Marcia was born in Jamaica and came to London when she was just seven years old with her brothers and sisters, in the early 60's. To join their parents who came to London in the early 50's as migrant workers from the Caribbean. Many children from the Caribbean were displaced and abandon by some parents to come England as migrant workers.
Marcia fortunately was able to join her parents who had settled in the East End of London. Experiencing first hand, the harsh realities of racism and social deprivation that was prevalent in British Society in the early 60's.
Many Black children not only had to contend with the hardships of London life... but also inequality within the educational and social system, that in effect stunted most children's natural creativity and ability to be successful in Career opportunities ...
Despite this Marcia, has integrated into a contemporary multicultural society that is now far remove from London life of the 60's. - Multi-skilled she has lived in London for almost 44 years, utilising her experiences of both cultures.
Now - Marcia's own vivid recollections and images from her early years in the Caribbean has been translated into her own original and inspirational Poems, Short Stories, illustrations and Folksongs, that reminisce her own Cultural Roots and transition into British Society.
- As a multi-skilled communicator and Poet in both genres. Marcia's creativity is portrayed through a diversity of powerful literary and Artistic works and products, blending a rich mix of Caribbean and English cultures together to form a cultural fusion of two very diverse cultures. That can now be ordered directly on the Web or through Bookstores and Libraries Internationally.
For centuries West Indian communities around the world have suffered cultural elimination of their inherited language, which has remained obliterated from the pages of serious literature.
As a bilingual writer, author, Poet and spoken word artist, of Jamaican Patwa. My aim is to establish the creative use of a language that is not widely available in the literary world... But which is the native speaking tongue of millions of Caribbean's worldwide. Demonstrated through a diversity of innovative dual language resource publications and Visual Arts products, to encourage its wider use, as the fundamental language that 'Caribbean's' speak and think in! Thereby identifying its positive place in literature and education as a whole. Whilst providing insight into the 'Raw Roots' of a culture that has its 'Roots' firmly embedded in the past.
The language was not only belittled by European educators as 'pigeon or broken English' a derogatory term that caused Patwa to become denigrated, which the upwardly mobile privileged educated black classes soon latched onto, also denoting it as the language of the poor and uneducated. Despite being a language that has its 'ancestry' steeped in Caribbean cultural history and emancipation that spans right back to the brutal days of 'Slavery'- symbolic to the real meaning of 'Black History - nevertheless have remained unrecognised because of inherent inter-racial superiority that exist right down too today!
However, most Caribbean's absolutely delight to see and hear their own language represented in print and spoken word, that conga's up a real sense of identity and kinship. Through an innovative range of educational dual language resource publications and visual arts products and services, audio and hard copy publications powerfully blends Jamaican Patwa and English languages - with effective sound effects and music - to enliven creative works. Featuring original and inspirational mix of: poems, folksongs, prose, cultural short stories and products, which illustrates creativity and humour, demonstrating the rich cultural fusion of two very diverse cultures. Out of which the 'Patwa Language' evolved - centuries ago, through European slave owners need to communicate with their slaves.
Through my inspirational range of products, Caribbean communities worldwide can derive a real sense of achievement and cultural pride in the language of their birth, gaining better understanding of their language which is their historical heritage - that not only benefits their descendants, but educationalist, schools, civil institutions, authorities and anyone interested in identity and cultural History.
Products are specifically designed to encourage communication within Caribbean families by, maintaining their original language interaction
with the youth's of today is a positive achievement.
... To be able to express yourself in your natural tongue is the real key to gaining wider knowledge and understanding of the world we live in;
something that we as Caribbean's have most definitely been denied, for centuries. Positive role models and guidance, needs to be evident in
the publishing and Media world... that reflects our views and lifestyles in society through which our identity is now graphically portrayed.