Out Here On A Limb!

The Great Renaming: A Humorous Yet Thought-Provoking Musing on Animal Anatomy and Evolution 

Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats—or your fins, wings, and webbed fingers, as the case may be—because I am here to challenge the very foundations of zoological nomenclature with the audacity of a squirrel challenging gravity during a leap of faith. It's time we reexamine what we *think* we know about our animal kin. Let me present to you a thesis that is as witty as it is scientifically provocative: Animals are mislabeled, misunderstood, and dare I say, misrepresented in the great book of life.  

All the data presented here is based on my own HANDS ON experience!

The Case Against "Four-Footedness"  

Let’s take a moment and truly consider the so-called "four-footed" animals. Cats and dogs—pardon, *puss and dawg*—are among the most egregious victims of this anatomical propaganda. Anyone who has spent years sketching their skeletal frames (as I have, with the fervour of a Renaissance anatomist) will tell you: the front "legs" of these creatures are not legs at all, but rather arms. Yes, arms! The bone structure is nearly identical to the human arm—humerus, radius, ulna, and let’s not even get started on the wrist-like carpus.  

And those paws? They’re hands in disguise, my friends. Hands! Observe a cat batting at a toy or a dog digging a hole with surgical precision, and tell me that isn’t a form of manual dexterity. If these creatures are walking on all fours, they are, in fact, walking on their hands. Ponder that the next time you see a Labrador sauntering down the street with regal nonchalance.  

Kangaroos are fascinating creatures, particularly when you examine their front limbs, which resemble human arms in both structure and function. These "arms" are equipped with powerful pectoral muscles that enable them to deliver impressive punches during their unique form of boxing. When kangaroos engage in this sparring behavior, their muscular build and the ability to extend their limbs showcase a remarkable similarity to human upper-body mechanics. The kangaroo’s forelimbs are not just for balance or support; they are adept at striking, allowing these marsupials to assert dominance and communicate through physical displays. This anthropomorphic quality in their anatomy highlights the evolutionary adaptations that allow kangaroos to thrive in their environment while also captivating our imagination with their human-like strength and agility. Don't you think it is something to think about or consider?

Birds Do Not Have Wings—They Have Hands That Fly  

Now, let us turn to the aviators of the animal kingdom: birds. The so-called "wing" is nothing more than a glorified hand wearing a particularly fashionable feathered cape. Anatomically speaking, the avian wing comprises the same basic structure as your own arm—shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers. Yes, fingers! Those feathers are just the avant-garde extensions of what evolutionarily amounts to jazz hands.  

Bats, of course, have taken this concept to its logical extreme. Their "wings" are merely webbed fingers stretched to improbable lengths, like something out of a Tim Burton sketchbook. They don’t flap wings; they high-five the air.  

The Aquatic Ape Theory: Humans, Seals, and the Ghosts of Our Webbed Ancestors  

Now that we’ve established the hand-walking, hand-flying reality of terrestrial and aerial creatures, let’s dive—literally—into the aquatic realm. There’s a theory, whispered among the more rebellious anthropologists, that humans are not merely distant cousins of the chimpanzee but rather the offspring of an aquatic ape. Think about it: humans are oddly suited for water. We have subcutaneous fat (blubber, if you will) much like seals and whales, and our babies, when submerged, instinctively hold their breath and perform a rudimentary doggy paddle. Could it be that we are the web-fingered descendants of some long-forgotten coastal ape that decided to take a swim and never stopped?  

Seals, of course, are the obvious sea-dog analog. Their skeletal structure screams "canine cousin," and their vocalizations—those charming *arfs*—are but a watery echo of their terrestrial counterparts. Meanwhile, the walrus, with its saber-toothed maw, could very well be the aquatic equivalent of a prehistoric lion forced to adapt to icy oceans.  

Whales, Wolves, and Porpoise-Pigs  

And what of the great leviathans of the sea? Whales are often said to have evolved from wolf-like ancestors, and dolphins, in ancient times, bore the name "porpoise," a term derived from the Latin *porcus piscis*, meaning "pig fish." While I admit I have yet to personally compare dolphin and pig bones in the manner of a Victorian naturalist, the linguistic and behavioral parallels are uncanny.  

Dolphins are social, intelligent, and occasionally mischievous—traits they share with pigs. Perhaps they are the aquatic swine of yore, frolicking in the waves instead of rooting in the dirt.

Lobsters, Scorpions, and the Arthropod Ancestry  

Finally, let us consider the crustaceans and their terrestrial doppelgängers. Is a lobster not but a scorpion in a diving suit? And what of the crab, with its spider-like gait and penchant for scuttling sideways? Shrimp and roaches, too, seem to share a common lineage, their exoskeletal forms suggesting a family reunion that spans both land and sea.  

A Call to Action (and Renaming)  

Time for a New Nomenclature

So, my fellow thinkers, artists, and amateur anatomists, I propose that we abandon outdated labels like "four-footed" and "winged" in favor of terms that reflect the reality of these creatures’ anatomy and evolution. Let us celebrate the hand-walking, hand-flying, web-fingered wonders of our world. And while we’re at it, let’s give some thought to the connections that bind us all—from the scuttling lobster to the soaring bird, from the barking dog to the blubbery seal.  

After all, in the grand tapestry of life, we are all but variations on a theme, our bones echoing the same ancient melodies, our forms shaped by the whims of evolution. And if that’s not worth a hearty *arf* or a jubilant high-five, I don’t know what is.  

References:  

- Darwin, C. (1859). *On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.* (Also, a great read if you like long sentences and Victorian drama.)  

- Shubin, N. (2008). *Your Inner Fish.* (Or, why your hand is also a fish fin.)  

- Ancient sailors who mistook dolphins for pigs and seals for sea-dogs. (Unpublished anecdotes but undeniably compelling.)  

And with that, I leave you to ponder the marvels of the natural world, one humorous bone structure at a time.

G-Nomads Comic by Yannick Pessoa

As a writer and artist who struggles to make it in Jamaica my passion projects get put to the side in pursuit of what’s financially sound, viable and feasible. As such sometimes I feel my brain gets crammed up and crowded with unrealized, unreleased and yet to be unleashed ideas. Many days and months I feel my brain will explode with dreams and ideas yet to be manifested!

This is but one of my comic adventures…

Meet the G-Nomads!!!

In a world where a subset of humans known as Meta sapiens are emerging with extraordinary genetic mutations and abilities, fear and prejudice run rampant. Governments and private organizations seek to control or exploit these "enhanced" individuals, while extremist groups view them as abominations to be eradicated.

Enter Dr. Y, a charismatic and powerful Rastafarian leader who has established a clandestine network called the G-Nomads. Inspired by the Underground Railroad that aided escaped enslaved people, the G-Nomads rescue persecuted Meta sapiens and provide them safe haven in hidden compounds scattered across Bay City and the Caribbean island of "Xaymaca."

At the heart of the story is a diverse group of young Meta sapiens, each with their own unique abilities and personal struggles. Some have been forced into hiding, others exploited by nefarious forces, and many simply fear for their lives due to public hysteria. Under Dr. Y's guidance and the G-Nomads' protection, they must come to terms with their extraordinary powers while grappling with the ethical implications of using them.

The narrative explores parallels between the Meta sapien experience and real-world civil rights movements, drawing inspiration from the American Civil War, the fight to end transatlantic slavery, and modern issues like human trafficking. Dr. Y's Rastafarian philosophies and beliefs intersect with the mutant phenomenon, providing a unique cultural lens on evolution, oppression, and the struggle for freedom.

Overarching conflicts arise as governing bodies and corporations increasingly view Meta sapiens as commodities to be exploited or threats to be neutralized. Radical factions emerge on both sides, some Meta sapiens becoming radicalized against their human oppressors, while others preach peaceful coexistence. The G-Nomads find themselves caught in the middle, protecting their charges while navigating a world that fears and discriminates against them.

Personal arcs explore individual Meta sapiens coming to grips with their abilities, whether to embrace their powers openly or remain in hiding, the psychological toll of constant persecution, and the challenges of forging a unified community out of a diverse group of outsiders.

With tones blending sci-fi action, social commentary, and character-driven drama akin to Doom Patrol, and The Umbrella Academy, G-Nomads offers a fresh perspective on the mutant metaphor by filtering it through the lens of the African diaspora and Rastafarian culture. At its core, it's a story of finding one's place in an unaccepting world, the importance of chosen family, and the never-ending fight for equality and justice.

The conceptualization of the first 3 pages for a G-Nomads comic book:

PAGE ONE

Panel 1: Large, widescreen panel of a bustling city street at night. Neon signs, traffic lights, and headlights cut through the shadows and grime. In the foreground, a YOUNG MAN runs down an alley, fear etched on his face as he looks over his shoulder.

Panel 2: Close-up of the Young Man's eyes, glowing with an eerie, otherworldly energy.

SFX: HUM-MMMMM

Panel 3: The Young Man teleports in a blinding flash of light and energy, just as two heavily armed guards round the corner of the alley, weapons drawn.

GUARD 1: What the--?!

GUARD 2: Dammit! Another Meta freak!

PAGE TWO 

Panel 1: Large, stylized title card that dominates the page: G-NOMADS

Panel 2: A series of quick slices/inset panels showing brief glimpses of people using extraordinary abilities - energy blasts, telekinesis, elemental control. The panels contrast with images of fearful human crowds reacting in terror.

Panel 3: An advanced genetics laboratory, with scientists in lab coats studying DNA strands, cells mutating on a cellular level under microscopes.

Panel 4: Exterior shot of a well-fortified but camouflaged compound hidden in a lush, overgrown Caribbean setting. Rastafarian disciples in purple and green garb move about, as Meta sapien children play with fantastic elemental conjurings of energy, fire, water, etc.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1: DR. Y, an imposing Rastafarian figure with long dreadlocks, emerges from a dwelling, surveying the scene before him with a measured gaze.

Panel 2: Inset panels contrasting two scenes - fearful human crowd reacting with anger and aggression, juxtaposed with determined, powerful-looking Meta sapien teens.

Panel 3: Dr. Y crouches down, placing a calming hand on the shoulder of a young Meta sapien child, looking paternal but formidable.

Panel 4: Dramatic close-up on Dr. Y's intense eyes, burning with resolve and conviction. Meta sapien children flex their energy/elemental abilities behind him.

Let me know if this script hits the right visual notes to effectively set up the world, characters and tone I’m striving for with G-Nomads in the first few pages!

On Being an Artist in Western Jamaica

"You can't be a starving artist if you don't make art"
~Unknown

A few months ago, I entered the Jamaica Cultural Development's Visual Arts Competition for the first time. To my great surprise two week, I actually won 2 bronze medals. It was a most humbling experience especially when I went to the artist presentations in Montego Bay and Kingston and saw what a pantheon of talent I was fortunate to be amongst. An old friend from UWI, Mona Ms. Liz Toby received western Jamaica's gold medal for a fantastic piece that was most enlightening. She captured an important but lesser known figure and moment in Jamaica's history for Jamaica 60. She immaculately render Sir Harold Allen Jamaica's first black Minister of Finance, an independent politician, statesman, legislator, teacher, sportsman and business man. All this sudden surge of art, especially across the city (who do I need to bad up to get a mural contract) has me thinking of the power of art and public spaces. The impact of art cannot and should never be underestimated. It can help to heal our nation and move it forward. Music isn't the only inspiring art form.

Art Is a Weapon in the Battle of Ideas

Our city streets can be gloomy grey concrete-covered places; the genius of street art can transform everyday objects and situations into fun and playful social spaces. Therefore supporting arts and culture initiatives like the Fair Saturday or Saturday Bazaar movement like the city had back in the 80’s when I was a child only makes sense. It would allow our city to take advantage of a billion dollar industry that creates strong, vibrant communities, employs local workers, attracts tourism, and boosts local economic development. And what of MoBay Nite Out and the community Nite Out events? Those were the beginnings of a movement that could have given our city a serious boost and possibly alleviated this violent turn our city has taken while being an economic opportunity for artists. 

Summer in the city is marked by community gatherings and street dances, farmers’ markets plus a buzz of outdoor activities, especially Sumfest, Mobay Jerk Fest and the myriad of Fish Fries Bike Shows and parties like Yellow Diamond. In many places throughout the city such as the craft markets and the vending hubs need more robust help to prepare for the influx of tourists and foot traffic, so their stocks and inventory are big. In our city local arts and culture are should be on greater display. If the friendly city wants to recapture the air of friendliness then Montego Bay ought to seek to capture, harness and grow this energy year-round. One way to possibly do this is by starting or restarting a Saturday Bazaar to promote arts, culture and community giving this November. This could possibly be the makings of indigenous arts movement in the city. A Saturday Bazaar and MoBay Nite Out compounded by community nite outs, could spark the upturn in economic community life.

 

Art & Activism in the Age of Jamaican Independence

Artists living in Kingston have many advantages over artists abiding in small towns, isolated villages and even the second city of Montego Bay. Art galleries often are more commonplace in corporate area. There are also more opportunities for artists, such as residencies, art grants, art associations, art clubs, studio space and artist events. More artists in these locations means a better chance of of meeting other artists, gallery owners and curators. Of course, the biggest drawback of living in a smaller city or town is access to a larger group of regular art buyers and patrons.

Montego Bay is a tourism focused city. It's the sort of place where everyone kind of knows everyone — a town where, sometimes, I feel it's not the place for me, as small city life can have it's limitations. Don't get me wrong. I am the Montegonian and my city is a beautiful with appealing urban ambience. Rich red soil and rolling hills with rustic communities and garrisons that surround my life. It's also a city full of people that have been truly inspirational. Using my skills and Caribbean experience and injecting them into or projecting them onto modern media and design has always been my aim. Remixing and reinterpreting modern media and design ideas with Caribbean culture, ethos and cognitive elements are my personal dream. 

 

I like most artists dream to one day have a career as a practicing artist. Art is my escape. To be able to create artwork is a fantastic gift, and I want everyone to share it. Using art I can change the world, because awareness is the first step to change. Some people may think art is just for fun, but to me it is a whole lot more than painting a pretty picture. You can say so many things with your art. You can have a voice. I want to make a statement. I want to voice an opinion. I understand many people don't quite get my choosing to be an artist as one of my paths, among writing and journalism. When you live in a small city, where tourism dollars and scamming money is what tickles women's fancy and garners men's respect, being different isn't entirely accepted. To succeed in my dream I've had to work hard to show my friends and family that I can do it. Media and Art Mogul, Yannick's Montegonian Montage, second city coloured collage... How does it sound?

When people view my work, I feel so powerful, like someone is listening and reacting to my opinion. It drives me to continue voicing my opinion, hopefully to make a difference. I will continue to work hard to make my dream a reality. One day I hope to inspire other children from Montego Bay who dream of becoming professional artists. My greatest hope would be to make my city proud.

Abii Paris, Saba Art Gallery 

In terms of export value, arts and culture industries drive tourism. Arts travellers are ideal tourists, staying longer and spending more to search for genuine cultural experiences, and arts destinations grow local economies by attracting “cashy-er” foreign visitor spending. The percentage of international travellers including art gallery and museum visits on their trip grows yearly, and the share attending concerts, plays, and musicals is growing also. Montego Bay has a prolific host of artists and craft entrepreneurs. Artists such as Hilroy Bulgin, Elgo, Fernendez, Anthony Scott, myself Yannick Pessoa , Danii Noey, Paul-Dean Galimore, Jeffrey Samuels alongside the works of greats like Granville’s Errol Allen and Polish immigrant Michael Lester. I’d love to see tattoo artists in the same space with conventional artists as well as Reader Women or Obeah Man like the fortune tellers in North American Fairs. Craft entrepreneurs like Isis Harris of Isis Impressions, Kameilia Brown of Expressif Wear, Paula Hurlock of Indigo Soul, Hodges, Pablo Peirao Ras Manager of IzizI T-Shirts, Garfield Ustanny whose unique colourful crocus bags designs are unique and epic fashion statements, there is Nandi the Bow Queen and a host of others.

So whether as a means to advance the arts for their own sake, or to support local artists and local charities, or to grow economic prosperity by leveraging cultural assets, city leaders should explore the value of a Saturday Bazaar, MoBay and community Nite Outs —  if the city starts planning now and maybe we can paint a better picture of the city; A City of Heart, a City of Art! Leaders at the Municipal Corporation and Chambers of Commerce, can we come up with a work of heart?

When we think of resources, we don't always think about creating context for talent development. But that is my hope for the future of artist support and development, especially in small towns, and especially for our young creative people. So here are some thoughts on what that might look like for you if you are a leader in a small town, and interested in the same thing

Try not to make us feel guilty for not having the same historical memory of past initiatives as the more established artists and leaders in the community. Of course, let us know if something has been tried before, but don't shut us down completely even if the last time it was tried it was a failure. You might scare us away forever. Look at our enthusiasm as an asset, not a threat. And even if it sounds the same as something that's been done before, consider that it might actually be very, very different.

Set aside resources specifically for artists under 35.

If you're in a position to do so, consider creating a grant program, workshop or fellowship specifically for young artists in small communities. Find ways to help young artists find each other and incentivize collaboration, so that we can deepen our relationships with one another. We tend to stay committed to a place when we feel like we are part of something bigger.

Yes, we need jobs, economic development and vital services. But we also need the arts–they are the most powerful way to address violence, suicide and addictions. In art there are purpose and meaning; there’s imagination. Most depression and violence can be characterized as the closing of our imagination. What is art but the spirit in each of us to reshape our lives in the face of debilitating and often destructive circumstances? I’m convinced this is as compelling a concern for government and society to address as any other. Art has the power to transform, heal, progress, enrich, and even saves someones life. Without "Art"  the E'art'h would be just "eh"! Boring.... Selah

Being a Graphic Designer in Western Jamaica

When I was in grade 6 at Mt. Alvernia Prep., the class was paired with foreign students for pen-pals, to practice letter writing and foster cross cultural experience. I went home got my mother's help and wrote a nice introductory letter. Now, beyond my experience in the 1980's tourist industry and slights at duty free in-bond shops, I didn't have an experience with racism that had left an indelible mark till receiving my response letter from my pen-pal. The letter to my horror was riddled with condescending questions like do you have classes under trees and do you wear grass skirts and such. Coming from a Pan African Christian home this was an affront of the highest order. From then on I have come to realize that when the world thinks about Jamaica the first thing that comes to the collective thoughts of people from the western hemisphere are the pivotal 1960’s rural poverty images, of zinc fences, shanty towns, marijuana smoking men and matted hair. Some may be aware of the allure of sun, sand and sex. Reggae and Bob Marley did little to diminish the sexual mystique. Afterwards it also became known as the country which for one reason or the other was the perennial exporter of various types of drugs. Was this a failure in our messaging our visual communique?

 This clash of cultures and divergent realities reflect the duality of perception. I am not saying we aren’t steeped in a variety of problems, far from it. Hence, working in the developing world can carry unique problems and circumstances not perceived by graphic designers and artists in the developed nations. Hence I hope this article elucidates my progress and journey as a designer growing and working in the wonderful conundrum and cultural melting pot that is Jamaica and the Caribbean

Visual communication is an inextricable part of human history. It has existed as long as there has been the need to make marks or leave traces, to communicate through signs and symbols rather than the spoken word. In the contemporary world the activity of organizing signs and symbols, or words and images, for public exchange is recognized as graphic design - a specialist area of the broader field of design. Just as there have been design movements and aesthetics born all over the world, Jamaica and her people too have formed it's own unique systems of visual hierarchy, layout and style. Our unique history, environment and challenges have given rise to our own aesthetic and cues for communication.

 

 

Today graphic design in Jamaica embraces printed material from the smallest ephemeral item - a stamp, label or ticket - to publication design in the form of the interiors and exteriors of books and magazines. It also includes a robust and very local poster and advertising design culture, as well as trademarks, logos and symbols. Then there are the more convention yet extensive systems of information design - signage in the built environment, exhibitions and corporate identities for companies, all often developed in close association with architectural practices that are informed by our Victorian and Spanish past yet still being influence by Deco and a modern minimalism.

Over the last decade I've watched the practice of graphic design as it has undergone momentous change as pixels have become a handy substitute for print and software has lessened the profession's reliance on its traditional tools of pen and paper. In no other discipline of design has computer technology had Reich a transforming impact. Throughout our daily lives we are surrounded and peppered by graphic messages. Indeed they have become so much a part of the fabric of every-day modern life - from break-fast cereal packaging and advertising 3 billboards to logos on clothes and television company identities - that often we register their codes only on a subconscious level.

 

Working in Western Jamaica is always challenging as it is an environment, where the push for excellence is always marred and pegged down by an ever changing set of economic obstacles, and technical variables though if you ask me I believe that ultimately these challenges will help make you a better designer. Anyhow my journey started way back in 2001 when I took a graphic design course in Kingston, where I was tutored by one Mr. Marcel Robinson, who gave me my introduction to Corel Draw (I still remember that hot air balloon logo with fondness) and the theories of design. That was a time when the concept of computer was still one of a luxury item in Jamaica, but my exposure to them though came earlier in the 80's but was confined to a Commodore 64 that I had to write the Basic code for PacMan to play it. After that my next set of exposure would be to some access in my high school and prep school computer laboratories and the only use that we had for them was to play ancient PC Games, some of them in DOS. I remember being smitten with the early aerial view incarnations of Grand Theft Auto, Minesweeper, Taipei and Solitaire. Midway during high school my siblings and I got a computer at home. In the back of my mind I always had intentions of doing designs especially after seeing kids in my high school library using cut outs and a photocopier to make a flyer or poster, that incident cemented for me the union of art and technology.

 
As my progress in illustrating on a Pentium III Windows® machine went forward smoothly, I got introduced to a variety of software such as Blender, Gimp, Inkscape, and more. My enterprising nature brought me to Macs and Linux desktops. I had fallen in love with the idea of transforming pictures and mashing colors together, and the thrill of creativity. I had some idea of the basic tenets of graphic design and color theory but no formal training in these notions, so eventually I dove into Graphic Design books that I could pick up at our local bookstore franchise Sangster's or at Computer stores. After working on odd gigs at the University of the West Indies, Mona while doing a philosophy degree, I got introduced to Macromedia Freehand and Flash for vector drawing and animation. This realm of digital creation was my major foray into the vast world of design which wouldn’t have been possible without the ‘pirated’ copies of these high end software (I have shifted my software use to free and opensource) Although I will be forever grateful for the creators of these software, there really wasn’t any way that I could honor their work by buying their product. They were too expensive for a starving artist in Jamaica's second city.

Another pivotal moment in my life as a graphic designer came in the period of 2004 to 2006. In these three years I did two things that shaped my design inclinations, the first I got to work in a lot of jobs as a freelance designer. The second, after hanging with Computer Science crowd I made the hard leap into open source. The impact of these actions resulted in my gaining direct touch with the business side of being a designer and the second introduced me to the interesting world of coding, which would lend itself to me learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.



Being a freelance designer at the time circa 2004 was a tough time because in those days Jamaican businesses didn’t really rate the importance of branding themselves through graphic design, thus they attached no importance to that side of their advertising strategy. Don't get me wrong everyone wants a logo or a business card but they don't want to pay for it. I can tell you horror stories of hunting down clients who received work and tried to get away without paying. In Jamaica, photographers and videographers tend to be able to command financial respect more and people are more willing to pay. This environmental pressure has led to designers at the time becoming a jack of all trade. We dabbled in everything from flash animation to video and sound editing. Specializing in one discipline was seen as a death warrant because the desires of our employers, clients and the market were fleeting and one had to be able to pivot with the ever changing needs of the moment. Consequently instead of specializing and learning more about the various disciplines found in graphic design, this trend made the majority of the designers, somewhat lesser artists and some lost focus on the importance of the art itself, and by necessity it made designers in western Jamaica a kind of digital Anansi and hustler, where as the developed world romanticized this as the life a digital nomad.

Becoming a digital Anansi in this worldwide web prompted me to dig deeper into codes and coding, hard ware and A+ type repairs. It was an interesting experience as it overlapped with my desire to create stuff from the base up, using computers, to understand how things worked under the hood, the magic of ones and zeroes. Concurrently I was pulled deeper into web design since it encompassed the two things that I love most, the internet and design. In these formative years, I also learned the benefits of research as a method to help yield the best possible tools and techniques to produce interesting things. These years refined me from a hustler into a consummate artist, who was more concerned about creating a graphic aesthetic that communicated a new Caribbean message and Afrofuturism. Making money was important but I was yearning for something more as I lived that ‘starving artist’ cliche. This period was where I became somewhat disillusioned with graphic design.

The majority of my clients were not looking for the ‘aesthetic’ strength of their products, a lot of them were posters and party flyers for people who didn't pay well and objected if I put black girls on their party flyers. A lot of the rest just wanted something made quickly (in retrospect, I realize it was my inexperience as a designer which through lack of a deep formal education in the field and the lack of proper exposure led me to compromise my creative integrity). Even though I did land some big work, doing T-shirts for Reggae Sumfest, Trelawny Swamp Safari among others, my desire to do graphic designed still waned, and I turned my face towards web design and coding, by that time had already been through Yahoo's geocities and was blogging on this platform. So web design was a natural progression.

To my software knowledge I added the use of Adobe's Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator, Corel PhotoPaint, and Scribus. I also graduated from Frontpage to Dreamweaver. Try as I may that market was the domain of Kingston techies who won the lucrative business contracts and clients like NGOs. Around 2008 after layout work for Newspapers, writing columns for the Western Mirror, dabbling in editorial cartoons, I somehow wound up at VistaPrint doing copywriting. Then around 2010 — 2012 and the next creative wave to hit Jamaica was multimedia and motion graphics. I had dabbled in Macromedia Director and Flash which gave me some experience, my adventures brought me to working with Montegonian artists to storyboard music videos and do some photography which I loved. 

This is an energetic time for Jamaican graphic design, in terms of the web, illustration and  graphic videos like text videos. Motion is where graphics are going and garner premium pay. The field is becoming more mainstream, and the talents out there were getting out and presenting their portfolios for the world to see. Though at the same time we are in an age where apps and templates are a dime a dozen offering consumers prettier graphic options and standards, at the same time creating a generic aesthetic in design which still leaves room for the human element in finding meaningful new expressions in design.

Ode to Lost Elders and Careless I-thiopians

Now elders like to think themselves wise,
Which is no surprise,
But he says to me boy open your eyes,
The well behaved son never receives the prize,
Don't you realize?
No I said in my heart then,
And no I say again,
Even if I have to say it to an army of ten thousand men,
No again and again and again!
What of sons like Absolom and Solomon,
Power handed to which one,
Let the story then carry on,
Selassie is descended from which one,
And today elder I ask,
Why do you look like the children that sing the Ethiopian King's song,
And was he which son,
Akin to such one...
This is not my epistle,
But rather my Ecclesiastes,
A cosmological opus magnum...
A belief I use like an intellectual handgun,
Here am I, send me...
They will know I am which one!

Copyright © 2017 by Yannick Pessoa, All Rights Reserved. 
© MMXVII YANNICK PESSOA

Rubble and debris from everyday thoughts!

If you think I can be pigeon holed... meet the Indomitable Yannick Nesta Pessoa... even if mi nuh popular, even if a nuh 10 million likes, mi sure seh mi Mother, mi wife and mi dawta still love me (even if Keez never waan hold mi hand to skool this morn)... mi sure seh mi real and mi keep mi heart clean as is posible fi mi do... nah mean... whether you or Mr. Big Neck never see it... I wasn't marketing myself I was busy being real, and doing real stuff... without award or accolade... I was building community facebook pages... and being immersed in community life... Youth Club or Football Team or 6-A-Side or Residents Assoc. all the Senior Citizens Assoc. before mi reach old age... before Blog Awards and social media awards, I was blogging it and repping as JA's first blogger... Repping in the Western Mirror for Young working people every where as The Montegonian Friday evening to Friday evening... learning in the streetside University hot off the heels of learning all sort of philosophy from the UWI Mona... rolling through the years... poet... cartoonist, freelance journalist, entrepreneur, community resource person... now I find myself at Utech doing an LLB for a million reasons and continuing my fight for a better MoBay and a better community, so that Jamaica may under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race... doesn't end with an election, it doesn't end or begin with politics, to nuh shrink wrap in red or green...

Now mi believe seh mi a genuinely a genuine decent beautiful human being... inside and out... and mi nah seh so from place of arrogance or ego... yeh mi feel like yeh mi might slightly edgy, slightly angry, slightly intense, slightly eccentric, rough round the edges yeh... and if you truly know me... then you know me electrifying.. illuminating and edifying, and when given the chance to speak my words make the cinema and theatre appear right where you are... almost every waking moment of life is an adventure to me and for the most part my heart and soul are always a glow... my mind always on fire and my conscience light... so yes I know I am beautiful human being... aren't you too?

Nah stop all when mi dead... mi have duppy and pickney and inspired ones fi do this... as an African domiciled in Xaymaca i seh this still without apology Jamaica land we love, and Africa Unite... I don't need any likes, feel free to like if you feel thus compelled mi nah be anti-social, but a nuh dat mi deh pon, caah Google Blogspot/Blogger never had like buttons when mi started writing and graffiti the internet and cyberspace...

Top 6 Jamaican Television Series

As I continue my foray into the current blogging trend of publishing and posting all kinds of lists of wonderful Jamaican gems etc. After months of inactivity a day with two posts. WOOOOOO! Say hurray! I did a list of Jamaican movies a few years back and now I noticed you've got quite a few on the market... but I haven't noticed any blogs that touch on Jamaican Television series... So being the nuff person I am, I have to try and see if I can do it first, and maybe set a trend, and see people's lists with stuff I missed or forgot. But here is my list of TOP 6 Jamaican TV series:

Oliver at Large:
In the 80's when I entered the world... Oliver truly was LARGE... to me he was Jamaica's first larger than life celebrity! Oliver Samuels uncovered fame on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation's television series Oliver At Large, created by producer Calvin Butler and playwright Aston Cooke. In this series, Samuels played his alter ego Olivius Adams, aka Oliver. The series featured sketches from Oliver's exploits, often with his sidekick, Maffi. Several spin-off theatre pieces have been created for the Oliver character, including Large Abroad, Oliver's Posse (1999), Oliver and Pinocchio (2001), and Oliver and the Genie (2002).


Lime Tree Lane:
This JA Sitcom as it were, introduced me to a nuanced inspection of Jamaican community life... especially at time I couldn't do road so intensel. Lime Tree Lane was an original comedy series which aired on JBC (later @televisionjam) in 1988 until 1997 was Jamaican TV’s first soap opera. Are you too young to remember the series? Here’s a clip!


Titus in Town:
This great situation comedy to me was hilarious and a direct result of the successes of Oliver at Large. The 1980s Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation television series Titus in Town saw local actor Glen Campbell rise to spectacular heights in the world of Caribbean acting and theatre.

Claffy:
Another situation comedy spinoff - Claffy better known as MAFFIE in Oliver-at-Large was Oliver Samuel's foil and side kick for years and as is the trend in Television, he goes on to try his hand at his own series and so CLAFFY was born!

Ity & Fancy Cat:
This is currently the hottest comedy act in the Caribbean! Revolutionary & relevant in its substance, pioneering & playful in form as well as style... This bit of modern art is high in entertainment value. A Half our Comedy Skit akin to In Living Colour and Saturday Night Live, Ity and Fancy Cat that will “mek u laaf till u wata come a yuh eye".


Royal Palm Estate / The Blackburns:
This was the show that during my high school years introduced me to ideas of what high society Jamaica maybe like, and I never could break the cognitive link between Sonny T, and the real life Tommy T, Sonny Tavares and Tom Tavares, Tivoli, and even that Damian Marley song, "Things just ain't the same for gangsters." Royal Palm Estate  was broadcast 1994 from CVM TV in Jamaica and around the Caribbean. After 15 years, the producer has shifted the story-line to address the concerns of the younger Blackburn family in an evolving society. “The Blackburns” looks at the social dynamics of a family that exists in large part due to the legacy of the patriarch, the plantocracy, the remnants of slavery – Ted Blackburn and the plantation state.

A Poem for Emancipendence: An Ode to Daddy Sharpe!

SQUARE
written by Yannick Pessoa

"I would rather die among yonder gallows, than live in slavery."

 Black Birds shit on me and in ur hair,
You pass me on the street in the square,
You barely see me and u do not care,
About all the things that happened here,
340 executed in Parade...
U know where I'm talking?
Do you know which Square.

207 killed during revolt,
Bodies piled to be carted,
All because of what I started,
Imagine how my heart felt,
Feel my heart melt,
Buried in mass graves ,
Outside of town late at night,
Just for the freedom fight.

Black Birds shit on me and in ur hair,
You pass me on the streets in the square,
You barely see me and u do not care,
About all the things that happened here,
340 executed in Parade...
U know where I'm talking?
Do you know which Square.

Rebellion is what the crown hates me for,
Some of my kind don't rate me,
Cause I preach no war,
No my son and daughter go astray,
For I didn't die to see my city,
Become Guntego Bay,
Where are the parks?
And someone tell me...
Where do the children play?

Black Birds shit on me and in ur hair,
You pass me on the streets in the square,
You barely see me and u do not care,
About all the things that happened here,
340 executed in Parade...
U know where I'm talking?
I'm talking, I'm talking...
Sam Sharpe Square.

Click the Sam Sharpe pic to read a small bio!

Reflections on Summer, Youth and Community

I-sah, summer draws to a close and there is much to reflect upon for the summer that is 2013! It's been hectic and I am certainly a different man. U-nah-mean so much in my meditations now. Firstly, I spent an immense and intense amount of time with Keekee in Paradise... our relationship is on another level right now... I feel a tighter bond. She all make me proud since this past week, when friends come to link mi fi mek a small check on a (problematic CQ61 HP Compaq) laptop headed to the pawn shop at City Centre, anyway... out comes Keekee out the house into the garage... "I'M YOUNGGG, GIFTED AAAND BLACK!" Mi breddrin dem look in amazement then pop up and seh "Coulda only fi yuh pickney Rasta!" But sitting a 3 year old while you have signs to paint, brochures to design, t-shirt fi design, your own newspaper to try and start, your blogs to write, articles, drawings to finish, paintings to be finish, Artistes biography, PR for Artistes/Breddrin, moeny to try make, bills to pay, Cashpot fi study and try ketch... It can be heavy and cumbersome sometimes, when every 15 minutes, Daddy I'm hungry, Daddy I want juice, Daddy tie this for me please, Daddy I want to go to the bathroom (All when she a do this by herself now), Daddy can I get a paper, Daddy can help me draw this, Daddy I want to go to the shop, Daddy I want to go by Jayla. YOW! More time mi feel mi brain go sprain... but a so it go. Daddy love you.

My Grrrl Boss: Ms. Young Gifted & Black!

Then there is the added task of trying to be a good son, assist Mommy with her burdens, as they are many, do the little I can, drop the goods to the hospital etc. That wobbled some here in the summer owing to all the constant things, things, things happening.

For one their is the Youth Club as well. AH BWOY! A real story and saga, and partially the inspiration for this article... for other than the intense Keekee hours, alot of the other hours were spent throwing mental and physical powers to the Youth Club and general community matters. And can you imagine after all that effort, in the Youth Club, it went up in flames I-YAH! Jah know! You can read the Observers small take on the matter at this link: Paradise Fire! Youth Club went in the Blaze!

Just to attend is a great effort on my part to, sit, stay, pay attention. But I did... eventually now I operate as PRO. But to imagine... the Kid's Treat today and stuff gone up in flames, free food, free slippers, second hand text books etc etc etc. And granted the media says fire of unknown origin, I suspect arson.

Anyway how all this ties with summer and youth, is because between having to be constantly around my 3 yr old daughter, and her 5 and 10 year old cousins, who host tea parties and stage shows ("Paradise Sumfest" with a painted sign included) outside my un-closed door and interacting with the communities tweens and teenie boppers and teenager cockroaches more than normal, with back-to-school here and ll this youth energy, it gave me a chance to remember a lot of my youth and mildly relive and remember what those youthful days of girls boys and summer adventure and the hassle and havoc and turmoil that, that social period and various stages and cycles of development are like... Do you remember what they were like?

We live in an age today, where President Obama Nobel Peace Prize winner will trumpet his second officil war, Libya being the first, now we see the trumped up charges with no UN proof for a Syrian War. Yes come September Obama and World War 3 will be in the backdrop of the children and the youths lives and TVs. Occupy this and that and 99%ers will probably be protesting. And just like when I came into to Earth, a war was in full swing on JBC... I would grow up in the ending years of the cold war and would hear Mikhail Gorbachov and Yitzak Rabin and Yessar Arafat, Gaddafi etc... constantly in the back drop of my life.

But what about the foreground... do you remember those Calvin and Hobbes-esque summers of immortality, infinite energy and endless hours. The more well endowed among us will remember there first cars, some the first job, or even the first summer job, most will remember that first kiss! Don't! Nuff a unnu must remember when it seemed like the whole world was exploding with new ideas and you were searching and reaching out for new experiences, wanting to see and know this world. Seeing through new eyes. Youth, Puberty, Adolescence, Growth, Change. It's a bitter sweet journey and beautiful sight.

But this article has to be continued as Keekee's pressing need to watch TEAM UMIZUMI (did I spell that right) oh well... youth.... gwaan listen this Avicii till when next I write

P.S. Youth(Dax) Happy B-day! To days of summer and youth, cricket and basketball!

The Sexuality of Semantics: How the Jamaican Public Makes Every Word Pubic!

Have you ever noticed how... Jamaicans "sexualize" every word... veggie/vaggie... pork/pokey... Boy don't make any mistake and ask for Coco Bread at the shop. Other words like wood, rod or plank means penis... pole etc...

Think about it for a minute: hole, pot/pat hole, hold u, squeeze... quint, squint, cat, pussy, all have vaginal references... in Jamaica words mean 1 of 4 things... penis, vagina, oral sex or anal sex/batty man business... This horror and tragedy is not subject to words, but numbers as well... look at the much maligned 2, once a symbol of balance and duality and harmony and such... now! Look at 666... what an evil number, do we even know why? 

The animals are in uproar too... Richie Spice, one of my all time favourite artistes... "seh nuh styles me as dawg, dawg a sittn shit a people yaad" and Dawg seh nuh styles man as me... mi nuh shot mi bredda and abandon mi pickney or mek nuclear weapon fi destroy earth... and Cat objects to being the symbol of all vaginas and cowards, (by the way, where did we even inherit this disgust for vagina... men are pussies, go suck yuh ma pussy... yet we all born from it as men and spend our lives going back there).

Almost the entire sea community is in uproar about us land lubbers use of the word fish... not to mentions horses and donkeys pissed at what we call ass, chickens that make a daily task of standing up to chicken hawks and mongooses and rid our yards of forty legs... are hurt that we call cowards, chicken... as if a species that has to live off domesticated animals and is afraid to hunt... has the right to call them cowards...

I am through talking in patwa and english... too sexualized and we cast the worst aspects of ourselves and human psyche on the animal kingdom... mi need a new mental space... more linguistic freedom... a place where being a cunning linguist has no punny punishment or consequences... mi done... Rosetta Stone here I come... SWAHILI... AMHARIC... ARAMAIC...AFRIKAANS... new mission #OccupyAnotherLanguage

Who dem all a quote inna Observer...? ...nuh YANNICK!!!

Music - The Royal Road to Our Consciousness

Sunday, January 28, 2007

"Wisdom is the breath of the power of God, and in all ages entering into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and prophets."
- Ralph Waldo Trine, In Tune with The Infinite

The Right Reverend Alfred Reid used the following quotations in the sermon at the funeral service for Viola Simpson, a former educator and choir director of the St James Parish Church in Montego Bay, on 2006 December 11:

"Music is the royal road to our consciousness/to our psyche"
and "Let me write the music of a nation, then I care not who writes its laws".
Writing in his column, The Montegonian, published in the 2007 January 13 issue of the Western Mirror, Yannick Pessoa described the heralding of 2007 by the garrisons of Montego Bay as follows:

"Bam bam bam bloiy bloiy bloiy chk chk chk thoom thoom pieee pieee blam balm bookam bookam.no amount of onomatopoeia could convey to you the grand gun orchestra that played in Norwood, Gulf, Glendevon, Canterbury, Albion and Gully (all inner-city communities of the city of Montego Bay, Jamaica) to commence the New Year. Literally the year in St James started with a BANG!

At the stroke of midnight December 31, 2006 or the morn of January 1, 2007, I was at the yellow night owl's outpost in Paradise, Glen Skeng's shop, only to see the whole Paradise pull to a halt and I watched as multitude of people stopped what they were doing to come outside and listen to the barrage of bullets in what seemed like gangsters singing their own anthem. I watched people listen, and listened as well to gunshots on rapid from 12 (midnight) to 12:30 am and I counted somewhere in the region of near 500 rounds and can only imagine what I missed..The year has begun, the garrison has spoken."

Yannick Pessoa then invited readers to listen to the lyrics of a hit record by Mavado and Busy Signal (Kingston-based singers) called Badman Place that contain phrases such as "fools get kick inna face. get erase we nuh quarrel, inna bwoy head lead a rest.inna badman place.shot brush off yu face like napkins, thugs dem ready fi go rise the Gatling(s). tings wey talk yu cyan repeat or yu get delete.".

Shocking! These are the lyrics and others that I refer to as verbal pornography, accompanied by real pornography shown on DVDs, that our children listen to in minibuses on their way to and from school, at parties and at the big dancehall shows. These are the lyrics that are played daily on sound systems in hundreds of communities all over Jamaica. Who produces these records and to what end?

'Let me write the music of a nation, then I care not who writes its laws.' All of the crime plans will continue to fail if lyrics like those of Mavado and Busy Signal, and so many others, are what our children experience on the royal road to their consciousness.

Jamaican musicians have given many songs of freedom to the world. And so we can exchange the songs that celebrate death with our own songs of freedom. Our foreparents died to secure our future and sang songs of freedom as they did - songs of engagement and action! Leading us to what we are emancipated for!

A Quiet Heart
Meditation for your quiet time. Those quiet moments in your special silent place.

"So freedom sings what Freedom brings. Human freedom sings what Divine Freedom brings. It sings because it acknowledges the glory with which God continues to create human life with dignity, beauty, and freedom. It sings because it is not simply absorbed with what we are emancipated from but, rather, by what we are emancipated for. It sings because freedom brings not only creative empowerment but also creative hope.

The song of freedom is no song of abandon or illusion; it is a song of engagement and action..We act out our doxology in the context of our freedom, for we hold to the confidence that only in the service of God is perfect freedom assured. As freedom sings, no one is excluded or alienated, but no one is elevated either - for God shows no partiality."

- Kortright Davis, Emancipation Still Comin

Marjorie A Stair can be contacted at 601-3841; e-mail loyal@cwjamaica.com.

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