GREAT BAY (September 28, 2000) – On Saturday, September 30, the weekend cultural venue will be at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library to experience the always unexpected from poet Lasana M. Sekou. The solo performance is called “Big Up St. Martin.” Show time: 8 PM.
“Lasana has published five books by different authors this year. We know he is busy as projects director for House of Nehesi Publishers but his people haven’t heard him read in a public performance in over a year,” said Shujah Reiph of Conscious Lyrics, the radio magazine and organizer of yearly cultural activities. “In June the Dutch news-papers raved about his recital in Rotterdam but what about us?” Reiph joked.
“I’m glad that Lasana agreed to read some of his new poetry for the 10th anniversary celebration of the St. Martin flag. The flag symbolizes the history, culture, and unity of the people from both sides of our island and embraces all who make up the St. Martin nation today.
“Lasana’s poetry makes us look at ourselves in new ways and as a whole people. His performance is usually full of drama and relates to us like a singer or a rapper what is happening in our time, in our land, and how we are dealing or not dealing with it.” The recital is organized by Conscious Lyrics and concludes its month-long celebration of the multi-color banner that is also called the cultural flag, the unity flag and the National Flag of St. Martin.
Sekou’s poetry will touch on issues or topics like the IMF, immigration, tourism, drugs, nation building, romance, constitutional changes, culture, and succession land. Some of the poems will be accompanied by music.
Reiph said that the final anniversary function will include a chronological exhibition of the flag. Bumper stickers and jewelry style lapel pins of the flag will be sold to raise funds for Conscious Lyrics to purchase larger flags, which are now out of stock.