Drisana Deborah Jack
(St. Martin, Netherlands Antilles) is a poet and visual artist. Her work currently deals with trans-cultural existence, memory, the effects of colonialism and mythology through re-memory. Salt, the sea and hurricanes reoccur as metaphors in her body of work. In her poetry and visual art she tries to go beyond the parameters of style and genres. Her literature is as much music, dance and art as it is text. For her artwork, which is an expression of a personal and cultural history, she uses paint, video, photography, sound and poetry.She has published two poetry collections, The Rainy Season (1997) and Skin (2006). Her visual art has been exhibited in museums and galleries internationally. Her poetry has appeared in The Caribbean Writer and Calabash and has recited her work in the Caribbean, United States, South Africa and the Netherlands. Deborah Jack is an Assistant Professor of Art at New Jersey City University.
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Archive available for: Drisana Deborah Jack
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The language conflict - a debate on language policy in Surinam, the Antilles and the Netherlands
With: Drisana Deborah Jack, Frank Martinus Arion, Liesbeth Koenen, Rappa, Ronald Severing, Ruben Severina
Papiamentu, Papiamento, Sranantongo, Sarnami, English, Dutch... The languages of the Antilles and Surinam are under pressure. What is the status of Papiamentu on Curaçao and Bonaire, of Papiamento on Aruba and English on St Martin? And what about Surinam, where Dutch is the official language, but where everybody speaks Sranantongo and the language of the largest group of inhabitants (the Hindustani) is Sarnami?
A strong language policy is missing on the Antilles and in Surinam, and therefore Dutch remains the technical and official language. In the Netherlands the Dutch language is under pressure from the increasing amount of English words that find their way into everyday life and education. Another threat is the growing interest for regional languages. There is no strong language policy in the Netherlands. Is the status of the Dutch language stronger in Surinam and on the Antilles than in the Netherlands? The panel members will discuss this amongst themselves and with the audience. With Liesbeth Koenen (Dutch linguist), Rappa (writer and teacher of Dutch in Paramaribo), Drisana Deborah Jack (poet and artist from St Martin), Ronald Severing (director of the FPI, foundation for language planning on Curacao) and his fellow islander the writer Frank Martinus Arion. Panel chairman is Ruben Severina. Dutch spoken.
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The film choice of Deborah Jack
The fickleness of memory is an important theme in the work of Drisana Deborah Jack, a poet and artist from St Martin. What do our memories mean? Why do we remember one thing and forget the other? She not only investigates personal memory but also collective cultural memory and the loss of memory. She compiled a programme of fragments of films for Winternachten, in which memory and time are depicted as a non-linear experience. With amongst others fragments from Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash (1991), Beloved by Jonathan Demme with Oprah Winfrey (1998), and Memento by Christopher Nolan (2000). English spoken.
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Ode to the Caribbean woman
Austin Clarke from Barbados and Drisana Deborah Jack from St Martin, two writers in diaspora, discuss in their work the role of the black Caribbean woman. In spite of her oppressed position, she is strong, proud and confident. For both writers their native island remains an important source of inspiration. Deborah Jack presents her new collection of poems and Commonwealth Writers Prize- winner Austin Clarke reads from his recently published novel Mijn leven in schande (The Polished Hoe). Bas Heijne chairs the discussion. English spoken.
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Krusa Laman - Villa Maria
With: Clark Accord, Diana Ferrus, Drisana Deborah Jack, Gerrit Komrij, Jopi Hart, Laura Quast, Mario Kleinmoedig, Merietza Haakmat en Hershel Rosario, Myra Römer, Putu Wijaya
A programme with literature and music from Indonesia, the Netherlands, South-Africa, Suriname, Saint Martin, Curaçao and Aruba, with MC Mario Kleinmoedig. Six authors travel from island to island in these weeks, for the festival Crossing the Seas. This evening they perform with their fellow-authors from Curaçao, Philip Rademaker and Laura Quast. The Dutch former 'Dichter des Vaderlands (inoffical 'poet laureate') Gerrit Komrij will perform his poems. One of the main writers from Indonesia, Putu Wijaya, wil read one of his wonderful stories. The Dutch/Surinamese novelist Clark Accord - known through his debut-novel De Koningin van Paramaribo (The Queen of Paramaribo) - wil read from his latest novel Tussen Apoera en Oreala (Between Apoera and Oreala). Poet Diana Ferrus comes from Cape Town. She became known through her poem on Saartje Baartman, the 'Hottentot-Venus', a black South-African woman who in the 19th century was forced to travel through Europe as a kermiss-attraction. Myra Römer, born in Curaçao, now lives in The Netherlands. Early she a surprising writers' debut with Verhalen van Fita (Stories of Fita), about a girl growing up in Curaçao in the fifties. Drisana Deborah Jack is a poet from Saint Martin. All foreign authors will read in their mother tongue, while their text is simultaneously projected on a screen in Papiamentu and English. There is also music in the programme, by the young talented singer Maritza Haakmat.
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Krusa Laman - Power to the poets - Teatro Luna Blou
With: Clark Accord, Diana Ferrus, Drisana Deborah Jack, Gerrit Komrij, Gibi Bacilio, Mario Kleinmoedig, Merietza Haakmat en Hershel Rosario, Putu Wijaya
Power to the poets is the title of an international literary programme with readings and debate, led by Mario Kleinmoedig. The social commitment of the writer and the poet is subject of debates with three authors. Gerrit Komrij from the Netherlands (former Dichter des Vaderlands - inoffical poet laureate- , renowned poet, novelist, columnist, essayist, anthologist and dramaturg). Diana Ferrus from Cape Town, South-Africa, became well-known through her poem on Saartje Baartman - the 'Hottentot-Venus' - a black South-African woman who was forced to tour in circus in Europe. Her remains were kept in a museum in Paris. In South-Africa a campaign was raised to have her remains buried in her home country after all these years. Diana Ferrus' poem played a major role in this campaign. Drisana Deborah Jack, is a poet from Sint Maarten. Het poems show strong commitment to the future of Sint Maarten independence. The participant from Curaçao is poet/performer Gibi Bacilio. During this evening there are also readings from two other writers: Putu Wijaya from Indonesia, and the Surinamese/Dutch author Clark Accord. Singer Maritza Haakmat will give a short poetry recital. Al readings of foreign authors will be in their mother tongue. Translations into Papiamentu and English will be projected simultaneously on a screen.
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Krusa Laman - Bonaire
With: Clark Accord, Diana Ferrus, Drisana Deborah Jack, Gerrit Komrij, Henri Toré, Linda Coffie, Myra Römer, Putu Wijaya, Tica Sealy-Nicolaas, Tiri Trinidad & Kathleen Thielman-Winklaar
A programme with literature and music from Indonesia, the Netherlands, South-Africa, Suriname, Saint Martin, Curaçao and Aruba, with MC Tica Sealy-Nicolaas. Six authors travel from island to island in these weeks, for the festival Crossing the Seas. This evening they perform with their Bonairian fellow-authors Henri Toré and Linda Coffie. The Dutch former 'Dichter des Vaderlands (inoffical 'poet laureate') Gerrit Komrij will perform his poems. One of the main writers from Indonesia, Putu Wijaya, wil read one of his wonderful stories. The Dutch/Surinamese novelist Clark Accord - known through his debut-novel De Koningin van Paramaribo (The Queen of Paramaribo) - wil read from his latest novel Tussen Apoera en Oreala (Between Apoera and Oreala). Poet Diana Ferrus comes from Cape Town. She became known through her poem on Saartje Baartman, the 'Hottentot-Venus', a black South-African woman who in the 19th century was forced to travel through Europe as a kermiss-attraction. Myra Römer, born in Curaçao, now lives in The Netherlands. Early she a surprising writers' debut with Verhalen van Fita (Stories of Fita), about a girl growing up in Curaçao in the fifties. Drisana Deborah Jack is a poet from Saint Martin. All foreign authors will read in their mother tongue, while their text is simultaneously projected on a screen in Papiamento, the language of Aruba. Also in the programma a presentation of Bonairian poety by the local performers Tiri Trinidad & Kathleen Thielman-Winklaar.
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Crusa Lama - Aruba
With: Belén Kock-Marchena, Clark Accord, Diana Ferrus, Drisana Deborah Jack, Gerrit Komrij, Jessica van der Linden, Johnny Scharbaay, Myra Römer, Olga Zaandam-Buckley, Putu Wijaya
A programme with literature and music from Indonesia, the Netherlands, South-Africa, Suriname, Saint Martin, Curaçao and Aruba, with MC Mirto Laclé. Six authors travel from island to island in these weeks, for the festival Crossing the Seas. This evening they perform with their Aruban fellow-poets Olga Zaandam-Buckley and Belén Kock-Marchena. The Dutch former 'Dichter des Vaderlands (inoffical 'poet laureate') Gerrit Komrij will perform his poems. One of the main writers from Indonesia, Putu Wijaya, wil read one of his wonderful stories. The Dutch/Surinamese novelist Clark Accord - known through his debut-novel De Koningin van Paramaribo (The Queen of Paramaribo) - wil read from his latest novel Tussen Apoera en Oreala (Between Apoera and Oreala). Poet Diana Ferrus comes from Cape Town. She became known through her poem on Saartje Baartman, the 'Hottentot-Venus', a black South-African woman who in the 19th century was forced to travel through Europe as a kermiss-attraction. Myra Römer, born in Curaçao, now lives in The Netherlands. Early she a surprising writers' debut with Verhalen van Fita (Stories of Fita), about a girl growing up in Curaçao in the fifties. Drisana Deborah Jack is a poet from Saint Martin. All foreign authors will read in their mother tongue, while their text is simultaneously projected on a screen in Papiamento, the language of Aruba. There is also music in the programme, by the Aruban musician Johnny Scharbaay.
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Crossing the Seas - Sint Maarten
With: Clark Accord, Diana Ferrus, Drisana Deborah Jack, Gerrit Komrij, Joy Reiph-Arnell, La-Vaune Henry & Mosera, Myra Römer, Papa Mpho, Putu Wijaya, Ruby Bute
A programme with literature and music from Indonesia, the Netherlands, South-Africa, Suriname, Saint Martin, Curaçao and Aruba, with MC Joy Reiph-Arnell, and musical performance by singer La-Vaune Henry, accopanied by artist and musician Mosera. Six authors travel from island to island in these weeks, for the festival Crossing the Seas. This evening they perform with their Aruban fellow-authors Papa Umpe and Ruby Bute. The Dutch former 'Dichter des Vaderlands (inoffical 'poet laureate') Gerrit Komrij will perform his poems. One of the main writers from Indonesia, Putu Wijaya, wil read one of his wonderful stories. The Dutch/Surinamese novelist Clark Accord - known through his debut-novel De Koningin van Paramaribo (The Queen of Paramaribo) - wil read from his latest novel Tussen Apoera en Oreala (Between Apoera and Oreala). Poet Diana Ferrus comes from Cape Town. She became known through her poem on Saartje Baartman, the 'Hottentot-Venus', a black South-African woman who in the 19th century was forced to travel through Europe as a kermiss-attraction. Myra Römer, born in Curaçao, now lives in The Netherlands. Early she a surprising writers' debut with Verhalen van Fita (Stories of Fita), about a girl growing up in Curaçao in the fifties. Drisana Deborah Jack is a poet from this island. All foreign authors will read in their mother tongue, while their text is simultaneously projected on a screen in English.
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Tradewinds/Passaatwinde - Cape Town
With: Christine Otten, Drisana Deborah Jack, Jan Klug, Jit Narain, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri
In Kaapstad werkt Winternachten samen met het festival Tradewinds/Passaatwinde, georganiseerd door schrijfster Antjie Krog en producent Ben Willliams. Net als bij Winternachten in Den Haag komen in Tradewinds/Passaatwinde schrijvers, dichters en musici samen uit de hele wereld, maar met name uit de landen die een historische koloniale band met Nederland hebben. Het festival biedt film, muziek, voordrachten en debatten.
Het hoofdprogramma vindt plaats in het Labia Theatre, een art-deco 'filmhuis' in het centrum van de stad. Daarnaast legt Tradewinds/Passaatwinde met optredens buiten de stad verbindingen met de vele verschillende gemeenschappen in de Kaapse regio. Het thema dit jaar is 'Poetry Junction': dichters en andere kunstenaars geven verschillende visies op tien jaar democratie in Zuid-Afrika.
Van zondag 24 tot woensdag 27 oktober reizen de dichters rond in de Kaap en treden ze op in culturele centra, bibiotheken en universiteiten. Op donderdag 28 en vrijdag 29 oktober zijn er optredens in het Labia Theatre.
De deelnemende schrijvers en dichters: Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (Indonesie), Regina Beregho (Zuid-Afrika), Breedevallei Digters (uit Worcester, Zuid-Afrika), Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe), Ingrid de Kok (Zuid-Afrika), Drisana Deborah Jack (Sint Maarten), Estella Kambina (Zuid-Afrika) Mzwakhe Mbuli (Zuid-Afrika), Petra Muller (Zuid-Afrika), Jit Narain (Suriname), Christine Otten (Nederland), Alfred Schaffer (Nederland/Zuid-Afrika) en Bulelani Zantsi (Zuid-Afrika). Deelnemende musici: Jan Klug (Nederland), Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe) en Karen Zoid & Band (Zuid-Afrika).
Daarnaast neemt de schrijfster Nurridin Farah (Somalië) deel in een discussieprogramma en treden op als gespreksleiders en presentatoren Miki Flockemann (Zuid-Afrika), Alfred Schaffer (Nederland/Zuid-Afrika) en Harry Garuba (Zuid-Afrika).
Maandag 25 Oktober, avond: Poetry Junction in Montagu
Woensdag 27 Oktober: Poetry Caravan: Atlantis, Delft + Brown's Farm, Athlone, City Centre libraries
Donderdag 28 Oktober: Poetry Junction en Poetry Slam - University of the Western Cape
Donderdag 28 oktober, 20.00-22.00 uur: Preview evening, Labia Theatre, Orange Street, Kaapstad.
Vrijdag 29 oktober, 20.00 uur: "Main evening" in het Labia Theatre, Kaapstad. -
Poetry Africa - Durban
With: Christine Otten, Drisana Deborah Jack, Jan Klug, Jit Narain, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri
Poetry Africa in Durban geldt als een van de belangrijkste poëziefestivals van Afrika. Zes dagen lang treden meer dan dertig dichters en muziekgroepen uit twaalf landen op. Het programma omvat voordrachten, seminars, workshops, poëzie-schrijfwedstrijden en speciale optredens in scholen en in gevangenissen.
Namens Winternachten treden dichters op uit Indonesië, Suriname, Sint Maarten en Nederland. In een programma op donderdag 21 oktober in het Elisabeth Sneddon Theatre staat deze 'Dutch Connection' centraal. Elk van de dichters draagt voor uit zijn werk, en wordt geïntroduceerd door de bekende Zuid-Afrikaanse stand-up comedian Soli Philander. Philander is ook voor het Nederlandse publiek een bekende. Hij trad twee keer op tijdens Winternachten in Den Haag.
Poetry Afrika opent op maandagavond in het Elisabeth Sneddon Theatre met een serie korte optredens van alle participerende dichters: Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (Indonesië), The Botsotso Jesters (Zuid-Afrika), Feel A Sistah!, een 'Spoken Word Collective' uit Zuid-Afrika met Lebo Mashile, Myesha Jenkins, Napo Masheane en Ntsiki Mazwai, Dorian Haarhof (Zuid-Afrika), Joy Harjo (USA), Drisana Deborah Jack (Sint Maarten), Were Were Liking (Kameroen/Ivoorkust), Mazwakhe Mbuli (Zuid-Afrika), Kobus Moolman (Zuid-Afrika), Richard Murphy (Ierland), Nowadayz Poets (Zuid-Afrika), Jit Narain (Suriname), Albert Nyathi (Zimbabwe), Christine Otten (Nederland), Karen Press (Zuid-Afrika), Baralong Seboni (Botswana), Tumi (Zuid-Afrika) en Christian Uetz (Zwitserland).
Tijdens Poetry Africa beleeft de documentaire van John Albert Jansen over de Surinaamse dichter Jit Narain zijn première in de Engelstalige versie 'Ashes of Memory'.
Meer informatie over Poetry Africa is hier te vinden.
