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April 21, 2008
bron The Daily Herald
Saba had the honour of being the first of the Windward Islands to host the
Youth Literature Festival on Friday. On hand were festival organisers August Emanuel
and Udo Aron, from the St. Maarten Zeus Foundation. Emanuel and Aron had conceived
the project, which is funded by Antillean youth organisation SNAYP and the
Department for Development Cooperation. Earlier in the day, the men had spoken to
students at Saba Comprehensive School, encouraging them to pursue literary
expression.
The evening performance had been attended by a full audience, including
Lt. Governor Sydney Sorton. Six young artists had performed on the stage at the
Eugenius Center: Two from Saba, one from Statia, and three from St. Maarten. An
additional treat was a dramatic reading of several Esther Henry reads her patriotic
poem about Saba. The Saba Youth Cultural Group is in the background. poems in Dutch
from Saba Elementary School's Dutch teacher Monique Beek who hails from Suriname.
Chulani Levenstone was Master of Ceremonies and had started the programme by
inviting a performance by the Saba Youth Cultural Group, who undoubtedly had given
their best public performance even under the guidance of Everard Blackman, who had
coached the group and had accompanied their singing on the guitar. Esther Henry (13)
had stepped forward from the group to recite her poem to Saba, which she called a
"cultural plantation" because of its diversity. Henry had been followed by Tracy
Zagers-Johnson (28), who read a children's short story that she had written when
she was 11. St. Martiners Glender Duzon (22) and Terry Violenes (25) read their
poetry. Duzon had shared several of her very personal, self-refl ective poems, which
portray her misgivings and strengths growing up. Terry Violenes (25) had addressed
more personal political issues in "Blissful Ignorance," "Where future meets Past,"
and "Modern Day Slave." His rendering taken on an almost rap-like rhythm that added
to the power of his words. Molicia Egen (26), also from St. Maarten, read from her
children's story, which she written when she was 13. Statia's Rhea Courtar (23) had
also shared several of her poems with the audience. The subjects of her poems had
varied from praise of her island to verses intended to inspire youth to attain more.
The evening closed with a final performance by the Saba Youth Cultural Group. All
performers will present their work April 25 on St. Eustatius and on St. Maarten on
May 9.
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