Heritage Day Countdown Is On!
Good evening Members,
In the heart of Birmingham, the vibrant legacy of St Kitts & Nevis came to life on Sunday, 20 August, 2023, as ASKaND hosted our flagship event, the St Kitts & Nevis Heritage Day. This now annual event has become a landmark for our community, allowing us to acknowledge and celebrate the cultural heritage of St Kitts & Nevis with pride and enthusiasm.
Looking back, last year’s Heritage Day was amazing! The event immersed attendees in a range of activities that made the day very special.
We had the biographical live theatre production of “Untold Stories of the Windrush Generation” by Kalaya Productions, the Caribbean Family
History Group, which showed how to explore our ancestry. The Caribbean Regals Steel Band's taster workshop provided participants with an introduction to playing steelpans.
Natty Mark’s 'Jumbie Corner' folklore workshop brought our oral storytelling tradition to life, while the humorous
Nevis phrases used by parents and grandparents added a warm and engaging touch to the day.
Music was an integral part of the day, with 'Tone with Mone’s' Soca-infused, Zumba flashmob session getting attendees of all ages up and dancing. The stage was lit with performances by iconic DJs and live musicians, including Commissioner Benji, Fishead, God Farda, Jus-Us, KMD, and Bajan Touch, alongside captivating live performances by Ras Ishu, Mykal Somer, CreezOn, and Sekou.
So, as we eagerly count down to the next Heritage Day, on Sunday, August 18, 2024, anticipation is building for an event that we are hoping will build on last year’s success.
With the support of over 30 dedicated volunteers and the backing of the Inclusive Communities Fund, this year's Heritage Day will aim to surpass last year's successes. The festivities will kick off earlier to ensure everyone has ample time to enjoy the activities and performances.
The official opening at 1:00 PM (London BST) and will feature special
guests from both St Kitts & Nevis and the UK. Attendees can look forward to more food vendors, arts & crafts, and unique handmade items like soaps and jewellery. The dominoes tent will offer both fun and competition, with participants vying for a winner's trophy and a goody bag.
The day’s highlights will include workshops on genealogy, Soca Zumba dance sessions, a spoken word open mic, and our ‘ASKaND Olympicks’ which will invite attendees to take part in easy races to win prizes and “bragging right” for your region.
So whether you are a descendant of St Kitts & Nevis, a lover of cultural experiences, or simply looking for a day out, our St Kitts & Nevis Heritage Day promises to have something for everyone. Mark your calendars and come be part of a very special day that celebrates our St Kitts & Nevis community.
Warm regards Jacqui SPONSOR
JacquiDaniels ASKaND Chair
A Journey Through Elegance
Hi everyone,
My name is Shirley Mason, and I had the honour of being a finalist in the Windrush Carnival Queen competition held at the Birmingham Rep in June 2024. Representing St Kitts and Nevis where my parents were born and raised was a true privilege. Although I was born in Birmingham and proudly stand as the eldest of nine siblings, my journey into the world of pageants and fashion began somewhat unexpectedly.
You might be wondering, “So, how did it all start?” Well, my lovely daughter decided to enter me into the “Ms. Elegance UK 50 Plus” Beauty Pageant held in London last year. Competing in this pageant gave my self-esteem and confidence an incredible boost, opening doors to more pageants and fashion shows. It was truly empowering, and I want to encourage other ladies out there to grab life with both hands. Therefore, as long as you’re having fun, believing in yourself, and maintaining a positive mindset, age will always be just a number!
I've always had a passion for style and fashion, especially when attending events. I love looking good and being presentable while upholding a respectable character. Recently, I did two photo shoots for the forthcoming Windrush Black Story Partnership magazine/book. For these shoots, I styled myself in outfits inspired by the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. If that wasn’t exciting enough, I also participated in the Windrush Carnival procession in June 24, at Birmingham Centenary Square. There, I
By Shirley Mason (ASKaND Member)
performed a dance routine on stage, which was absolutely amazing! I only had a few days to perfect my moves before the big day. Not too shabby for a mature lady like me, wouldn’t you say?
Although I didn’t win the competition, it was the experience of participating in the Windrush era event that truly mattered. We are laying down a legacy, and I’m confident that next year will be even bigger and better.
Therefore, we must keep this event alive to teach and remind our children about the struggles our parents and forefathers faced when they came to England start new lives. Their resilience and determination are stories that must be told.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please give it a thumbs up and let us know. Let’s continue to celebrate our heritage together!
Best wishes,
Shirley Mason
SKN 2024 Diaspora Conference
Our dedicated walkers finished their 12-week Birmingham to St Kitts-Nevis Walk, on 31st July 2024. As we begin the long process of adding up all the numbers, we wanted to remind you that the purpose of covering the 4054 mile distance is to raise £2500 to cover some of the cost of the activities we deliver to the community. Please continue to share our Just Giving links and encourage your contacts to support us.
Thanking you all in advance for your generosity. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/askand2?utm_term=9JjmjjqgD
GET ON OUR SOCIALS!
Don’t forget to access the Linktree links on our website. Peter, our Communications Officer, is always keen to hear your suggestions, so please let him know your thoughts on how we can improve our contents. Also, if you have a website you would like us to add, just let Peter know.
But in the meantime, please don’t forget our Socials which are having more and more people wanting to connect to us every week. So please find us at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askandbrum
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askandbrum/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/askandbrum
Email: askand2022@gmail.com
Find us at: www.askand.org
Upcoming Members Meetings
ASKaND Members meetings will be held at the BCA, Jenkins Street, Birmingham, B10 0PQ at 1900hrs. However, please always check our location. We are always working to try and offer our members different experiences; and that might mean we change our venue! But don’t worry; we will always give you plenty of notice of any changes!
Friday 6th September
Friday 4th October
Friday 1st November
Friday 6th December
Go
PeterNwabuokei ASKaND Communications Officer
Sponsor A Netball For SKN Schools
Netballs for SKN
Helping to promote the sport of netball across schools in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis
Are you able to sponsor a netball for a school in St Kitts and Nevis (SKN)?
Mikyle Louis SKN Rising Stars
Who is Mikyle Louis - The First Kittitian Test Cricketer?
In the 96 years of West Indies’ Test cricketing history, Louis became the first player to make his debut from the island of St Kitts, despite it being one of the oldest islands in the Caribbean.
Louis has done it all at the age of 23, replacing Tagenarine Chanderpaul in the starting XI for the West Indies against England at Lord’s on Wednesday (July 10). At the age of 16, Louis made his first List A appearance for the West Indies U-19 team when they faced Trinidad and Tobago back in 2017.
earlier this year in February, no one really believed his talents. That’s when Louis started putting things together, making his first-class debut for Leeward Islands. Over the next seven matches, the right-hander made the right noise, with 682 runs, averaging 48.71.
Over the next four matches, Louis, batting at No.9, could only amass 14 runs owing to his primary skill leg spin. Louis picked up three wickets, including figures of 2/45 against the Windward Islands.
Later, he went on to represent the U-19 side against international opponents, with a 14-ball 14 against South Africa U-19s in Chatsworth. But his potential with the ball was still raw, given that he went wicketless across the two games. At that point, it was much easier for him to give up the sport than pursue it, but that’s where Louis showed his mental strength to show the world what he was capable of. Until
But this time at the top of the order, a dramatic turnaround echoing Australian legend Steve Smith.
While his debut innings was disappointing (9), Louis showed his class in the second innings when his gritty 55 helped Leeward Islands score 232. It was really in his second FC game against Guyana where he demonstrated a really good measure of his game at the top of the order.
Across the two innings against Guyana, the right-hander scored 113 and 130, with 31 boundaries. He played the headlining act in Basseterre and earned his first Player of the Match award as well. Louis then went on to finish his first season as the leading run-scorer (682 runs), scoring 100 more than his captain, Brathwaite.
That was enough to convince the Windies selector Desmond Haynes of his talent.
Haynes commented, "We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England."
Troy Nisbett
Troy Nisbett, is the 15-year-old Nevisian who made history on Thursday 1 August 2024 as the first athlete to represent St. Kitts and Nevis in swimming in the 2024 Olympic Games. He competed in the Men’s 50meter freestyle event having trained in the ocean. His journey serves as a testament to the power of persistence and improvement. He also became the youngest Olympian ever, for St Kitts and Nevis.
He qualified for the Olympics through a combination of time standards and invitations. Swimmers can achieve qualifying times in specific events during official competitions, and if they meet these standards, they earn a spot. Additionally, some swimmers receive invitations based on their performance or special
circumstances. In Troy’s case, his dedication and hard work paid off.
Troy has trained and competed over the last two years at various events across the Caribbean. Notably, he participated in the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in the Bahamas in March 2024 and the World Championships in Doha in February 2024. He achieved the Olympic Qualifying Time of 22.01 seconds for his event making him eligible for Paris 2024.
Despite Nevis not having a dedicated swimming program, warm-up pool, or competition pool, Troy has made a name for himself with the support of his coach, James Weekes.
Congratulations Troy! All of ASKaND will be looking out and supporting you in the future. You made us all very proud!
SKN Heritage Day Wordsearch
Looking ahead for our upcoming annual family event, please aim to find the 24 words linked to our celebration of St Kitts-Nevis heritage.
