JCA’s Boonoonoonos Brunch Celebrates 100 Years of Miss Lou

BY: SHAUNA-KAY CASSELL

This year the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) held their 19th Annual Boonoonoonos Brunch on Sunday, February 10^th, 2019, to commemorate the Jamaican cultural icon, Mrs. Louise Bennett-Coverley, more familiarly known as “Miss Lou” under the theme, “Celebrating Miss Lou’s 100 Come Mek Wi Have A Boonoonoonos Brunch.”

Miss Lou, a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator, who writes and performs her poems in Jamaican Patios continues to inspire us today. “This is the centennial year of the birth of Miss Lou…she was a pioneer in promoting our language at a time when it was not popular to do so,” says the Honourable Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in the Government of Jamaica in her greetings.

The annual brunch, which began in 2000, was held as a Black History Month celebration, and its purpose was to raise money for the JCA. However, the event has continued over the years and is now embedded as a cultural tradition. “I am so pleased that this event continues to garner so much attention and support,” says Adaoma Patterson, President, JCA.

The cultural performers for the afternoon were: playwright and actress, Marcia Brown, poets, Nadine Williams, and Jermaine Cowie, the Elite Dance Troupe, and author, Nadia L. Hohn, all graced the stage with their magnanimous presence, filling all 300 guests with bellyfuls of laughter. This brunch serves as a way of keeping Miss Lou’s legacy and spirit alive in our culture, and in each of our hearts. “It was moving to see a new generation of children and young adults embrace the lessons and cultural pride Miss Lou was so famous for,” expressed Patterson. “Indeed, the ackee and saltfish coupled with the callaloo and festival were exactly what the doctor ordered,” added Janet Lewis, Fundraiser Chair, JCA.

The JCA utilized this year’s Boonoonoonos Brunch to recognize and award the Harbourfront Centre and McMaster University for playing a historic role in embedding Miss Lou’s legacy into the Canadian Mosaic. At the Harbourfront Centre, visitors can tour Miss Lou’s Room: Interactive Exhibition Space, to observe photographs and listen to performances and recordings. Likewise, McMaster University Library has digitalized Miss Lou’s fonds, that is, all of her materials reflecting her life and legacy are now available for anybody around the world to see.

The Jamaican Canadian Association’s (JCA) mission is to deliver programs, including services to the community. The organization provides a physical hub, and advocates to improve the well‐being and equity of Jamaican, Caribbean and African‐Canadian communities within the Greater Toronto Area. It is a volunteer-led organization and has existed for over 56 years.

The JCA’s  Boonoonoonos brunch was a resounding success this year. It not only fed our bellies with good ole Jamaican cuisine, ackee and salt fish, callaloo and festival, but it also served us bellyfuls of laughter, and our hearts with rich cultural performances in our cultural language, Patois. The afternoon was a reminder that, like our cultural icon, we too can break free of the status quo.