Saluting Young Champions 🏅

Greetings as usual to my readers from all parts of the globe - Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Nigeria, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam. If I had to invite you to Barbados, we would look like a United Nations meeting! Blessings to all 🙏🏽.

Today I'm saluting this nation's sporting champions. 

Since July 28, 2022, when the Commonwealth Games began, it marked the commencement of eight weeks of success for Barbadians in different disciplines - and different meets as well.

I begin by toasting one of our golden girls. Track athlete Sada Williams, who trains in Jamaica, won the Commonwealth Games 400 metres in a Championship record of 49.90 seconds. You can click the link to see her golden run.  Look at her, hardly breaking a sweat as we say in Barbados. That means she was very cool about it. 

                 Sada Williams on her way to the finish line at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Another Barbadian female was also in winning form - at another meet and in the discipline of cycling.  She is Amber Joseph who in mid-August won a gold and 2 silver medals at the Pan-American Track Cycling Championships in Peru. 

                                                   Barbadian Female Cyclist: Amber Joseph

Zane Maloney, still a teenager, has been making his mark on the FIA Formula 3 Circuit. He ended his season on three consecutive wins after some issues in earlier rounds to end the tournament in 2nd place overall.  Keep flying the flag for the 246 Zane. 

                            Zane Maloney, a young Barbadian on FIA Formula 3 Circuit.  

Now to some guys who have found their winning ways since the Hero CPL 2022 began on August 30, 2022.  It is a complete turnaround for them as they were at the bottom of the points standings last year.  In the previous year they were 5/6.  Not encouraging. So I wasn't following. Still, I kept hearing the news clips and they won game after game after game.  At the time of writing, they had played 9 games and won all 9.  So, props to them. 👏🏽 

Of course, they have one more game and then the qualifiers. So it does not mean they will end up champs. Still after the last 2 years, a top 4 finish is creditable.  To emerge the overall winner would be the icing on the cake. Good luck to them.

                                        The Barbados Royals 2022 T20 Squad
 

I finish with the song Champion by Trinity Clarke - herself an international champion, having once won gold and silver awards at the World Championships of Performing Arts. Click to view a behind the scenes video as she sings. .

Cheers to Barbados' sporting Champions. 🥂

Until next time...

2022 Crop Over Music Is Sweetness Galore 🎶

Greetings to those who visited the pages from Barbados, Canada, Greece, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, USA, United Kingdom and Vietnam 😎

This is the most festive weekend in Barbados. It is the climax of our annual summer festival, Crop Over. 🎼🌞

There will be parties or shows all weekend long. Tonight is the finals of the calypso competition. On Monday, costumed revellers parade on one of the highways. Follow the links for scenes from 2019. It has been two long years since they got to enjoy the sun, the music, the drinks and sometimes even the rain. 

Perhaps being housebound for much of 2 years allowed the creative juices to flow for the calypsonians this year. The music is lyrical, melodious, unbelievable good.

I will begin on a light note. This one is by the Road March grandmaster, the Mighty Grynner. When I first heard it a couple of months ago, I wondered where they found it in the archives. It sounded so much like the Grynner of 35 years ago. That is an awesome thing. He won three successive road march titles on two occasions - 1983-85 and 1988, 1989, 1990. The melody of Grynner Behind Her is sweetness can't done. 

                The Mighty Grynner - Barbados' Tune-O-De-Crop (Road March) Grandmaster 

I would not be surprised if a woman wins this year's Calypso title. TC is ever consistent. This year she is the Kaiso Reporter.

        According to Terencia (T.C.) Coward-Thompson she "is an advocate for the nation" this year 

I'm always impressed by Chrystle Cummins-Beckles Holder, who has never won the local calypso title but is a repeat regional calypso queen. This year she is singing about all those things that drive her Crazy. Fantastic arrangement. 👍👍

  Chrystle Beckles-Holder has one of the most melodious arrangements of the 2022 Crop Over season

The reigning calypso monarch is William "Classic" Waithe. He has another witty and catchy socio-political commentary, Duh Get In which means "They Get In". It's simply classic. 

                                                            This is a Classic performance

I would love to feature Mr. Blood, who also has an excellent kaiso and is a performer. Perhaps the two year drought of new calypsos made us hungrier for what is on offer this year. To me, this is possibly the best set of final's tunes I've heard in more than 30 years of following Barbados' calypso finals. 

Still, I am saving my final spot for one of my fave local artistes, John  Yarde, who is a newcomer to the competition. He's remembering all those who have passed with a rendition that will live past the season. It is one of the first songs of the season to catch my attention and live in my memory. He's performing too early to win, in my opinion. Yet, I wish him and all of them good luck. It is such a fabulous pic-o-de-crop. 👍👍

                                  This is a rather suave image of Pastor John Yarde

'Til next time.🎆🎵🎺

A Woman Of Influence

It's been a couple of months since my last post, as usual I greet those who took the time to visit the pages since then. Hello to you who visited from Belgium, Barbados, Canada, Cayman Islands, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Jamaica, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and USA.👋  

I'm leaning on my feminist inclinations for another consecutive entry. The title speaks for itself.  It is no secret that the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley was selected as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People.

So, I will feature some recent clips of comments on her fave subjects - the climate crisis, global inequity and being one of the 100 Most Influential People on this planet. 

Prime Minister Hon. Mia Mottley - One of Time's 100 Most Influential People for 2022

She is described as "fearless", "speaking truth to power" on subjects such as "climate justice", global inequity, the vulnerabilities of small island developing states to name but a few.  

 

                                    Prime Minister of Barbados: The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley

Barbados is on the frontline of the negative effects of climate change - in the path of unpredictably stronger hurricanes, rising sea levels - thankfully the heat is not as unbearable as it is sometimes in Europe.  When the Prime Minister champions the cause of the need to act swiftly to effect the changes needed to promote climate change, she is speaking from experience.  

                         Barbados' Prime Minister - Championing climate justice and global equity

So, which musical selection to conclude a piece on this influential person? Having once managed a local band and with the Ministry of Culture within her portfolio, a selection from this year's Crop Over season should hit the spot. Listen to Nikita's infectious "Superwoman".

Barbadian Singer, Nikita

Don't ease up! 💥🎹🎷🎶🎧🎺🎸🎼

'Til next time.🎵

.

She Made A Difference

Greetings to my loyal readers. (I am so tempted to write: Dear Reader a la Lady Whistledown. 😉) The time is flying by. Between my responsibilities at work while acting in a higher position, being distracted by Bridgerton Season 2 🔥 and having 2 elderly dependents, I hardly have time to post. 

I am sorry to disappoint the "regulars". Whoever you are, I love you for your faithfulness to Keeping Buzzy.😍

Today is National Heroes Day in Barbados - and I spent my morning in online work-related meetings. Yes. 😫 It's a challenging time. To the Barbadian readers, a very Happy National Heroes Day to you.

In Barbados, the national heroes are being celebrated in song and with informative clips on their contribution to building this nation. I've featured some before with interesting dramatizations produced by the Barbados Government Information Service. If you've not visited that page, please do. I hope you will enjoy them.

Today, the Government of Barbados recognised healthcare workers for their tireless contribution to the local fight against COVID-19 over the last 2 years. My hero tribute today goes to Dr. Bronwen Glasford, who successfully treated my grandmother through a recent health crisis. My grandmother has since turned 99 years old. I have to thank everyone who also upheld her in prayer. It could've gone very differently; that is why I am thankful to Dr. Glasford. 🙏 

I don't know if my gran will live to see her 100th birthday as she became increasingly frail over the last 2 years. So, I'm sparing some thought for her today. She has battled long and hard in life and is to this day a survivor - especially since my mother and I both survived COVID-19 and were in home isolation where she lives with us. All 3 of us had a cough the same weekend. I knew to get them tested, I would need to get tested. I was positive. Then, my Mom was tested some days later. She was positive. Gran squirmed and knocked away the health worker's hand so I said not to do the test. The assumption is she would've been positive too. But we'll never know. 

As soon as my mother and I were discharged, a pre-existing problem became exacerbated and that was my Gran's health crisis. See why I have to be thankful? I know it's the grace and mercy of the Almighty that has kept her - well the 3 of us. So, I invite you to listen to this rendition of Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) by the lovely country singer, Reba McEntire. I originally had the Pentatonix version, but I had a change of heart and opted to feature a female. 

"My chains are gone, I've been set free,/My God, my Saviour has ransomed me/And like a flood His Mercy rains/Unending love, Amazing grace."

I know there are a lot of unbelievers in the world, but I can testify of healing and the power of prayer. I did not intend to preach today. That's how it goes sometimes. 

On that note, I'll leave you with this tribute to Barbados' first female National Hero, the Right Excellent Sarah Ann Gill, performed by another of my favourite entertainers, Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah. You can follow the link to hear the song. ☝ 

An artist's depiction of Barbados' fighter for religious freedom, the Rt. Excellent Sarah Ann Gill

I recently observed that of all of Barbados' National Heroes, it is the women, the Right Excellent Sarah Ann Gill and the Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty who've had a far-reaching international impact. The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers' cricketing exploits made him the most celebrated Barbadian known internationally - until Rihanna came on the scene. I don't need to recap her humanitarian work, business savvy or success as an entertainer. Follow the links for previous posts on her talents. While Sarah's petitions to the British Parliament (Barbados was a British colony from the 17th century until independence in 1966) resulted in the passage, in 1825, of legislation against religious persecution across all of the colonies. 

Until next time...

Shalom 🙏

Change-makers

Hello to everyone. 👋

I'm always amazed to see the countries my readers are from - Barbados, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the USA. Hmm...Russia? Ukraine? Side by side on my list...hmmm. Being side-by-side geographically hasn't worked. If only harmony would prevail. 

In Barbados February is dedicated to African Awareness and in the USA, it is Black History Month. That will be my theme for this entry. Perhaps, many of you read to find out about Barbados, or perhaps you may be a fan of someone featured. Still, I feel the need to enlighten as well as inform as I share my thoughts. 

This month the local call-in programmes were filled with chat about Rihanna unapologetically displaying her large baby bump given her status as a "National Hero". The fact is she said she was comfortable with her body and showing it even as a teenager. Her "National Hero" status may have more to do with her success in the entertainment and fashion world given that she came from a normal working class background - and she wasn't even an American. Still she conquered. Really there are many Barbadians who leave Barbados and make an indelible mark in their work in other nations. However, her fame in the international music arena propelled her to being a household name nationally. More power I say. ✊🏽 

Self-Made

On the topic of household names, I discovered a lovely Netflix drama based on Madame C.J. Walker, an African-American working class woman (actually a washer woman who made a living taking in laundry from other folks) who by the time of her death had become America's first Black female millionaire by creating products for the hair textures of African-American women and creating an African-American beauty culture at a time when there was no such focus for this community by the cosmetics industry. Self-Made was good, clean, educational viewing for most ages. I enjoyed Octavia Spencer's portrayal as the female lead. Besides, I need no excuse to see Blair Underwood plying his trade - though in this instance his character was less than exemplary. Click on the link below to view the trailer.  

   

                                      Octavia Spencer in the title role of Madam C. J. Walker

To Sir With Love

On January 6, 2022, fans heard the heart-breaking news that African-American actor, Sir Sidney Poitier was dead - age 94. Born in the US, but raised in Bahamas, we in the West Indies claim him as one of our own. My Mom in her youth was sweet on him and I have enjoyed seeing some of his movies. While I did not see Lilies of the Field for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, as a teen, I remember there was a special showing of To Sir With Love for school children at a local cinema and one of my school class' field trips was to go to see this movie. The theme song sung by Lulu is still a fave of mine. 

                     A younger Sir Sidney Poitier as teacher Mark Thackeray, who teaches his students life lessons 

Cheers to RiRi🥂

I began this blog on Rihanna's birthday. I did not get to finish it. Between work and household errands, I no longer have enough spare time to post even on a monthly basis, so you will not see as frequent posts.  

                                                       February marks Rihanna's birth month

Jerusalema

Now to the dance that took over the globe. I must've been the last person on the planet to discover this South African song with its infectious beat that made people from nuns to medical teams to flight crews dance the Jerusalema. Enjoy.

                                                       Illustration dedicated to the Jerusalema dance

'Til next time...
  

Shine Bright Like A Diamond Singer Made National Hero of Barbados

Just after midnight, at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, the world welcomed it's newest republic - the Caribbean island of Barbados! 😊 

Greetings to everyone who visited the page since the end of October.👋

Those of you who are not new to the blog know that in November the focus is on things Barbadian.

As I considered this November's topic, I wanted to pay tribute to a deceased trio who excelled in very different ways. Then Prime Minister, the Hon. Mia Mottley threw a Republic inauguration surprise - by announcing Robyn Rihanna Fenty as Barbados' 11th National Hero. Rihanna and her success has been one of my fave subjects in recognition of Barbados' Independence celebrations as you will see when you follow the links all the way back to my first feature on her for a school project.

                    Rihanna sits pretty at Barbados' inaugural Republic Status celebrations

Still I cannot post this blog without a few words on the late Dennis "DJ" Johnson, who died on November 2, 2021. He interviewed me and the team from work on more than one occasion during promotional segments and I used to work with his wife, Joycelyn. They would give me a lift to work on several occasions when they saw me at the bus stop decades ago. So I had to acknowledge his passing - publicly.

This much-loved veteran broadcaster was known for his frank comments as a talk show host of a popular call-in programme, "Down to Brass Tacks", and his exquisite musical taste when he was on-duty as an announcer - among other admirable traits. Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, the Hon. Wilfred Abrahams gave a fitting tribute on the late broadcaster.  

                        Veteran broadcaster, Dennis Johnson, at the mic doing what he loves

Other Barbadians who recently died and who made an indelible mark on Barbados in their specific fields of expertise were entrepreneur as well as Barbados and regional cricket legend, Rawle Brancker, and business magnate Sir Charles Williams, whose company literally "Moved the earth to please" as their popular slogan states in keeping with their major work as road builders and upscale real estate developers. May they rest in peace.

In tribute to these remarkable men, here is Edwin Yearwood's cover of Moving On (he is not featured, only the studio team).

For those who have not realized it, Barbados now has a President - Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason. So, the island has a female Prime Minister, a new and only second female National Hero, and a new female President.

                            Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason

 Here's to the world's newest republic - Barbados! 🥂

 

Here's To Dramaland 🥂

Keeping Buzzy took a trip around the world over the last few weeks. So I greet those who visited the page from: Barbados, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America. 👋

Having missed a few month's entries, I am writing 2 for this month on a similar theme - favourite historical dramas - this time from the Western hemisphere.

So happy viewing...

Bridgerton:

I was late to the party. Having been preoccupied with the Korean dramas and not having subscribed to Netflix, when an Fb contact mentionned how much she was enjoying it earlier in the year, I wasn't even curious. 

Then, when my computer crashed recently and I had to spend a whole weekend not being able to watch anything on my computer, I decided to get a Fire Stick. Guess What? It had to be configured. So I went a weekend with no access to anything other than cable - yawn. The smartphone is old...not much memory...no help in this situation. 

My first subscription on getting back the computer and having the Fire Stick in hand - Netflix. First drama watched - Bridgerton! Colourful. Diverse cast. RJP as the Duke - 👍👍.Then there are my fave girls, Penelope and Eloise - both unconventional for their time. If you haven't watched it, I'll say no more. Click for the trailer.

               Rather than the Duke of Hastings, RJP turned his character into a Duke of Hearts!

Downton Abbey:

Before Bridgerton, there was Downton Abbey - 5 seasons of it. Stellar cast. Sumptuous costumes. Witty barbs from the Dowager Countess. The only series I've ever watched in parts more than once. 

The Downton Abbey Cast

Poldark:

Another British series developed from novels with a heartthrob for a male lead and an excellent cast. A tortured Poldark returns from fighting in the American Civil War to find his first love married to his cousin 💔. This marks the beginning of a new love story.

                                                     A much-loved couple, Poldark and Demelza

A Caribbean Dream:

Can any of you imagine a Shakespeare play with a Barbadian twist? That is what A Caribbean Dream is and it was brilliantly done. Check this trailer for the showing in the UK. Vibrant. Exotic even. Just wonderful to view. 👍👍

As Barbados will be declared a republic in 30 days, perhaps I should have led with A Caribbean Dream? Home drums should beat first. 

Stay safe.

Until next time...