Jamaican troupe gives glimpse of islands

Despite the layers of snow and ice gracing every corner of campus, students were enveloped by the sights, sounds, and sun of the Caribbean Wednesday night in Harrison auditorium. In celebration of Black History Month, the Caribbean-American Students Association sponsored a rare performance by Ashe, the Caribbean performing arts ensemble of Jamaica. The performance, entitled "Boonoonoonoos" -- the Jamaican word for "perfect," featured specialized drumming, dialect, folksongs and dances from all over the Caribbean. The performance gave audience members a glimpse into the culture of "the islands." The five-year-old group, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, performed a series of dances including one called "Bele," which is a "flirting dance," according to the performers. The dance is typically performed at weddings and parties in the Caribbean. Ashe, whose members range in age from seven to 22, also performed "The Shango," a traditional men's dance presented at wakes in order to comfort the bereaved, group members added. Contemporary styles of music and dance were also showcased by Ashe including "Dance Hall," the current craze among Jamaican youth, as well as the troupe's own rendition of "One Love," by Bob Marley. The performance even had some audience participation. Those attending the production joined the 19 performers in the limbo and refrains of the familiar "daylight come and me wanna' go home." "Being a Jamaican, I like seeing my heritage and culture seen by the student body," said College sophomore Kervise Walker. "It felt good to be up there on stage, taking part in it." He added that he thinks the student body should support groups like CASA. Joseph Robinson, one of the artistic directors of Ashe, emphasized the importance of cultural understanding. "Because of the Hollywood feeling, Caribbean culture is usually linked to Haiti and voodoo," he explained. "Because we're a very spiritual group, people misconstrue the true meanings. It's not about sticking people with pins." Ashe, which has more than 100 members, has toured more than 10 cities across North America and Europe. Group directors said they are primarily involved in peer education and spreading positive messages through the use of performing arts. "There's so much negativity that's going around in the youth of today," said Artistic and Musical Director Paulette Bellamy. "We strongly feel that if youth can teach a message, it will work better than if adults try to do it." Another group performer, 17-year-old Rishille Bellamy, who plans to major in theater at the School of Drama in Jamaica, said she works hard to dispel the myths surrounding Caribbean life. "A lot of people think that we're very primitive and backward, but we have our own culture that's very rich and different," Bellamy said. "We're just like anyone else, and we have the same values as anybody else." Wharton junior Anya Parkes, president of CASA, said she went to high school with members of the group and felt they serve an important purpose by performing on campus. "Black History Month is not only for African Americans -- it's for all persons of African heritage," she said. "Caribbean culture should be represented just as much."