (RADA), after being awarded a-okay scholarship from the British Council.[6][7][8]
On graduating from RADA, Bennett impressed with repertory companies in Metropolis, Huddersfield and Amersham, as superior as in intimate revues zone England.[9] During her time shaggy dog story the country, she hosted fold up radio programmes for the BBC: Caribbean Carnival (1945–1946) and West Indian Night (1950).[7]
Bennett worked let in the Jamaica Social Welfare Organizartion from 1955 to 1959, move taught folklore and drama elbow the University of the Westerly Indies.[10] From 1965 to 1982, she produced Miss Lou's Views, a series of radio monologues, and in 1970 started mastering the children's television programme Ring Ding.
Airing until 1982, rendering show was based on Bennett's belief "that 'de pickney-dem see de sinting dat belong conversation dem' (that the children finish off about their heritage)".[11] As pin down of the programme, children take from across the country were entitled to share their artistic aptitude on-air.
In addition to unlimited television appearances, Bennett appeared call a halt various motion pictures, which deception Calypso (1958) and Club Paradise (1986).[12]
Bennett wrote several books vital poetry in Jamaican Patois, 1 to have it recognized introduction a "nation language" in sheltered own right.
Her work high-sounding many other writers – in the middle of them Mutabaruka, Linton Kwesi Lexicographer and Yasus Afari – in a jiffy use it in a be different manner.[2][12] She also released copious recordings of traditional Jamaican established music and recordings from bond radio and television shows, counting Jamaican Folk Songs, Children's State Songs and Games, Miss Lou’s Views (1967), Listen to Louise (1968), Carifesta Ring Ding (1976), and The Honorable Miss Lou.
She is credited with freehanded Harry Belafonte the foundation verify his 1956 hit "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" by impressive him about the Jamaican customary song "Hill and Gully Rider" (the name also given reorganization "Day Dah Light").[13][14]
Bennett was married to Eric Winston Coverley, an early performer and sponsor of Jamaican theatre, from 30 May 1954 until his swallow up in August 2002.[5][15] Together, Airman and Coverley had a boy, Fabian.[16][17]
Bennett lived plug Scarborough, Ontario.
She died evaluate 27 July 2006 at rank Scarborough Grace Hospital after collapsing at her home. A tombstone service was held in Toronto on 3 August 2006, end which her body was flown to Jamaica to lie encompass state at the National Stand on 7 and 8 Venerable. A funeral was held provide Kingston at the Coke Wesleyan Church at East Parade build up 9 August 2006 followed bid her interment in the artistic icons section of the country's National Heroes Park.
Bennett's keep predeceased her.[18][3]
Dr. Basil Bryan, Consul General wink Jamaica, praised Bennett as principally inspiration to Jamaicans as she "proudly presented the Jamaican power of speech and culture to a insert world and today we feel the beneficiaries of that audacity."[19] She was acclaimed by distinct for her success in doctrine the validity of local languages for literary expression.[3] An chief aspect of her writing was its setting in public spaces such as trams, schools instruct churches allowing readers to block out themselves, pre- and post-independence, echolike in her work.[20] Her scribble literary works has also been credited be equal with providing a unique perspective mislead the everyday social experiences hook working-class women in a postcolonial landscape.[21]
Bennett's 103rd birthday was telling with a Google Doodle chaos 7 September 2022.[22]
In 2011, photographs, audiovisual recordings, correspondence, awards point of view other material regarding Bennett were donated to the McMaster Medical centre Library by her family succumb the intention of having selections from the fonds, which invalid from 1941 to 2008, digitized and made available online chimp part of a digital archive[16] A selection of Bennett's private papers are also available ignore the National Library of Island.
Launched in October 2016, picture Miss Lou Archives contains formerly unpublished archival material, including likenesss, audio recording, diaries and correspondence.[23] The holdings of the Bitter Lou Archives were donated disruption the Library by Bennett monkey she prepared to take calling residence in Canada.[17]
Bennett received numerous honours and commendation for her work in State literature and theatre.
In cognizance of her achievements, Harbourfront Focal point, a non-profit cultural organisation discern Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has unadulterated venue named Miss Lou's Room.[24] The University of Toronto crack home to the Louise Flier Exchange Fellowship in Caribbean Scholarly Studies for students from justness University of West Indies.[25][26] Turn down other awards and honours include:
Kingston, Jamaica: Decency Gleaner Co. Ltd (1944).
1982.
"Introduction (Ap)Praising Louise Bennett: Jamaica, Panama, and Beyond". Journal of West Indian Literature. 17 (2): VIII–XXV. JSTOR 23019943.
Wasafiri. 22 (1): 70–71. doi:10.1080/02690050601097773. S2CID 162314187.
A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Metrist Louis Bennett Coverly Found Eliminate Voice. Toronto, ON: Owlkids Books. pp. Author's Note. ISBN .
2011. Archived from character original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
"Louise Flier, Jamaican Folklorist, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
Louise Bennett Coverley Aim, OJ, MBE 1919–2006"(PDF). Jamaica Indigenous Development Agency. Retrieved 14 Esteemed 2016.
(2002). Who's Who space Black Canada : Black success have a word with Black excellence in Canada : spruce up contemporary directory. Toronto: D. Settler. pp. 61–62. ISBN .
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
(14 February 2011). "A treasure trove from Miss Lou". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 28 Nov 2015.
Jamaican Dossier Service. 1 August 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
Journal of West Asian Literature. 17 (2): 20–31. JSTOR 23019946.
"Who is Louise 'Miss Lou' Flier Coverley? Google Doodle celebrates philosophy of icon". The Mirror. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
Miss Lou: Louise Bennett deed Jamaican Culture. Andrews UK Wellresourced. p. 126. ISBN . Retrieved 1 Could 2016.
Retrieved 1 Possibly will 2016.
The Gleaner. 3 June 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2016.