There was no gentle easing into this new year as I had to actually get a head start for my new responsibilities and activities – which will be intense and full on this year. I know I already spend time catching up late at night on my volunteering, but this will be more so in 2023. The days were cold and dull, and the nights even more so in the last few months. To beat the January Blues, I am having to make sure that I go out for walks in the daylight when I am not at work, and into the night and early hours, put in the extra time for organising and working as SLA President 2023. I usually have to sit with a blanket if it gets too cold – so I really have to be self-motivated to get my daily tasks completed. This is even more challenging with a full-on day job and a family – I had advice from a past president to make sure that I communicate my dinner times with the family. However, I try to focus on milestones by breaking down the year in achievable timeframes. With is in mind, I can stay focus and get through my daily, weekly, and monthly goals. This is what I am telling myself!
“Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” — Mark Twain
Socially, I have been able to do some interesting things, and they include going to an engagement party in Dalton. It was interesting to see the area change over the years and how a new generation of young people are now living and socialising in the area. I liked using the new Overground lines that can save so much time – as before I probably would have had to take an underground train and a bus from where I work. That night, I was pleased to be around friends and listen to some of their music that I probably would not hear often on the radio. And believe it or not – it was my first time on a Night Bus. You hear so many stories of attacks and not being safe at night, for I was only willing to get on a night bus because I was with friends and felt safe to be with them. It was also a lot cheaper than getting an Uber or Taxi. I am usually happy to drive for nightlife in town if I know I can park legally without getting a ticket. However, there is now congestion charges for certain times of the weekend, and so, I would only drive in if necessary.
Another weekend, I had no choice but to drive in as I had to drop my son at university. I had to pay the congestion charge but it seems the traffic was a bit better than it has been before the weekend charge extension. It was great to be near the river and round London Bridge, where I worked for four years. The area felt similar but obviously it was different. There were still some tourists around getting photos of the illuminated London Bridge. I was sad to see Hay’s Galleria very vacant of retail shops, but had memories of events I organised or attending in London’s Living room at the old City Hall, a fab information professional party I went to in the 1990s at the Cotton Centre, and more recently, at the News UK Building.
I had popped into the new shop called the Whisky Exchange, which was a homage to liquors, spirits and all the memorabilia that goes with it. There were all different types of gins, rum, whiskies etc that I haven’t seen before. The shop does events and tasting events, and it is a must to see if you enjoy ‘your drink’. It is the only other place I ever saw so many exclusive alcoholic drinks apart from the Duty-free section of an airport.
I was happy to be out in dull January although I was busy – sometimes going out helps you to relax, and that in itself is a good motivation. I finished the outing with a nice meal at a popular Bistro restaurant, but noticed that the prices have increased from a few years ago…obviously.
“Goal setting is the secret to a compelling future.” — Tony Robbins
Another way to keep self-motivation up in these cold days and nights was to spend time with friends. I was able to try out my gnocchi recipe again, which is so delicious that I savour each spoonful. I also make a Galette Des Rois to introduce our friends to the tradition which I have been doing with my French friend for about 20 years. We also spent some time celebrating Burns Night at friends who also introduce us to their Scottish traditions and food. I have also invited my friends for Diwali when we celebrate it usually on cold October or November nights. Spending time like these with friends are great for dark and cold nights.
I think it is no secret that I have put on weight in the last couple of years. I always try to keep fit but I still have not lost the weight I put on in the pandemic. I am motivated to each day to go out for a walk, especially if I am not in the office. The best part of walking around is observing all the interesting aspects of community that I see. Some of these range from a food bank popping up in a local shopping centre, to book swap areas, little free libraries and local art exhibitions. You are never too far away from some good causes in my local community.
“Nature has given us all the pieces required to achieve exceptional wellness and health, but has left it to us to put these pieces together.”—Diane McLaren
I am really feeling the cold as I write this blog post but what is keeping me going is thoughts of Spring and buying new plants and seeing longer sunny days. I don’t dislike winter and I accept the changing of the season but I do have to make sure that I push myself to get on with my tasks when the nights are cold and dark.
Once aspect of writing my blog is looking for stories, I want to share with you or topics I want to explore. I already know what I am going to write about next month. I just need to look out for inspiration and research some of the areas I am unaware about to make sure I understand the content I am sharing. I hope you see you soon, and this is enough to keep me optimistic and motivated!
“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” — Jim Rohn
We are continuing to get more in person events and this month I was able to go to some social events too. The EIU invited guests to a Breakfast Briefing with their Chief Economist on ‘The Global Economy’. This is the third time I attended one of their Breakfast Briefings, where I tend to come away feeling much more informed of the economic situation that we have to face. The last time I attended an EIU event was a few weeks before the pandemic with a warning of the impact of the coronavirus – but then no one could have predicted the scale of it! Now we are living in more uncertain times with a cost-of-living crisis, inflation, slow-down in economic growth, power shifts and more conflict in the world. It seems we really have to imagine a way out of this mess once more and therefore innovation, positive change and optimism are still in our tool kit. Some of the disruptions and adjustments require us to understand the dynamics we are in now, and how we can make things better.
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination”.
– Albert Einstein
One of the best aspects of the breakfast meeting was making my way across London early in the morning, and it was amazing to see the city waking up in the beautiful autumn sunshine. The skyline is truly changing all the time and you can see old merge with the new. It was a bit surreal for me as I walked from St Pauls with the World Reimagined project sculptures dotted around my walk to the Tate Modern. I was aware of the Imagine Project as my friend Vashti Harrison came over earlier this year to prepare her sculpture. The first one I saw is placed in St Pancras Station (which I mentioned last month). However, in the heart of the city, right next to St Paul’s Cathedral, are several sculptures expressing the truth of Capitalism and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It is a ground level project to showcase the role that the city of London played in this brutal history. It would be great if this is taught in British school in detailed – then we can see “the place the UK can hold in the world when it acknowledges its past and we are when we can give full dignity to all”. It was great to see the World Imagined physical sculptures in Black History Month – and do look at their great website design too.
Despite the amazing view over the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern, the briefing provided the facts and analysis which quickly brought me down to the contemporary world. It was interesting to hear the challenges we will be facing now, and some of the long-term predictions for the world for 2050. There has been a lot of uncertainties and shocks that have impacted on the world on recent years – there is hardship and some difficulties that we are experiencing due to geopolitical changes, costs, production and supply chains. It is good to hear about the positive impact that a country can have with immigration too, as people help growth as an economy and society grows. It interesting to hear that some countries are also using Covid control to maintain a sense of order, propaganda and power. The measures and mechanics used to stimulate growth is interesting to hear about as we navigate these difficult times. Perhaps knowing that the economic landscape can be fragile, we can then use more sustainable and shock-resistant measures. Hopefully we can prosper again as we develop, provide and benefit from fair and sensible economic strategies and activities.
Whilst at the Tate Modern, I also had a quick whiz around the main exhibition which was a very large art installation from the Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuna called Brian Forest Quipu. It was great to hear how stories and pieces of traditional significance were woven into fabrics. The narrative, storytelling and poems on the wall were great at highlighting knowledge systems from indigenous cultures. The installation was accompanied with sound and movement – it was truly immersive to get into the zone that the piece has created. It made me think of cultural knowledge systems and forms – from oral history, stories on sculptures, manuscripts, various print and non-print formats. It doesn’t matter where we come from in the world – it seems that there is a natural instinct for the human condition to provide a heritage for our people in the present, and for the future. We must continue to recognise and respect other peoples’ cultures.
Diwali was last weekend. I was invited to visit a Hindu temple in North London for Diwali celebrations last weekend. I also invited friends to my home for dinner to celebrate Diwali with my family. It is different to what I was used to growing up. Here deeyas are contained inside homes or buildings due to the weather. Whilst in the tropics, deeyas can be left lit for hours in the still of the dark night.
It was reassuring to visit the temple with mainly Guyanese diaspora and second generation migrants running and maintaining the programme for the temple. It was good to listen to the teachings and to hear the music and songs (bhajans) from the group. We also were treated to lunch and sweets (Prasad). I like that the temple community now also communicate by digital media to inform each other of upcoming events. There was also a focus on youth lessons and sessions to ensure that the mainly older congregation will have trained or influence the next generation to carry on these religious practices and traditions. Hopefully their imagination will be as vivid as mine, even though years has passed since the elaborate Diwali celebrations I experienced as a child.
At work, I attended a Diwali event hosted at the Alan Turing Institute with the new Caribbean Curator at the British Library giving a talk on her career thus far. It was great to experience this diversity in what is now a multicultural city.
Don’t reinvent. Reimagine.
I am slowly getting more social since the pandemic, and one event which was totally new is a cooking lesson that was a present for my husband. We took a while to book the lesson due to time constraints, but it was great to finally make a night of the lesson. There were various types of world cuisine classes to choose from but it really depended on how many spaces were available and if you can make the dates. The first time I had fresh gnocchi and pesto, it was made by my husband’s cousin in 1995 in Rome, since then it has been one of my favourite dishes. The tutor made us prepare an aubergine and mozzarella starter, homemade gnocchi and zabaglione. For someone who has been around Italians for almost thirty years – it was great to learn about some of the food science of the aubergine, potatoes, eggs, garlic, onions etc – therefore, heard some real wives’ tales from the chef about cooking techniques and structure. At the class, other attendees, tutors and the facility were really good, and I would recommend it. It is just a little far to go more often, and the price is a little more than your average three course meal for two in town. But it really is a great way to learn and hone your creativity – now I can imagine doing a class like this in the heart of Tuscany.
I haven’t been doing many local community events recently apart from looking after some garden plots. I have been busy with my library volunteering most of the time when I am not working. It is still great to walk around my neighbourhood and it always surprises me when I see new shops, creative displays and inspiration activism in my community walkabouts. There is definitely a new feel as there are several new multi-story homes being built in what was considered the outskirts of London only a few of years ago. There seems to be a lot more young professionals around as affordable homes are clumped together near the underground stations, repurposed car parks or any free land. I know we need more homes. It just hope we do not lose the close knit and community feel we had the last 15-20 years, when I became more actively involved in where I live. It is reassuring that even though we are growing in numbers as a place to live in the city – there are still some who believe that we have to look out for each other, and maintain the essence of fellowship and camaradie as we go about our daily normal lives.
Creativity grows out of two things: curiosity & imagination.
A few weeks ago I went to my first SLA Conference Sourced Forward in Charlotte North Carolina. I was due to go in 2020 but due to the pandemic, the conference was postponed until this summer. I certainly was happy to finally be in Charlotte and I certainly didn’t envision that I would be attending in 2022 as their President-Elect 2022-2024. As the saying goes, with ‘great power, comes greater responsibility’ – this was no less the case as we had a very full schedule with meetings and membership engagement. It was great for leaders to meet and speak directly to attendees, as well as to attend the awards ceremony to very deserving winners for their achievements.
I am unable to comment in depth on the conference programme sessions (which I can still catch up on the virtual components) as I had other matters in hand with the board. Obviously, I was blown away by few that I did attended, such as the opening keynote speakers, general and closing sessions. The opening keynote on ‘ReSourced Leveraging Library Infrastructure in Community Centred Projects’ by historian Dr Jennifer Garcon extolled the need for community group for finding the stories that are hidden in archives that may have been traditionally inaccessible from everyone due to barriers or power struggles. She gave examples of building partnerships and leveraging resources to gain access for the benefit of the user ReSourced communities. Her talk also highlighted the need for digital preservation for local documents, personal stories and items. It truly was inspiring for the diversity and engagement levels of the projects mentioned.
The second general session called ‘Tell me Sweet little lies: racism as a persistent form of malinformaiton’ by Dr Nicole Cooke was great for exploring the multiple ways that information is used as a power tool for misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. This is a topic I have been interested in for a long time but look at the examples and some of the multi-layered ways that information is manipulated is very insightful as well as educational on how to prevent this happening – especially if it causes harm such as in medical or racial scenarios. The final session By Dr Travis Wagner was great at highlighting the opportunities for understanding ‘The role of information professionals in crafting a gender inclusive future’. As library and information professional, we have a responsibility to all our customers and I certain didn’t understand all the negative aspects of collection management and access that affects genders – I was shocked but also sadden by some of the practices that library patrons encountered as well as some of the discrimination in the content held in library and archives. These larger sessions as well as the small education ones I was able to attend really reenergised me to return to the world with reinvigorated purpose and pride.
I also have a great time at some of the social events in the evening in Charlotte to going around some of the close blocks near the Charlotte Convention Centre. I hadn’t realised that I would have so little time to explore and really didn’t go to the some of the local tourist attractions such as the Nascar Hall of Fame or the Mint Museum. Perhaps if I make it back to North Carolina one day – I can get a chance to seem more of Charlotte. In all, it was a great experience and I was so pleased to see so many SLA colleagues, members, our industry partners, supporters and friends.
After Charlotte I wanted to make sure I made the most of being in the USA, and therefore took an internal flight to Florida to spend time in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. I was truly impressed with the beaches, the weather and the amazing architecture! You also see lots of different types of vehicles that you just do not see here in the UK. There are local business and trains but I mainly stayed in local areas or went out with family.
One of the recommended tourist sights of natural beauty and ecological interest was the Florida Everglades. I was pleased that my hotel was able to arrange a pick up from the hotel and I was able to directly to one of the areas with facilities for tourist. It was my first drive along Fort Lauderdale area and then on the Everglades. I do love the holiday feel and look of this part of Florida and that the beaches were endless (apparently 600 miles of beaches). Once we got the Everglades, it was a very hot day and the humidity was unbelievable. The Everglades is one of the world’s largest wetlands and therefore was real delight going on the airboat long the lanes of the everglades. It was interesting hearing about the indigenous tribes Seminoles, and how they lived around the Everglades. The grasses, lilies, pond apples, mangrove and other plant life thrives in this wet and subtropical climate. And everybody hopes to see an alligator in the Everglades and lucky for us in the trip – we saw three alligators in the water! There was also an alligator taming show and you can actually hold a baby alligator. It was a great experience of a natural beauty and I recalled the 1970’s US TV series Gentle Ben, which had great scenes of a game warden family, his son and a tame bear who frequently went on an airboat.
I was able to spend time with some of Caribbean diaspora at one of their local Caribbean restaurants where they were selling food, drinks, music and lots of Caribbean cheer on a very hot Sunday. I totally get that these communities where there celebrating there Sunday with their Caribbean people, especially just after a cricket game with India. There was music, a rhythm section and also a visit from world renown cricketer, Brian Lara. I also have some experience of the local night life by going to a Latin bar on in the Las Olas area and also in downtown Fort Lauderdale to an Italian bar. It was great to see these areas and the night life that is famous in Miami.
The next interesting aspect of my holiday was taking a city bus tour around downtown Miami. Miami got its’ name from the river that run through it by the indigenous tribes to the region. Later on, Miami is the only American city that has been founded by a woman – she was Julia Tuttle known as the ‘Mother of Miami’. The region is definitely very cosmopolitan and had a large Latinx community. Very frequently I hear Spanish and a lot of the local shops had Latinx food or signs. On the bus tour to the city we saw several of the Art Deco buildings that is in abundance in Miami. The reason for the high concentration of this type of architecture is that there was a hurricane in the 1920’s which destroyed all the buildings and it seems the Art Deco style was popular at this time. It really is amazing to see.
Cubans also exiled to Miami with the 1960s and the area Little Havana still has a large Cuban community with tobacco and coffee shops, with cool looking restaurants and musical venues. The area is known for its cultural and Cuban community significance as well as it being a place for new South and Central American immigrants. One of the most famous and beloved Cuban-American superstars are the Miami Sound Machine. It was great hearing one of their songs on the Hotel PA system when I was there. The tour bus also showed us the recording studio to the Miami Sound Machine, and their funky colourful building. I do recommend the bus tour to see all the sights without the hassle of driving and the waterways were great to see how the islands of Miami are linked up by bridges etc. There was a misunderstanding with timings, and I was unable to go on my boat tour around the Miami islands – hopefully I can go another time.
And while much of the diaspora has moved onto greater pastures around Miami, Little Havana continues to be a vital launch point for immigrants from South and Central America who bring their flavours, rhythm and hardworking spirit to this vibrant community.
I particular liked my hotel in Miami for the ambience, the beautiful pool area, architecture and garden. I really felt like I can visit there again someday and loved that the beach was only about 200 metres away. The water was clean and fun to splash around in but I was not brave enough to go on any adventurous water sports or out further. It was the Atlantic Ocean and it was awesome seeing so much beautiful kilometres of beaches.
More than anything, I was happy to finally visiting Miami after hearing about it for so long on another TV series such as Miami Vice. It is also not far from Trinidad so lots of Trinidadians go there on holiday and have said that is a good place to visit. I thank my family for their hospitality and for showing me around their amazing Miami and Fort Lauderdale. I certain would like to visit again and explore the region a bit more – event a far down as Key West.
It seems like a long time coming but libraries collaborating is happening…again. At least for me. This month has been busy just with my work which has been great for giving me a purpose and mission. I seem to have been fighting for the last 15 plus years. I suppose I still haven’t gotten use to just relaxing as it has never been easy for me.
We get visits from lots of people who wants to visit the British Library, which is always a pleasure to do. This month I had two visitors from the library profession from Canada and Aotorea (native name for New Zealand). It is good to go around the library with fresh eyes. The building is impressive but also the different subject areas and physical layout. It seems like people and professionals are travelling again like Te Paea and Cellia who were travelling to Dublin for IFLA’s conference. It was nice to see other professionals like Loida from USA and Kevin from the Philippines there too showing there connections and activities on Twitter.
There are times when we meet people who are similar to us even though we have not met them before. This is also when I used the word recently to describe library and I formation work, I said mission. The same word was used by Safy Al Ashqar, Head of the University of Mosul library, Iraq. Safy was a speaker for CILIP’s conference and I was introduced to Safy by a friend from SLA Europe and lucky for me, I was able to attend a staff talk at the library. Safy described the horrors of war and destruction on the building and collection as it was burnt and bombed. It was deeply sad to hear the stories of death and devastation. The resilience and tenacity of Safy and his staff is amazing and heartwarming. His presentation spoke of the bargaining for funds and equipment with creativity and design with new ideas he picked up from his studies in Malaysia. Out of 150 staff, Safy now has about 93 with 70 of them women. He understands the need for libraries for heritage, education, creativity, community and knowledge sharing. He was totally inspired for the connections and networking opportunities that physical spaces bring. He was offered ebooks for rebuilding a digital library but he elaborated on the need for physical spaces to meet, and to store physical collections. We all know that the first casualty of war is the truth and knowledge – from the burnt building and collection, there is new hope and regeneration all driven by a man and his community and staff on a Misson to make it possible! What an inspiration!
Last Friday I also went with my colleagues to the National Archives in Kew. It was great to visit the building although I have used their digital archive and often refer people to their enquiry service for registered designs and other intellectual property. It was great to be welcomed and shown around by their staff. We were shown original patents and trade marks, maps, storage areas for records, very large maps, library and reference areas, and the 1970s Brutalist purpose built building of course. As we walked around, you can actually smell come of the collection in the temperature and light controlled rooms. There were some great displays for the 1920s and parts of the reading room was aesthetically pleasing. I would visit again it is in my part of town but I am grateful to get the tour from the lovely staff. Mark Dunton has even written a book on British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century.
I wanted to remind you that the National Archives does have an amazing collection and we can use these items to create new stories and innovative ideas from what we research. It is also a great reminder that we are here to conserve and preserve for now but also for future generations.
Last week I also spent time in filming a new video for the Business and IP Centre where I work and the UK network of libraries offering support for Business and other creative use of libraries and their services. East Ham Library was nice and bright with great use of space for studying, resources, cafe and meeting spaces. It even has Salsa Classes on a evening! There has been a few libraries that have survived the cuts from the last 15 years, and it warms my heart they are thriving as spaces for those who need them for study, work, research, learning, meetings and creativity. There was also a definite community and civic engagement feel about East Ham Library.
I was also invited to meet delegates from the British Library’s International Library Leaders Programme, which was an intensive five-day residential course bringing together emerging and established librarians from participants from countries including Australia, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Slovakia, South Africa, Ukraine and the US. I lead a tour of about 8 librarians to some of the reading rooms with various subject areas, and as expected, they were impressed with the spaces and items in collection that were displayed (there are millions we can’t see). It was great to meet socially other British Library staff working on the Oceania collection, Living Knowledge, Higher Education and the newly appointed Caribbean Curator. I met again Nick Poole, CEO of CILIP, who is one of the best advocates for libraries, librarians, information profession, policy makers, civil engagement and for the profession in general. I also met with a Ukrainian librarian who has recently fled the troubles in Ukraine and it was great to here briefly what she is working on. I did pass on my concern and best wishes to her fellow Ukrainians in this difficult time.
A couple of weekends ago, I was able to participate on the request of the community engagement team in the Somers Town Festival, which is the close neighbourhood in Camden near the library. We were showing visitors on how they can use the library to start their businesses but also about the fabulous collections and spaces. It was nice to see some of the entertainment from spoken work, humanist choir, to Asian Classical dancing from an ex-staff, which I loved seeing LIVE in Trinidad or in film.
Breaking the News exhibition is also on until the end of August and I was excited to see this. I had the benefit of a group tour with a Curator who gives you the insights and stories of the items on display. I still like to let people know that information comes in various formats, and we have to still use and…preserve these for the future.
I wanted to also wish my colleagues in SLA Europe a Happy 50th Anniversary and we recently celebrated careers which my own newly retired colleague Neil Infield. I knew Neil before I started working at the British Library because of SLA but since working at the British Library he was a great popular, capable and kind colleague who became a friend. I will miss him, and the four other colleagues who have retired in my department in the last two years.
This is a big month for SLA for their Sourced Forward Conference and the associations future, as I write this in my hotel room in Charlotte, North Carolina. I will share more next month or on my social media channels. There is great responsibility in representing the profession, our members, our stakeholders and partners. I am also giving this my best shot and much gusto! Stay for the ride as we find our destination.
From sunken open-air theatre in my neighbourhood to cruising river for a tour, I am still not venturing far and wide due to the pandemic so my activities are mainly focussed on being local but I have managed to do some more interesting outings than in recent months.
Unknowing to me, I found out that there is an open-air sunken theatre in my neighbour and it was great to see a production of William Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’ production by the Greek Theatre, whilst the evening was still light and warm. I was impressed by the costumes, music and acting and will definitely try to go again next year hopefully. We certainly didn’t have to worry about the virus being outside and it was great to see theatre again in the pandemic with great appreciation for the effort that this three-hour production would have taken to perfect.
Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep. – William Shakespeare, Playwriter.
We were taught Shakespeare in secondary school in Trinidad & Tobago and I love recognising his lines from his plays in everyday life. Macbeth, Julius Ceasar, The Tempest are some of his plays seen in some great theatres by the Royal Shakespeare Company in the city over the years. Believe it or not, not everyone likes Shakespeare. I know some people who really like his works and some who do not. I appreciate his work and even though I may not know all his works, you can’t help but love a good story, sonnet or play. I hope to visit Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, and to see a play in the globe theatre in London. Shakespeare’s Globe always looks amazing long the River Thames and I have been trying to make time to see a play there for ages and recently booked tickets to see ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in October.
“I am opposed to the laying down of rules or conditions to be observed in the construction of bridges lest the progress of improvement tomorrow might be embarrassed or shackled by recording or registering as law the prejudices or errors of today.” Isambard Kingdon Brunel – Civil Engineer.
The river itself has a long history going back to ancient times with various people living off off the banks. In the last tour of Soho we were told that the Vikings or order tribes used The Strand for storing their boats, with the cargo being brought up to the marketplace in or around the now Covent Garden. It is fascinating how the river served the communities that lived in and around it over time. The British Museum had a great blog here which gives you a great idea of the types of civilised or uncivilised people who used the river way before our time.
The other excitement this month was a tour of the River Thames with SLA Europe with specific reference to the Brunel family, and their influence on engineering, construction, designs and building along the river’s rich history in the period. On this occasion it was as if I was looking at the river with fresh eyes even though I have seen the river hundreds of times working on two riverside locations with PwC and City Hall. Our guide was so knowledgable and engaging that I always try to jot down notes to check out the facts and references later.
Creative Commons Images. Source: National Portrait Gallery.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s engineering story and the impact on building bridges, tunnels, shipbuilding and landscape in London and elsewhere is renowned, with some structures are still standing today and in the future. He was voted the Greatest Briton for the last millennium and that may have been for his renowned engineering, innovative inventions and ideas for the time…and being in the right place at the right time in the heart of the Industrial Revolution. The bridges across the river tell a great story of his legacy and you still see evidence of this work as your cruise along the river.
The river itself has a long history going back to ancient times with various people living off off the banks. In my last tour of Soho, we were told that the Vikings or older tribes use of The Strand for storing their boats, with the cargo being brought up to the marketplace in or around the now Covent Garden. It is fascinating how the river served the communities that lived in and around it over time. The British Museum had a great blog here which gives you a great idea of the types of civilised or uncivilised people who used the river way before our time.
What is interesting too in current times (pardon the pun) is mud-larkers, who scavenge the river bed to find objects that are washed up from the river beds. There are some amusing evidences of past life and…soul of the river washing up again to remind us of those who may have gone long before us. As with rivers and sea, the underwater currents are strong and surprising, despite the exterior appearance seeming to be calm, still and controlled. The literally wash up stories for us.
I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few. – William Morris, designer, artist and social reformer.
As you may gather, water seems to be my theme this month, so I was please to see the new play area at the Town Hall in Waltham Forest where I live. The borough council has created this space as a legacy for being the first Borough of Culture in 2019 and states on their website that it is a place for “family and neighbours to this vibrant new culture hub to experience the next chapter of our Borough of Culture legacy and reconnect with our community”. The new public square area is called Fellowship Square which is inspired by our local famous Arts and Craft designer William Morris. William Morris was adamant on accessibility and is known for the motto ‘Art for All’, so rightfully they are using the brand Waltham FORest for ALL.
The water fountain has been transformed into a new pedestrianised area for families to play with the water features choreographed to water and lights, with music being played from the built-in sound systems form the benches. Little rant – I do think that this is a great new place for local residents but I do wish they can sort out there recycling and litter problem too!
You can’t really go too far without seeing Morris designs, his way of life and ethos are celebrated in everyday things in our local area close to the house he grew up in that is now the William Morris Gallery. There are great designs that are popping up even in a face mask or little free library to acknowledge his influence, inspiration and legacy on design and art in the UK but also across the globe. It is amazing too that the William Morris Co is still running to this day with his classic designs and brand.
There are other waterways around where I roam, such as the Walthamstow Wetlands, Lea Valley and also the canals near King’s Cross. These are some of the old ways of life for communities and business who used the waterways. These passage ways were obviously used before modern transportation, and it is lovely to see the riverboats that still line the routes along the Lea Valley river. I love looking to see how people are living in these compact spaces especially in all types of weather. I do know that the cost of them are far less than ‘bricks and mortar’ homes in London, and that you have to keep moving them after a certain time. So ‘no fixed abode’ really does apply to these riverboat homes.
As we go into autumn, I am sure to find time to explore the city and local areas as I don’t have any plans to go far away. It does seem that there are more people out and about in central London, and I can stay to see more in the pandemic apart from my place of work and neighbourhood. Hopefully the death rate does not increase in the colder months and no other coronavirus variants rage as we approach the two-year mark in a pandemic. I will try to still see some of the great historical sites and venues as the weather gets colder and make use of the indoor areas. And as this recap shows, there is always a bit of freshness, wellness and invigoration being not far away from spaces with urban rivers and water.
One year on in the pandemic, last four months of lockdown, and we are mainly in our homes. Without a doubt, one of the essential aspects of existence is food and this has been a source of comfort in these times. In addition as I walk in my local area, food market, shops, suppliers and take-aways are the only shops open for the last four months. Most restaurants are only offering take-aways and because we have all the time to cook – enjoying food has been one of the most pleasurable aspects of life in the last year. For this sustenance and pleasure in a pandemic, I have decided to write about this ever-relevant topic now as an Elixir of Life.
Elixir of Life
As I walk along the usually busy market and high roads in my neighbourhood – they are still being use for supplying food to residents. If we recall, we ran out of pasta last March, but it seems supplies have stabilised with local shops able to supplement some of the stock we couldn’t get from the larger national supermarkets. In the meantime, there are other issues with supplies due to Brexit, and I have certainly noticed some items missing on supermarket shelves. As part of my daily walking routine, I intentionally take routes that would take me past local shops that I may want to pick up some items from a variety of local shops.
I have discovered some real great speciality shops – including Kurdish, Turkish, Asian and Caribbean. I usually go into them to get pigeon peas, salt fish, curry powder from Trinidad, brown lentils (£1.29), and other items that is imported from far, far, away. I have been able to make dishes from my homeland such as saltfish ‘Bujol’ salad, pilau (rice) with the pigeon peas, curries and stews. Usually I buy puy lentils from the larger supermarkets but they are more expensive at £3.50.
In the last few months, I have also discovered the joy of buying fresh fish from the local fish shop. Coming from Trinidad and Tobago, it was very normal to grow up on fresh fish dishes and I remember seeing cleaning of fishes with gills and scales etc. Therefore it is no big deal for me to buy fish like this but the shop is able to clean and slice these up if you want them to do so. The local fish shop does have an amazing selection of fishes that I haven’t seen in ages – Trevally, Red Snapper, Sprats, large fresh prawns, shark, lobster including crabs.
Shark served in a home-made fried bread bun, known as ‘shark & bake’ is actually a real delicacy in Trinidad and Tobago. It is famously served from the beach huts on Maracas Beach in Trinidad – we usually take a picnic for lunch but try to get a ‘shake & bake’ before making our way home. We bought some shark in January which I hope to replicate here in London. However, this was the moment I realised that I definitely had Covid-19 when I could not smell or taste the ‘shake and bake’ I made at home. I have been telling my friends that I was feeling unwell that morning and was in no mood to cook but as it was shark and unfamiliar to my husband – I had to cook it with other items plus could not smell or taste it as it I had Covid-19! The next day I had a test and it confirmed that I was Covid-19 Positive.
A few weeks after when I regained my tastebuds and sense of smell, I was able to buy some red snapper and fresh prawns to savour their freshness and flavours. I made a Trinidadian Fish stew the long way with my own stock and come cornmeal cou-cou. Again one of the most enjoyable aspects in the pandemic is catching up on social media with family and friends and watching interesting cooking programmes. The social media algorithm has definitely worked to push videos of local Caribbean cooking to me, and if I have the time, I have been looking at them. The most popular and relevant to my cultural background is Foodie Nation. There are also some other local celebrities with less glamour and more gritty presentation styles – such as using their own kitchen or event an earthen/mud-based stove with wood burning fire, which I remember from growing up in the Caribbean. I am getting inspired to cook all these amazing dishes but I must also watch my waistline!
In a city as diverse and multicultural as London, it is wonderful having access to a wide variety of foods and supplies in local markets. I sometimes still see vegetables or products that I still haven’t seen before. It really makes me curious as to what they are, and how I can use them. I recently spent time looking at the BBC’s Rick Stein in South Asia, and other parts of the world. I was so inspired by some of the ingredients I saw for the recipes, such as fresh coconut, turmeric, tamarind, lemon grass, shrimp paste et cetera. I made some of these dishes from using these raw ingredients as they are same ingredients that we use in the Caribbean. Facebook shows fabulous videos by authentic cooks, who use social media to share their home cooking with these tropical flavours. It is great that I can find some of these ingredients in the heart of winter in a European country.
I live in Walthamstow which has gone through gentrification…and literally upmarket in the last few years. There are numerous hipster and trendy shops that are also mixed with the local East End London shops. For example, my colleague Neil also mentioned that there is a downward trend in Curry Houses (Asian restaurants) as younger people adopt healthy lifestyles. Therefore, Asian restaurants are having to adapt their menus to more healthy options to complete with these lifestyle changes. In addition prior to the pandemic, there was also a downwards trend for Pubs in the UK – just imagine how this will also be impacted during and after the pandemic. For the last few months there has been an upward trend to go for coffee, tea or hot drinks takeaways as the pubs and restaurants have been closed due to the pandemic restrictions.
Talking about takeaways in lockdown, we have also ordered food on Uber Eats three times for family meals from local restaurants – from local Turkish, Nigerian, and West Indian restaurants. We had a home-cooking gift from Lina Stores from Soho to make a couple of Italian dishes.
Despite the great access to so much food at a reasonable price that is available in our local market in Walthamstow, there are a lot of people who are experiencing hardship to make ends met before, and especially now in the pandemic. There have been food banks already available in our local areas as displayed by the Trussell Trust, and they are being use more so in the pandemic. At the start of the pandemic a year ago, our local charities and support systems got into motion to provide food to those shielding and vulnerable. Now there are other challenges with redundancies and other inequalities due to the negative impact of the pandemic. It is great to see that our local charities and food banks are being supported. One local creative gentleman created little food banks with crowdfunding for the community to leave items for donation and collection. I have made a note to put some items in it, and will try to do so.
As we go into the Spring, I am getting ready to prepare some Easter Italian baking and also to try some more new recipes I have found digitally. Usually when I share my own cooking on social media I get messages for the recipes. My family are foodies and do eat a lot of Italian food too! There is very little that we can do socially in these challenging times, but sustaining ourselves with good, tasty and interesting food has been one of the key pleasures we have been able to continue in the comfort of our own homes.
Glory glorious food – Oliver (The Musical)
Food, glorious food! What wouldn’t we give for That extra bit more — That’s all that we live for Why should we be fated to Do nothing but brood On food, Magical food, Wonderful food, Marvellous food, Fabulous food,
This month we have entered into a second period of lockdown restrictions as we are definitely in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, as is seemingly happening in many places on Earth. I was half expecting this due to the colder winter months when infections spread more easily but I was hoping this wouldn’t happen. However in the last few weeks just as the US elections closed, the world was relieved and informed that Pfizer has created a vaccine that is has been shown to stop more than 90% of people developing Covid-19 symptoms in it’s preliminary trials. There are also other vaccines that are also due to come into the market, and therefore we are hoping that this will be widely administered with inoculation programmes hopefully by this time next year! Undoubtedly, the high number of 1000s of death is the darkest cloud in recent weeks but the roll out of the vaccine is certainly one reason to be positive, especially in the long term. There will be much needed research and organising in the meanwhile but hopefully this will be a success over the pandemic for all of us across this world.
I was inspired to write about upsides and positivity as a topic this month as I felt that going into the festive period, it would be a unique time in this dreadful year for to do things differently to what we are used to. In addition it has been a time of great hardship, challenges, fear, loss and anxiety in most of our living memories. As one of our darkest times, families and loved ones have died, people have suffered, work has changed, businesses regardless of size has been affected, some industry sectors are devastated and people have lost their jobs or at the risk of redundancy since the pandemic took hold of our lives in early 2020. The level of loss is exacerbated by us not being able to freely (and legally) meeting the ones we usually meet for comfort outside our households, socialise with or to enjoy simple things such as meeting friends, going to cinemas, going out for a meal, travelling on overseas holidays without quarantine, meeting with a festival etcetera – the no-go list is long. This is the necessary life of social distancing and public health safety measure in 2020. There are more fallouts and negatives of the pandemic but as we go into the holiday period (and I am looking forward to a well-earned break), I want to reflect on the positives that we can take back from 2020. Believe it or not, I was able to find like-minded content on the web whereby people are also finding ‘silver linings’ and I will share some of these, and my own, with you here.
The landscape for businesses has changed significantly this year with as much as 26% of business affected negatively by COVID-19 – we are working from home so buildings are mainly empty or have been improved with hygiene, indoor cleaner air, improved cleaning, rubbish removals and also with people having greater appreciation of working in an ‘office environment’ when they do (or can return), as mentioned in this article on FM during a pandemic. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest shifts and possibly long term ‘silver lining’ is the benefits and acceleration of digital transformation for people working from home. I have seen some news about improved gender equality for women, as traditionally they were not encouraged to work from home as it ‘may interfere’ with their availability of looking after young children. This flexibility has now been tested and in most cases seems to be a success.
The last year has definitely given us an opportunity to test these scenarios and decide our preferences for working in and outside the office. I certainly know ways I can use my time effectively whilst in the office and physical library as well as what tasks I can do from home. There will never be a perfect solution in my field as we need both physical and digital spaces but it certainly has brought us real life and learning experiences on how we can make most effective use of our time with these restrictions. Remote working has opened up the next normal. And our greatest appreciation to key workers and other worker who have continued to go to the workplace throughout this period of great change.
(2) Gains in Business Transformations
The economic consequences are a major concern that there are lots of people who are not working, have been furloughed or are made redundant. The hardship must be terrible and the uncertainty is soul destroying. High street retailers, hospitality, events, arts and cultural organisations are closed…or there is only ‘so much’ that we can do online. These business types are obviously going through one of the most difficult periods in the modern era! The prediction for the next few years is also scary quite frankly with the economy panning and borrowing levels skyrocketing. I thought austerity was a curse-word but the current situation is worse. However, I attended a recently EIU event with predictions on how things may change as we come out of the pandemic in the next 10 years. It is interesting to hear how business models will change, for example with greater automation and AI. We know there have been great strides taken with digital changes as mentioned in this article on tech ‘silver linings’ in Tech Republic – such as greater digital interactions, cyber security and greater understanding of technology with these new ways of living.
In my local area, I have seen local shops that have remained opened in the second lockdown but they have transformed the way we interact, placed and fulfil orders and services with them. There is actually a term I saw in the following article in My Total Retail which call it ‘BOPIS’ – Buy Online Pickup In Store! Get it. This is what is better known as ‘click and collect’ in the UK but I imagine it is happening wherever we can make use of online ordering and in-store pickup. I do think there are still some services we can never ‘click and collect’ such as hair and beauty treatments, dental services, gym, arts and leisure services etc. However, I have decided that I would like to support some local businesses, such as this new Italian restaurant which only opened in early 2020 by order their pannettones for my friends this Christmas. I have also noticed that a few of the shops on my high street are closed but are still being used due to the studio space that makers and designers still need for their creative businesses.
One final business silver lining, which is bittersweet, is that people who have loss their jobs due to detrimental business performances due to Covid-19, there are new businesses or persons trying to start their new ventures now. There have been shops that have sadly closed, but also some going ahead with opening in my local area. This is good for the work I do in my current professional role and department – I know there is a lot of support if you put your heart and mind to it. Not everyone is able to be successful entrepreneurs or make their idea a success but the best silver lining is that we have the time now to research, plan and test ideas. That is a big boost for anyone who eventually wants to work for him or herself and succeed in business.
One silver lining in the coronavirus pandemic has been a rethink of the need for certain business travel; many who used to travel extensively across the country are welcoming videoconferencing. Source: Practice Management 17 August 2020
(3) Better Environment
Video conferencing has changed the way we work and also the way we are communicating with colleagues, communities, friends and family. We have no choice but to avoid socialising in the pandemic. There is also very little to do but to enjoy the great outdoors. The new tier system in the UK has meant that we do not want to travel anywhere far and we are also not allowed (this really is the current situation that no one ever predicted a year ago). The best silver lining has been literally the benefits for the environment with less vehicle and air travel. We are also encouraged to shop, work and play locally within reason – the streets are a little bit busier now but looking back to the first lockdown earlier this year, there were pigeons walking around my street as there were hardly any cars. The busy urban area where I live is definitely quieter and people are taking advance of the green spaces and places to explore nature close by. I know once we get back to the ‘next normal’ with optimum vaccine efficacy stage, there may be a return to the hustle and bustle that we had pre-Covid-19. I am hoping that some of these clean environmental gains, behaviours and ‘magic purification dust’ will stick around for a long time. An appreciation of our green spaces and better environment are essential for our wellbeing, physical and mental health.
(4) Social and Cultural Appreciation
Cinemas, theatres, festivals, churches, museums, art galleries, gyms, entertainment venues, bars, pubs, restaurants and sporting areas are all closed. They have been the hardest hit in all of the pandemic restrictions. People’s livelihoods have suffered gravely and there is still no end to the challenges they will have to face in the next few months as we get back to full confidence of being able to ‘go as we pleased’. We are drinking, socialising and eating more at home. KPMG puts this shift as the ‘home is the new hub’ and the centre of operations. There might still be some who are getting food take-aways all the time, but I also understand we are just spending time indoors cooking, with old fashion home entertainment and leisure activities. We can to some extent still use the television, books, music, gaming and any other entertainment, which has seen a boost in sales and consumption. I am looking at Netflix more than I ever did in these last few months.
The main silver lining is that people will gain the appreciation of new and old entertainment mediums. Perhaps when we are able to take advantage and experience these simple pleasures in life, we can financial, socially and emotionally give more support to these basic human activities that make us connected and feel good about ourselves as well as being somewhere with others outside our normal bubbles.
(5) Healthcare and Well-being Improvements
As you know, there are great improvements and support for our health services across this world in this mad time of Covid-19. There would be many gains made from the insights and business practices for countries that haven’t had to deal with such a grave disease. Processes, information sharing and patient care had been one of the upmost benefits of the lessons learned in this pandemic. Normal routine check-ups have also seen a transformation with video-conferencing with patients invited for online consultations. I have spoken to a few people and this is now common practice compared to earlier this year when you had to physical make your way to the doctor’s office/surgery even though you may be really unwell. Perhaps in future we would automatically be given the choice of an online consultation. I do know that we still have to see medical staff face-to-face for certain ailments and treatments but this new way of consultation has been a shift that would have taken ages to go head if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Medical staff can also get the credit and praise the rightly deserved after many years of lack of investment and appreciation. Let’s hold governments to this!
People are now also opening being mindful and talking about mental health issues as the lockdown periods become more prolonged. I read another great blog about finding that ‘silver lining’ in Today (Singapore) which mentioned ‘slow living’ and hygge – which was exactly we have been doing in the last few months. The hustle and bustle, the diary packed with work, events and things to do – these have all been curtailed for time spent inside to keep us safe. There is a brilliant explanation that we should enjoy the hygge and simple pleasures in life. This is what the Danes do and there is no wonder that they are ranked as one of the happiness people in the world. Perhaps we can put this label on our activities and try to remember to do this always to ensure that we have that level of happiness balance in our busy lives.
(6) Innovations in Research and Science
This virus has thought us many things about ourselves and therefore there are many innovations that have come as a result of the changes we have had to make. We are already learning new ways to improve hygiene in public places, research, medical, digital and scientific innovations and new insights have been on of the brightest silver linings in the race to find new treatments and a prevention of the disease as mentioned in this map by Medcity.
Telehealth is Improving Access to Health Care: Digital care interactions emerge as a silver lining to pandemic’s dark cloud.
Source – Irish Times
(7) Quality Family Time
There have been some great stories on using this time for greater connection with family and close one who live in the same household. I know that has been a very negative experience for some families where they are not getting on or able to have the basic needs in a time of great stress, anxiety and hardships.
Personally, there is really no choice but to make the best of the situation that we are in and some families have thoroughly love the slower pace as mentioned in this Elle article, the no commuting time and the quality time spent together. This has mainly been my ‘silver lining’ in the last few months and I loved the spring and summer months when I was able to enjoy the outdoor spaces a bit longer. I have also love the ability to see nature, sunlight and all the elements of the day working mainly from home and at the weekends.
Going in the last festive month of the year 2020, I wanted to end on this high note after a year that has taken us over in urgent changes and various twists in the basic necessities of life. I am tired from working harder in lots of new ways in a year that has been overwhelming with the pandemic, fighting for social justice and basic empathy to get through this pandemic. However, as we go into the festive and traditionally happy month of December…even though it is dark, cold and grey, I will think and be grateful for these little gifts of hope and silver linings that are shining.
In a professional capacity, my recent activities seem to want a more equitable world and they have similar themes around topics such as structural inequalities, patriarchy, white supremacy, anti-racism and decolonisation. It is this reason that I feel compelled to work through some of these topics on this blog post. The pandemic has affected many communities and more so in those that are disadvantaged, plus the anti-racism work brought about by the reaction to the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Movement protest this summer, as well as and the move to a more inclusive and equitable profession and society in general. All these topics have definitely, and rightly so, been pushed up the agenda, discussion themes, organisational and personal missions of events and content I have consumed this month. Collectively, we still don’t have all the equitable answers but there certainly are lots of questions, and new marginalised stories being unearthed from some communities.
A more diverse and inclusive current generation of academics and professionals are researching, working and creating new stories to make sure that imperial, colonial structures, white supremacy and racism which underpinned power and control of places and peoples, societies and communities are now being rattled, dismantled and abolished. The most poignant discussions are not to overwhelm or dominate another culture, race, religion, place, people et cetera – it is simply to reclaim lost identities, re-balance and acknowledge that change is necessary…and happening now. It is a quiet revolution without guns, ammunition and brutality, but one of thoughts and actions based on evidence, research, compassion, empathy, discussion, understanding and respect.
Coinciding with Black History Month, essential television viewing this month was ‘Enslaved’ which looked at the 2000000 slaves that were killed on the ocean crossing alone in the Transatlantic Slave Trade over 400 years. Although I studied Caribbean history in secondary school in the Caribbean, I still learnt new facts about this horrible crime against humanity. We didn’t have a documentary like this when we studied the subject in the 1980s. Therefore, it was gripping and sad seeing the visual landscape and underwater shipwrecks as evidence that these atrocities happen in human slavery, and you despair at the brutality and conditions of enslaved people in these crossings. It was good to learn about some of the ‘trading’ stations on the African coast, slave rebellions such as the Maroons on Suriname, slave escapes from the USA to Canada, European-wide slave trade (I wasn’t aware that Danes also traded in slaves), and the African slave shipwrecks close by on the English coast around Devon.
African history didn’t start with slavery. African history was interrupted by slavery.
– Enslaved TV Series 2020.
The United Kingdom played a huge part in the Transatlantic Slave Trade but is most keen to forget it. As the recent departed US Politician John Lewis said in episode two of ‘Enslaved’ – “it is brushed under the carpet”. There is also a great article this week in The New Yorker entitled ‘Misremembering the British Empire’ which mentions brilliantly the amnesia, denial and pretentiousness that has whitewashed history. There needs to be a re-balance with remembering the slave trade and also the rich histories of African culture before slavery. You can ask most Black British who agree that this is not taught in detail in UK schools. British slave trade and slavery are skimmed over, not explored for greater understanding or empathy, with most suffering from amnesia and ignorance. There is no two ways on this – it was a horrible fact and African slavery used for capital, which built and propped up Britain with the riches and imperialistic power from slave labour from the colonies. The rulers, leaders and elite in Britain supported and knew all along that this inhumanity was happening…but did nothing to stop it until the abolition movement in the late 18th and 19th century.
Even in the 21st Century, the current tone of imperial might and successes are still reiterated today without balance and scrutiny which is harmful and causes devastation to communities and peoples. The nationalistic tone of Brexit has highlighted this blinkered way the UK thinks of Empire. …”Through the lens of pivotal moments in the post World War II world, this essay examines the breakup of the British Empire and how the vision of empire lives on, particularly in the context of global populism and a rapidly globalizing world. Brexit, the 2016 vote by popular referendum in the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, is closely tied to the identity forged a century ago, at the height of the British Empire”. Source: Populism and British Stories of Decline by Joe Murphy in The American Journal of Economics and Socialogy.
The distasteful word Empire is still used in national awards with the word for honouring persons in the UK, which really is backwards if these persons have to engage with persons from outside the UK. It is ignorance at the highest level. There is a great article I read which mentioned that if your heritage is from a post-colonial culture of anti-colonialism, rebellion and independence – the rejection of imperialism is natural as part of a contemporary psyche and freedom. This is explained for Americans, who have seen centuries of imperialism and colonialism. …”The United States was formed through rebellion against the British empire, but well after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, resistance to that empire continued to shape America’s history. The civil rights movement, for instance, was not only deeply influenced by the thought and practices of the Indian anti-colonial movement, but it was also part of a wider anti-racist struggle in the era of decolonization that connected activists across Asia, Africa and beyond, mobilizing the global diasporas of Asians and Africans that colonialism had created”. Source: Prita Satia at Stanford Department of History entitled ‘We can’t tell Kamala Harris’s story without British Empire we can’t tell Americas without it either‘.
With this context in mind, you would be delusional to want to go back to that dark part of genocide, slavery and pillage that made people fight for their independence and freedom. The UK also seems to believe they were the ‘civilising force’, the best and only empire compared to their European counterparts, who started empires before the British. Posturing in true dominating style, empire is built on twisted power, influence, domination, destruction, looting and capital on the back and blood of other people and communities. The apex of this system also encourages and perpetuates white supremacy, which was used to control the new world order at the time. It really has no place in modern and equitable societies. There is no level playing field, structural equality or unity due to the divide and ruling structures that was used centuries ago to control the colonies. This is why we are experiencing so much racial and human discord at present – a true quiet revolution.
This month also saw an interest in stories of resistance, rebellion against slavery, and the fight for independence. I remember studying the Haitian Revolution 1791 in 1986-1987, whereby I had to write a eulogy for Toussaint L’Ouverture. Believe it or not – my eulogy was so good, the Caribbean Examination Council Board kept my eulogy possibly for preservation. In those days, I didn’t think about keeping a copy, so I can’t remember the words I had written. I remember my inspiration for writing the eulogy and making the actual hard copy headstone eulogy out of coloured paper, markers and a crinkle scissor.
Back to the present, it will always be great to see that the story of the revolution is brought up today to discuss rebellion by self-liberated Black slaves. The use of ancient voodoo and other African culture was also used to empower and fight for freedom. I also attended a virtual event today on the new book ‘Black Spartacus’ by Sudhir Hazareesingh, which discussed Toussaint being a devoted Roman Catholic but also there was the use of voodoo. A Black British friend recently described the Haitian Revolution as ‘our first revolution’ and I am grateful for studying Caribbean history in Trinidad, pedagogy starting with the ancient and first nations people who inhabited the lands there. It puts history with evidence, details and facts on the correct footing (pardon the pun) and in context. No wonder we are able to move away from an imperialistic perspective and create our own national pride. The same can’t be said for Britain’s imperial and colonial past in their UK history lessons. Is it too traumatic to teach about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery in detail to young British children? Or to intentionally not covered the topic to keep the imperial status quo? Or to keep the military and capitalistic might?
In the academic and research world, there is pedagogy and student intervention work on decolonising education, universities, museums, places and research. In an open and fair world, especially digitally, there is no place for ego, imperialistic behaviour and power. I attended two virtual events which covered decolonisation – one at ‘Open and Engaged 2020’ by the British Library, and the ‘Festival of Ideas – Decolonising Knowledge’ for SOAS.
It was interesting seeing examples of decolonising research such as in language and context. Also the most horrifying was the use and study of Eugenics and the UCL Bricks and Mortal project on slavers, white supremists and persons with shady colonial pasts. …”Eugenics – the science of improving human populations through selective breeding – is generally associated with the Nazis, but in fact has its roots in Britain. It had its roots at UCL. The story of these origins is seldom told”.
Looking back at the slides now, this was such an eye-opening as well as mind-blowing event. From looking at the recurring themes of lack of diversity in books, professional research communities, the North-South global hemisphere divide, research content, acknowledgement and the recognition of indigenous original stories and representation. Some of the presentations showcased the Palestine open maps projects, indigenous tribes of the Americas and stories from varied voices, such as the herb that was consider a weed by Western professionals until corrected by a South African researcher. With the lack of variety, scrutiny and diversity in scholarly research and structures – there is an imbalance, incorrect and false truths of the world.
At the SOAS virtual event ‘Decolonisation – not just a buzzword’, it was an art verbatim video with the sentiments, anecdotes and thoughts that were similar ones to those that are resonating in anti-racism discussions I have participated in recently. Due to the remit of SOAS, they are working aptly and proactively to address decolonisation. …”It begins with the assumption that global histories of Western colonial domination have had the effect of limiting what counts as authoritative knowledge, whose knowledge is recognised, what universities teach and how they teach it”. Source: SOAS https://blogs.soas.ac.uk/decolonisingsoas/about/
It was interesting to hear one French speaking Belgium student said that when he was in India, there is distrust for him (possibly as a white European ex-coloniser coming to steal knowledge) when he wanted to view ancient manuscripts in Indian. This student sounded in awe of the rich Indian items still to be discovered and explored. Though distrust by Indians perhaps is a culmination of years of abuse, destruction and removal of Indian manuscripts during colonialism. The knowledge kept in ancient manuscripts is vast and comprehensive, as my ancestors have ensured we were told in Asian, and African, oral traditions and ceremonies. It was great to hear harsh and truthful global perspectives of imperialism, colonialism, racism, biases and international views from current academia at SOAS.
I have written about my Indian heritage on my blog before and therefore there are myriad ways of looking at the world, as well as hanging on to the intersectional of indigenous traditions, religion, culture, race and identity as a British-Indo-Caribbean married to an European. This week it was a real privilege for me to visit the British Museum to see the ‘Tantra: Enlightenment to Revolution Exhibition’, and I am able to understand my Indian heritage a bit more. Not everyone from the diaspora can do this though as mentioned too by one of the students at the SOAS event, and as mentioned by me on social media a few weeks ago. In this exhibition, it is great to learn about Goddess Kali and her role in anti-colonialism. To be honest, we were told in Trinidad that her puja is dangerous, savage and powerful, which may have been tainted by imperialism, and intended to control the religious practices in the Caribbean as well as India. However, Kali puja was totally acceptable in Kolkata (previously known as Kalikota and Calcutta), and they used her imagery in revolutionary ways by indigenous Indians against British rule to instil fear and to empower. Goddess Kali is certainly Badass!
We should be proud to have such ancient and powerful feminine images and forms in various Goddesses, and Navratri is a great as an auspicious time to remember the feminine form and cosmic energy. We held prayers at this time in my home in the Caribbean. I liked understanding the belief in feminine power and that women have Shakti all the time. Also the Tantra counter-culture of the 1960s was great to see – from John and Alice Coltrane, The Rolling Stones to artwork. John and Alice Coltrane were fans of the higher consciousness of these traditions and knowledge obviously. These arts forms have accepted and moved with the mutually respective times to fused cultures in new innovative art.
It is great to learn about provenance and to see decolonisation in context to items held in museums that were once part of imperialistic acquisitions, treasure hunts and domination.
Another common thread recently was land acknowledgement of indigenous and first nation peoples, which I witnessed at professional events and discussions including both by the British Library and SLA. This really shows up pretentiousness, falsehoods and insensitive rhetoric from colonisers that still insist on dominating with their imperial ‘brand’ to this day. It has been decades whereby ex-colonies have achieved self-determination, independence and freedom. The post-colonial shift are by nations and citizens who have matured with new self-identities. I am not that naive – I also know that there is reverse racism and bias in all people. We really need complete balance, truthful and fair understanding of history and colonisation now. We need to peacefully revolutionise and abolish the white-centric power struggle and structural inequalities that still exist in western societies, institutions, organisation, countries and the media. Or at least know how to best deal with it. Perhaps to even ridicule inequalities and colonisation as a message, as reiterated by a student at UCL, and by other freedom revolutionaries in the past.
I conclude with a statement: I was born on Caribbean indigenous land, which belonged to ancient tribes, and now live on Briton land (once colonisers if my homeland) – which makes an odd but balance view of the world. Going forward by the events this month, it is time for some post-colonial truth and equality. Prejudice, structural racism, inequality and dominance are prevented on our watch.
Often it is Tenacity, Not Talent that Rules the Day. – Julia Cameron
As we move into the winter months in the pandemic, there is a personal concern that we have left the bright sunny and warmer months in what will be a very tough year for all of us. Autumn is not my favourite time of year but I do usually cope and settle in by the end of October for Diwali, Halloween cheer and November Bonfire night. I do remember arriving in the UK in late September 1980s and not minding my first autumn, which was a huge change from a tropical climate I knew. One thing is for sure – the temperature is going to get colder, the physical landscape, flora and fauna will change with autumnal colours, with the nights getting longer. If like me, you have been working from home and actually making the most of the outdoors in the Spring and Summer… things are going to be different with the possible double whammy facts of a second wave in the pandemic and Brexit unpreparedness.
Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
September has already brought new changes with schools reopening fully. The last week has been dominated with university students who are having to self-isolate in their student halls to protect themselves, and stop the spread of the Coronavirus Covid-19. The news does not stop there – there is also the economic fallout in all spheres of life. Businesses are facing further necessary restrictions with some of my friends not planning to return to the office until January 2021. The redundancy and insolvency levels are also increasing daily with people having to bear all the hardship that comes with losing their jobs. There are many reasons to be pessimistic. The optimistic vibes are scarce but if you know me – I am a trouper. I do have the unbelievable capacity to be tenacious despite the negative aspects I have faced in my life (mainly professional). I do tend to focus on the important issues and despite my happy-go-lucky demeanour with a smile, I can be determined, knuckle down and get on with it! Call it what you like but it might just be tenacity.
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. – Amelia Earhart
I haven’t been into the Central of London since March 14th but have returned to the office and library for one day a week since 3rd September. It is an odd feeling getting the Tube again knowing that you have to be very careful and conscious of other passengers, the public surfaces, social distancing etc. It is quite natural to look around the carriages to see who is wearing a mask – and who is wearing it like a dodgy condom! I haven’t had to move away or tell anyone off as yet but there are a few cases of annoying mask non-conformity on the Tube, but generally it is good to go (pardon the pun) and people are being great.
The impact on London’s economy is obvious. I think that TfL are going to be struggling financially this year because as an example, I have only spent £30.00 this month to travel when I would usually spend about £149.00 a month. Of course I do not want staff to lose their jobs but it just a reminder to government that they should be more kind about raising their fares in future. But who knows…we might still get some nasty price increases too compensate for us not using the tube in the pandemic. You can never really win here with inflation! The fat cats executives at TfL must be a bit worried too – I know this from when I paid attention at City Hall. One positive is that the Poems on the Underground are out to entertain us, and also Dettol has partnered to remind us to maintain good hygiene. The saddest feeling is seeing how quiet the commute and shops are around St Pancras.
I have now also returned to the British Library one day a week and it has been good going so far. There are lots of social-distancing measures in place, and the British Library has opened to a certified standard, which is great reassurance for our readers and staff. There is a difference in the building as there are so few people in the office, public, networking and workshop areas. We are still serving people in the ‘Reading Room’ who have pre-booked, and we are very much providing digital services remotely.
We are being cautious and it is good to be back but we also know that we are still in a pandemic and therefore most of my time is still spent working and volunteering from our little box room study at home. It is a little more challenging as there is a family trying to study and work from home too. I am finding this okay but I know I am fortunate to have the space and technical equipment to do this. It is certainly not the case for many, and the digital and socio-economic divide has been discussed a lot in the last few months for most people everywhere. This is another reason I have thinking of self-motivation and keeping up personal standards in this very challenging time. Some things are going to lapse but demonstrating and being tenacious helps to get it done. I do look forward to return back to normal circumstances, but we just don’t know when that will be and it certainly ain’t looking like this year!
This month has been filled with several professional activities with my role as President of SLA Europe – I would be a liar if I said it has been easy. It has been difficult especially this year as my day job is very busy and even more so in lockdown as it very intense with my digital activities and video conferencing, as well as one full day in the office. I will have to tally the number of webinars and meetings I have had. I do know it has been worth it still working and applying myself to helping customers and other professionals as much as can. I do like having the flexibility to go for a walk and then catching up later, otherwise I just won’t be able to cope. I usually catch up with volunteering later in the evening into the early morning. I am really pleased that I am able to contribute to my professional network and take part in some really interesting events such as Reopening Specialized Libraries Roundtable Two, presented on Economic Data and Entrepreneurship, attended talks on Feminist Walk in Harlem and Veganism, Knowledge Management presentation by SLA Europe, as well as participate in a Gurteen KM Café as I had the time. The great aspect of working during this pandemic, is that it has made this year more global than I initially intended. I will be presenting at two events at the virtual SLA Conference 2020 with the theme Driving Forward.
So what else is there to do that can demonstrate tenacity?
My neighbourhood is still pulling together with the use of social media especially with a higher increase in Anti-social Behaviour (ASBOs) in the recent weeks. There is no support on the street from local police and we have to rely on community activists. There is also pressure on community policing still due to non-existence presence in my area of a heavily populated borough plus they are under pressure which the current Covid-19 restrictions.
I haven’t been far away except for work this month but it is great to see signs of positivity in my neighbourhood. These include businesses that are operating old and some new ones. I also went out for tapas with my friends a few weeks ago for a socially distant dinner. However the most comforting and strengthening is the London Mural Festival, which took place the last two weeks. Some of these are exceptional as they pay tribute to local heroes, as well as the artists themselves. The best one is the one dedicated to NHS staff, which was put up a few weeks ago (and perhaps not up specifically for the festival). It is the exemplary public display of positive roles models that anyone can see on their local walks.
TENACITY, n. A certain quality of the human hand in its relation to the coin of the realm. It attains its highest development in the hand of authority and is considered a serviceable equipment for a career in politics. – Ambrose Bierce
As I end on one of the dullest days of September, the level of deaths are rising rapidly again in the pandemic. There are politicians trying to get a grip and scientists telling us that the data is predicting threats to our well-being with some more terrible news for public health and society…still. My dearest wish to you is to keep well, safe, upbeat and obviously, tenacious. Hold tight.
“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
After the festive season, January is always really difficult to keep you self-motivated as it is a start of a busy new year, with resolutions, work targets and goals to finish off. Despite the difficulty staying focus, there will be challenges with keeping to your own self-imposed promises. However, it is also great to make time to relax and spend with good friends by going out and about in the many attractions that we have as Londoners. This year I didn’t have to do any of the social planning…I just had to join along in the good cheer, to not one or two events, but six in total! Some of them were low cost and some at the high-end of the price range but all equally enjoyable. Here, I discuss some of the fantastic ideas for making most of the cultural venues in the colder and darker nights.
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Firstly, one of my dear friends was visiting London and asked us to see the satirical cabaret ‘Fascinating Aida’ which was being shown live at the National Theatre on the Southbank. I had no idea that the show has been touring since 1983 and has a dedicated following around the country. It was also very funny, entertaining and heart-warming with all the lovely stories and anecdotes. My friend warned me that there will be a lot of swearing but mostly it was the swear word ‘Brexit’ that received the most laughs! I was pleased with that. It was also very amusing to hear the songs and engagement with a live audience in a fabulous venue on the Southbank. A great fun way to start the New Year 2020.
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The same weekend, I was able to fit in some local art landmarks at God’s Own Junkyard for the fabulous display of neon lights in their coffee shop and gallery. The William Morris Gallery also had the ‘Pioneer: William Morris and the Bauhaus’ exhibition on until recently. This was my first exposure to the Bauhaus, whereby the exhibition aimed to fully explore the common values and relationship between the English Arts and Crafts and the Bauhaus movements. The designs are truly simple, striking and recognisable. It is always a pleasure and a privilege to have the William Morris Gallery so close to where I live, where I can see the new temporary exhibitions, but also to visit time and time again the permanent William Morris exhibition.
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The next amazing event I went to see was the ‘Into the Night: Cabarets and Clubs in Modern Art’ held at the Barbican Centre with my information professional/librarian friends. It was nice to get ready early on a Saturday to catch the short train ride to the Barbican Centre (I hope to spend more time doing fun things there when I have free time). The exhibition was very interesting to see the global movement that explored the social and artistic role of cabarets, cafés and clubs focusing on global locations from New York to Tehran, London, Paris, Mexico City, Berlin, Vienna and Ibadan. It depicted time spanning the 1880s to the 1960s in various cities of the world also with the common dynamic themes and multi-faceted history of artistic production.
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It was a simultaneous avant-garde movement where there was art from a part of the world influencing another part, such as the Parisian theatrical Le Chat Noir show influencing the Chat Noir paintings that you may know. It really was an excellent exhibition and some of the highlights for me were the art pieces, Loie Fuller who was innovative in her dancing movement with fabric staged at the Folies Bergère in the 1890s – these were truly trail-blazing with the copyright of her dance and experiments in costume, choreography, light and movement.
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We treated ourselves to delicious cocktails on this particular night before the exhibition but I didn’t realise until I was in the exhibition that there was a recreated multi-coloured ceramic tiled bar installation in the exhibition of the Cabaret Fledermaus from Vienna (1907), designed by Josef Hoffmann for the Wiener Werkstätte.
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During this period simultaneously in New York, the literary and jazz scenes flourished and “co-mingled in the predominantly African American neighbourhood of Harlem, where black identity was re-forged and debated”. And so, there was also some live American jazz and spoken word that evening whilst we held our freshly made Vienna inspired Champagne cocktail!
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For me it was also great to see and feel the artistic carnival spirit of the cabaret and the clubs – from dance, costumes, music, spoken word, performance theatre, street theatre, drumming of Yoruba, silhouettes of dangling stencils and so much more! This is not only an enjoyable night…it was life-affirming stuff of the history of artistic practises and cultural exploration. Even artistic expressions that were different in other regions, were happening and influencing each other demonstrating the common energy of the human condition and aspirations at a very turbulent time. I will remember this exhibition and the evening for a very long time!
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My next interesting event was to see a film for Federico Fellini’s 100 centenary celebrations at the BFI in London’s Southbank Centre (again!) for the film ‘La Dolce Vita’. I obviously knew of the film and the director, but couldn’t miss the opportunity to see the bold original film on the big screen at the BFI cinema. It truly was another avant-garde art from a period of the most iconic and cliché films on Italian life, highlighted by the neorealism of the film movement for its time. It was also interesting to follow the life of a journalist from his own life with his encounters with all the other people he is observing. There were highs and lows, happiness and sadness, fun and fear. I thought it was very cleverly filmed, and love the crisp and familiar scenes of Italian life. I am also hoping to see ‘Amarcord’ in a couple of weeks too but this really was a true appreciation of an excellent, avant-garde and innovative filmmaker.
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And as if it couldn’t get more interesting…I went to the BFI Archive in Berkhamsted for a tour with other British Library staff. It was interesting to see the archives, film restoration, editing, and machinery but also to hear about the various items, services and content that they store and conserve. It was amazing to know that they also keep commercial news and broadcasting (including advertisements). I believe the BBC has its’ own archive. We were very lucky to be shown around by their knowledgeable staff, meet the teams and also to see some of the ephemera ranging from film such Kes, Star Wars script, and artists such as Derek Jarman and Ken Loach. The BFI is where all good films go, and the archive is the equivalent to moving image heaven.
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The month ended on a high note with evening tea at the Savoy in London. I have been meaning to go for 20 plus years, although I have been to a ball a few years ago. I certainly loved the flavours of the handmade sandwiches and teacakes with Champagne and splendid tea. It was a special treat and I enjoyed the art deco interiors in a very chilled ambience. My friends and I didn’t realise that there was going to be a pianist and a jazz band playing beautiful music – so that was an extra bonus. Instead of staying a couple of hours, we stayed longer for about 4-5 hours! The venue is such a great attraction still and was known for creating a place with ‘stardust’ by theatrical impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte being influenced by celebrities, royalty, leading actresses and opera singers of the time. D’Olyly Carte wanted to keep that sparkle and it certainly still maintains its’ shine today.
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There are a few more January celebrations like Galette du Rois for Epiphany, and a British Library tour for SLA Europe I did with my colleague Neil, which was rounded off in the pub – both events were also nice get-togethers.
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As the dark and cold nights as here to stay for a few more weeks, it has been a pleasure to spend time in a usually uneventful January doing all these wonderful and entertaining things with dear friends, contacts and family. However, I do feel that it has been a very positive and busy start to 2020, and with more activities, I have planned for this year…it will certainly be a show and will keep me busy. Do come back here to see what action I am up to!
Connecting the Dots 