Belonging To Barbuda
Colourism Barbara Arrindell Colourism Barbara Arrindell

Belonging To Barbuda

Sally: You bring me here to ask foolish questions like that? You think anybody take time to tell enslaved people when and where they born? Many of us didn’t even know who bring us into this world, but not my children. I made sure that they grew up with me and that they knew their father.

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Naima
Carnival Bodies Nneka Nicholas Carnival Bodies Nneka Nicholas

Naima

She would not allow the creeping doubts from the previous months to dampen her spirit. Not while she had the rum in her system. She bobbed and weaved to make her feathers dance some more and so the stage lights could pick up the glitter on her skin

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my old foe
Colourism Shannon Meade Colourism Shannon Meade

my old foe

you make me a foreigner in my own country

where disbelieving citizens welcome me with open arms

because they think I bring tourism dollars.

you rear your sinister head every time i return

and make me wonder if this is why i left.

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Unlearning anti-Blackness
Colourism Annetta Jackson Colourism Annetta Jackson

Unlearning anti-Blackness

It was only after my hair started to grow into its own, after my hair started to gain length that the attitude they had changed. It went from “yuh good hair yuh cut off” to “you get your hair from me; you know Guyanese hair does grow long and nice”. Recently an aunt said in conversation that Black hair can only grow long if you’re mixed with something... I didn’t feel comfortable hearing that.

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Carnival Hangover</strong>
Carnival Bodies Joanne C. Hillhouse Carnival Bodies Joanne C. Hillhouse

Carnival Hangover

It have people who, when they play mas does get tired, does need to pee, does complain they foot burning them. Not her. And though she was the kind of can’t mash ants girl who never let no man pass his place with her – the very cliché of a stoosh bank employee, Carnival was different.

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