Cultural diversity through the literary arts from the region are on display at the National Library from August 19 – 30. The exhibition titled: “Award Winning Caribbean Authors” is a collaborative effort of the National Library and Information System Authority (Nalis) and the Bocas Lit Fest for Carifesta XIV.

Crossing genres, the materials on display are the offerings of 24 award winning Caribbean authors; some well-established and some up and coming. Their works convey their wild thoughts, raw emotions, bold visions, savoury and decadent tastes. Viewing this exhibition is a must for this year’s Carifesta.

The authors whose works are on display come from 11 Caribbean countries. You are invited to discover Zee Edgell from Belize whose first novel ‘Beka Lamb’ (1982) was written while she lived in Afghanistan, the United States and Bangladesh. Edgell was awarded the Canute Broadhurst Prize for her short story, ‘My Uncle Theophilus’ in 1999. The novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ which brought Dominica’s Jean Rhys international fame is also being showcased. Learn about Grenada’s Jacob Ross who in 2017 won the Jhalak Prize for Book of the Year written by a writer of colour and Guyana’s Imam Baksh whose first and second books won the CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult fiction in 2015 and 2018 respectively.

Become acquainted with St. Lucia’s Kendel Hippolyte, poet and playwright; Trinidad and Tobago’s own Jeanelle Frontin’s science fiction renderings the YaraStar trilogy and Alecia McKenzie of Jamaica whose works have been translated into French. This year, Trinidad and Tobago’s Andre Bagoo and Brinsley Samaroo won the One Caribbean Media (OCM) Bocas Prize award in the categories of Poetry and Non Fiction respectively. The works of the aforementioned named authors are just a prelude to the cultural explosion that is the literary arts portion of Carifesta XIV.

Nalis and Bocas Lit Fest hope that this taste of award winning authorship will serve to encourage persons to expand their knowledge and appreciation of as well as lend their support to local and regional writers and Caribbean literature. Building on this year’s Carifesta theme which is Connect, Share and Invest, NALIS and Bocas Lit Fest invite all to Connect with the authors through the written word, Share a thoughtful comment in the guest book at the exhibition and Invest some time and effort in getting to know our Caribbean authors at the Book Fair at the CARIFESTA village.

CARIFESTA 2019 provides a forum for Caribbean people, Caribbean artists and Caribbean entrepreneurs to showcase the best of their national culture and explore ways of constructing stronger national, regional and creative ties.