All posts tagged: culture

Plastic, Caught In Our Blind Spots

Published by

Christine Ren, is making waves with her thought provoking art, drawing attention to environmental issues.  Her piece entitled, “Blind Spots” is mind blowing.  A satirical piece, sparking conversation about environmental concerns as it makes an interesting commentary on society’s consumption of plastic.  The portrait of a girl blindfolded with a shopping cart full of plastic products that are cascading out of the cart and into the ocean, is perfectly constructed to highlight society’s behavior in terms of not taking ownership or responsibility for the massive accumulation of plastic that has over years been dumped into the ocean.  It shows how easy it is for society to lose sight of critical environmental issues that are right in front of us and problems that are increasing.  And, if not lose sight of a glaring issue, the ease and ability we have to push it out of our minds or into our blind spots to avoid dealing with it. Christine’s art forces us to stare at the blatant issue of plastic pollution and face the reality of a …

To The Beat Of The Steel Pan

Published by

It is with great pleasure to announce the upcoming performance by Mr. Earl La Pierre, playing the steel pan at Earth Hour, Saturday 28th March, at The Crescent, Camana Bay. Steel pan music is the rhythm to the beating heart of Cayman. Earl La Pierre, formerly of St Clair, Port-of-Spain Trinidad, has made his mark in the music realm with his exceptional talent playing the steel pan. In 1986, Earl headed to the Cayman Islands to take part in the Pirates Week Festival. This created an opportunity for him to teach pan. He has dedicated over 18 years in the Cayman Islands teaching pan and performing, winning a multitude of awards. He opened up a school called Cayman School for Pan. He teaches pan to primary, middle, and high schools, as well as Catholic Schools in Grand Cayman. His lifetime experience and knowledge in music and playing the pan has made a great impact on both the culture and youth of Cayman. Teaching pan to the youth of Cayman, is something Earl takes pride in …

Silver Thatch: Cayman’s National Tree

Published by

Our beautiful island that is set in the deep blue Caribbean Sea, is graced with a handful of majestic trees, such as the Cayman Logwood, Mahogany and Silver Thatch Palm.  The Silver Thatch Palm is Cayman’s sacred national tree.  A unique tree which is indigenous to Cayman.  I find that there is a greater abundance of Silver Thatch on the eastern side of the island.  It is a spectacular view to see the Silver Thatch palms swaying in the refreshing sea breeze, untouched, scattered along the remote and undeveloped areas in East End and North Side. When I hear the words Silver Thatch the first thing that comes to mind is Caymanian Heritage.  I think of the wonderful items handcrafted by Caymanians such as Silver Thatch, baskets, hats, fans and rope.   Back in the olden days Silver Thatch had two primary uses, such as: making thatch rooftops and rope.   A thatch roof would last up to 5-6 years.  There is an old folklore claiming that the thatch palms would be harvested during the night of …

Got Culture? Silver Thatch: A Caymanian Tradition

Published by

Photo Credit: Adonza Harrison One of my all time favorite Caymanian traditions is Silver Thatch weaving.  The Silver Thatch Palm is Cayman’s National Tree.  It is one of the most unique trees on the planet.  The upper-side of the palm is a lush green, whilst underneath is silver.  Here’s a little secret about Silver Thatch, when the moonlight catches the silvery side of the palm, it looks absolutely glorious.  Silver Thatch Palm is not only a beautiful icon of the Cayman Islands, but a very versatile plant. When I think of Caymanian Heritage I think of the beautiful baskets, hats, thatch rope, fans and those old time Caymanian shoes called “wompers” all made with love and the Silver Thatch Palm.  I remember as a child going to visit each district’s Heritage Day during Pirates Week, and my favorite part was getting to see the sweet old Caymanian ladies weaving their thatch baskets and sharing their memories of what it was like growing up in Cayman back in the day.  It’s a proud Caymanian tradition.  Using …