Louise Bennett-Coverley, popularly known as “Miss Lou,” is a cultural figure in Jamaica known for spreading the rich Jamaican culture with every fiber of her being, both locally and abroad. This is expressed through poems and songs that extend to playwrights. Tania Hernandez, a Jamaican-Canadian novelist, educator, and folklorist, has written a new book on her.
The Miss Lou homage performer’s fourth book, Ay Ya Yai! Miss Lou: Voice of the Jamaican People was celebrated by a large crowd in Toronto, Canada’s Blackhurst Cultural Centre on a chilly winter afternoon.
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Kurt Davis, Jamaica’s consul general in Toronto, urged Hernandez to help others understand the value of writing and publishing books, saying, “This book celebrates the work and impact of the Honorable Louise Bennett-Coverley who was a trailblazer in promoting and solidifying the acceptance of Jamaica’s culture and heritage both at home and abroad.”
He mentioned that the Jamaican government had just declared the addition of a new national award category called “National Icon” to the country’s honors and awards program. He stated that Bob Marley and Miss Lou will be the first to get it, adding that she had previously received the Order of Merit, Jamaica’s third-highest honor.
According to Davis, Miss Lou was committed to showing Jamaicans that creating their identity and their language—Javanese Creole or Patois—were both crucial.
He remarked, “We have made huge strides because of Miss Lou and the army of persons like Tania Lou Hernandez who have and are continuing to strive to preserve and promote this cultural asset.”
Davis encouraged Jamaicans to be proud of their language and underlined its legitimacy. He emphasized the significance of teaching present and future generations, both locally and abroad, to take pride in their legacy and roots. Miss Lou recorded the lives of several people, according to Itah Sadu, the director of the Blackhurst Cultural Centre.
Davis stated to Hernandez, “Anytime that you document, it is a privilege and an honor in this Canadian landscape of literature.”
Hernandez’s many duties and attempts to preserve Jamaican culture were commended by Pamela Appelt, co-executor of Miss Lou’s estate, who honored Miss Lou’s legacy. As she performed Louise Bennett-Coverley’s poetry, she remarked on Hernandez’s pride and said she joined notable writers such as Mervyn Morris, Honor Ford-Smith, Lorna Goodison, Olive Senior, and Lillian Allen in honoring Miss Lou.
“Through you, Miss Tania, the memories of Miss Lou will grow more precious and will forever bloom in our hearts just the way Miss Lou left us with an afterglow of smiles and laughter and a beautiful commitment to the country of her birth and her adopted country, Canada.”
Hernandez was commended by Paula de Ronde, founder of Arts and Culture Jamaica Inc., for continuing Miss Lou’s legacy as a multi-dimensional “performance biographer” and extending it for next generations. At the event, Carolyn Goulbourne and Enid Edwards also made remarks. Hernandez said she learned from Miss Lou the value of honoring Patois in addition to English.
The book honors “Miss Lou’s extraordinary contributions, from her global recognition as a folklorist and entertainer to her beloved Ring Ding show.”The Louise Bennett-Coverley Estate supports Hernandez because of her charitable endeavors, commitment to conserving Jamaican culture, and preservation of Miss Lou’s legacy.
