The First Encounter of Caribbean Magazines, part 2

Dec 06, 2009 Features / Columnists, Guyanese Literature

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By Petamber Persaud

The first order of business on the first day of The First Encounter of Caribbean Magazines was registration, which was an awe-inspiring occasion where the best in the business of magazine production met in an informal atmosphere that was filled with excitement and anticipation.
The First Encounter of Caribbean Magazines was hosted by Casa de las Americas, Habana, Cuba, November 16 – 20, 2009.
If that informal gathering was the icebreaker, then the opening remarks by Yolanda Wood, Director of the Centre of Caribbean Studies, Casa de las Americas and organiser of this Encounter was the pacesetter. Here is an extract of that speech which was delivered in Spanish:
‘Trees tell stories. The town of San Cristóbal de La Habana today marks 490 years since it was founded. It was under a ceiba, on the shore of the port that the event became a legend. On this founding day for the city, we opened the meeting of Caribbean magazines. It may be a harbinger for bliss this space of dialogue that we opened this morning of November 16, 2009. Welcome to Habana [Havana] birthday; welcome to all the guests and speakers from twelve countries and several provinces in Cuba.
‘For the habaneros by birth or adoption, and newcomers who were already last night here and who – according to tradition – paid homage to ceiba, our best wishes. It is always gratifying achieving what we yearn. For Caribbean Studies and its Caribbean Annals Publishing Centre, the reality of this desired meeting, is cause for joy and satisfaction.
‘The idea was born in the space of this institution under the symbolic Fronde, the other protective tree of life, the Casa de las Américas which this year is celebrating its half a century of life, and this Chamber Che Guevara emblem, intense and fruitful. This meeting is a gift from ‘Anales’…, the youngest of the print journals of the House to his sisters.
Many reasons we meet and are all projected at this meeting of magazines to value the historical and contemporary trajectory of serials as Caribbean thought producers. In that regard this meeting was conceived so magazines talk, talk and exchange, leaving their pages and display restless and creative, develop strategies for collaboration and joint projects, spread with greater intensity by our libraries and information centres that will extend the hand and build networks to provide greater visibility.
‘In its purposes, goals and objectives, we want this meeting to be, in the words of Aimé Césaire who said of the magazine, it is ‘a centre of reflection, a space of thought’…. Sixty-eight of these same reasons then stimulate the idea of a meeting of magazines that emphasizes the value of movement, mass information media as recognized by George Lamming …. in his book ‘The Pleasures of Exile’.
‘As a project, this meeting fits very consistently in the Casa de las Américas revistera tradition and cultural ideals of its founder Haydee Santamaria. In the coming month’s magazine logo of the institution, Casa de las Américas will also meet fifty years. Rarely a cultural institution is born with a magazine under the arm….
‘But moreover this meeting gives continuity in this room that took place, the ‘revisteros meeting’, the cycle of conferences, ‘a century of Spanish and hispanoamericanas cultural magazines’ and the ‘symposium on the sources on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary magazine – “Origenes”’. To these major events should be added the frequency of five magazines published by Casa de las Américas monthly programmes, and which are accepted as invited presentations. Journals are essential in the vital rhythm of the House. They are news when they appear and reason for congratulations to members which make them when the latest appear.
‘Then welcome to this Caribbean space of journals to which we belong, feel the interest and wishes be here all of you and those who for various reasons could not be here has been very encouraging.
By its breadth and extension I will not make specific comments on the programme that we will go through these days. The complexity of structure to the diverse wizards publications landscape has been patient and arduous work in which I would like to acknowledge the careful coordination of Vilma Diaz and young professionals that integrate programme interdisciplinary graduate studies develop with the University of Havana Caribbean Studies Centre.
‘Dear friends, the days will be intense and we hope that the days are very productive. On this occasion I would like to repeat some phrases of Roberto Fernández Retamar when referring to certain attributes of magazines, he said that they are, ‘a dialogue with the time, a characteristic of their texts …this gives magazines, often, certain air of laboratory or workshop’.
‘A magazine meet is a set of voices, something collectively encouraged. These ideas of dialogue, itinerary, workshop and collective work, I would like to retain this that capture the spirit of this meeting, in a region where magazines have been ideas, platform space of cultural activism, livelihoods of generations and testimonies of his time. I will inaugurate The Encounter of Caribbean Magazines and who knows if one day why we call it ‘First’ because it is the good desire to ensure its continuity and be itinerant, no matter what we think today and so we have not asked yesterday revolving around the ceiba. The tree of life perhaps cannot grant them. Or if not, as all trees, this will also have the history of what happened in this First Encounter of Caribbean Magazines. Thanks a lot.’

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: [email protected]

What’s happening:
• This month, a celebration of the life and work of Martin Carter & a celebration of the life and work of Edgar Mittelholzer

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