Dominica is an island rich in culture and with a history that encompasses various forms of the country's transformation from colonialism to independence. African slaves, brought to the island to work on the British plantations, carried with them their various myths, beliefs, languages and art forms and these have passed down through the generations. Today they are still an integral part of this country's heritage. The characters in Mesye Kwik Kwak are used to portray some of these and other aspects of Dominican life which still have their bearing from years past. The young boys in The Stone...

Giftus John's Ma William and her Circle of Friends recreates the idyllic life in the village of Senjo with a shopkeeper, Ma William, at its center. Her shop is a mecca of sorts; one where the villagers assemble to discuss the issues that impact their lives. John constructs an edenic landscape where communal activities such as playing mas', helping the local fishermen, attending mass, or going to a religious wake occupy center stage in the lives of the villagers. However, the impression of a settled and close-knit village is illusory. Politics fragments the community. Migration takes a toll as...