Beneath the Ceiba Tree

Beneath the Ceiba Tree

Interweaving research, conversations, family and expert interviews, Meghan Swaby and Sedina Fiati will host an exciting podcast about Caribbean folklore, exploring how its impact ripples through history to present day and beyond

Episodes

May 3, 2022 57 mins

Beneath the Ceiba Tree - Season Finale,  Meghan and Sedina invite the magnetic and revolutionary d'bi young anitafrika to talk with us about the vitalness of storytelling. 

To follow & support d'bi and their incredible work, please consider donating to the Go Fund Me Campaign below:


Official Website - dbiyounganitafrika.com

Go Fund Me Campaign - bit.ly/gofunddbi

Decolonial Arts Centre - decolonialartscentre

Decolonial Arts R...

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This week's very special episode of Beneath The Ceiba Tree is dedicated to Miss Lou, Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator, Louise Bennett-Coverley   (1919-2006).

 

Beneath The Ceiba Tree is hosted by Sedina Fiati and Meghan Swaby and presented in association with Nightwood Theatre.

 

Audio Clips used in this episode:

 Linstead Market - Jamaican folk song , 1954

Noh Likkle Twang (Aunty Roachy Seh / Miss Lou's Views, 199...

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This week on Beneath the Ceiba Tree, Sedina speaks with  the wonderful Trinidadian born, artist and artsworker Michelle Walker.  She shares stories of  growing up in Trinidad and what she thinks about The Duennes folklore. 

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Books  about Caribbean Folklore mentioned in this podcast: 

The Jumbies by Tracy Baptiste

The Famished Road by Ben Okri

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To keep up with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/warahoun/

https://www.facebook.com/MeeshW...

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This week we chat to new friend of the podcast blogger, writer and editor Tiara Jade Chutkhan and get into some creepy Indo Caribbean folklore.
 

About Tiara

Tiara Jade Chutkhan is a book blogger. writer and editor born and raised in Toronto. Her love of literature led her to start blogging and sharing her reads, particularly those by BIPOC authors. Through her blogging, Tiara has had the opportunity to review books for HarperCollins,...

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February 7, 2022 41 mins

In this week's episode, we welcome Jamaican  performer, playwright and educator Daniel Jelani Ellis to chat with us about his spiritual  connection to Anansi.

To keep up with  Daniel Jelani Ellis  on insta -    @danjelani      

Check out his theatre company groundwork redux

We'd love to hear from you! 

Hit us up at theceibatree@gmail.com  to share your favorite  Caribbean folklore 

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January 24, 2022 31 mins

This week's episode features another fascinating folklore within Trinidad and Tobago. We caught up with the wonderful Rhoma Spencer to chat about the infamous soucouyant, and why you won't find her in these frigid Toronto streets.
 

To keep up with Rhoma Spencer and her work - find her on IG  @rhomaspencer

Send us your thoughts! 

Hit us up at theceibatree@gmail.com and tell us about the  Caribbean folklore you heard gro...

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January 10, 2022 20 mins

This week  Sedina Fiati interviews her uncle Rodney Clark to discuss La Diablesse.  We discuss the feminist implication of the Trinni take on the femme fatale.  In another family affair,  music featured at the end of the episode by the wonderful Savannah Taylor (Sedina's cousin Roodney's daughter). 

Find Savanah:

Insta & Ti k Tok @savtaylormusic, Spotify  and Bandcamp.

See the full performance of Savannah's interpr...

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December 6, 2021 17 mins

In this episode, the rolling calf folklore is a jumping off point for conversation on how to outsmart a duppy, nine nights and how Caribbeans approach living with the unrested spirits amongst us, with a special appearance from future star (and Meghan's nephew) Xavier Oliver Burke.

Book mentioned in this episode

Essie's Kids & The Rolling Calf.Essie's Kids & the Rolling Calf #1 By Luke A M Brown 

Interweaving resear...

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November 22, 2021 22 mins

Learn more about Lorna Goodison and her work - here 

Interweaving research, conversations, family and expert interviews, join hosts Meghan Swaby and Sedina Fiati in Beneath the Ceiba Tree, an exciting podcast about Caribbean folklore, exploring how its impact ripples through history to present day and beyond. 

Beneath the Ceiba Tree is a Podcast-in-Residence with Crow's Theatre and is presented in association with Nightwood Theat...

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November 8, 2021 16 mins

The Ceiba  Tree (SAY-ba) / La Ceiba/ya’axche 

(Also known as Silk Cotton Tree or Kapok Tree)

The word, ceiba  is  from the Indigenous Taino people living throughout pre colonial  Caribbean. The  tree carries enormous spiritual significance and is  often seen  as a home to spirits and birthplace of  otherworldly connections to nature.

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