































4 
 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
                                                                                  

As you read and reflect on the pieces presented in this volume, we ask that you remain mindful that 
Indigenous peoples have lived in the Caribbean since time immemorial. The word ‘Caribbean’ itself 
derives from a European transliteration of the name of the Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Caribbean. 
When Europeans arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, they found a diverse range of Indigenous peoples 
already living there. The descendants of these pre-Columbian people call the Caribbean home to this 
day, whether they live in the region or in the diaspora. 
 
We also acknowledge the land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it 
has been the traditional land of the Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River. 
Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we 
are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.  
 
Below is a list of Indigenous-led organizations or funds in Toronto that we recommend to readers who 
wish to offer their time or funds to organizations that amplify the voices of Indigenous people: 
 
• Raven Trust  
 (https://raventrust.com)  
• 1492 Land Back Lane - Legal Fund 
 (https://ca.gofundme.com/f/legal-fund-1492-land-back-lane) 
• Native Women’s Association of Canada 
 (https://www.nwac.ca) 
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 
 (https://www.itk.ca) 
• Water First 
 (https://waterfirst.ngo) 
• Clan Mother’s Healing Village  
 (https://clanmothers.ca) 
• Native Child and Family Services of Toronto 
 (https://nativechild.org) 
• Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction 
 (https://www.torontoindigenoushr.com) 
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society 
 (https://www.irsss.ca)         
• Legacy of Hope Foundation 
 (https://legacyofhope.ca) 
• Indspire  
 (https://indspire.ca)  
• Reconciliation Canada 
 (https://reconciliationcanada.ca) 



5 
 

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS 
                                                                                  

After an almost two-year hiatus of publications, 
the Caribbean Quilt Volume 7 (2023) ‘Resur-
gence’ aims to showcase academic scholarship 
and work on the Caribbean and its diverse his-
tories, politics, cultures, and identities. We have 
high aspirations for the continuity of such a vital 
student-run journal and the sustained growth of 
the Caribbean Studies Program at the University 
of Toronto.   
  
It is aptly titled Resurgence, and we view it as a 
labour of love and an ode to the region we call 
home. This year, in both the Caribbean and its 
large diaspora, we saw a revitalized energy to 
many culturally defining events, such as Carni-
val and all the aspects that go with it. In the two 
years of hiatus from those national staples, there 
was a craving for the unified energy and, thus, a 
need for the resurgence of something distinctly 
and wholly Caribbean. A feeling of togetherness 
was seen throughout the world through those 
events this year, and we certainly felt it too.   
  
With this journal, we held it in the same regard. 
There is a need for a new force of academic 
scholarship—for a resurgence of the spotlight on 
the Caribbean within the vast field of academia. 
Our aim for this journal is to highlight 
thought-provoking and insightful pieces that 
demonstrate how far our reach in the academia 
of the region can go as we cross our own version 
of the Carnival Stage in the academic world.  
  
We hope you will feel the same togetherness 
when reading this journal that many felt on the 
global stage this year. The Caribbean is a region 
that has gone through so much—colonialism, 
natural disasters, revolutions, and most recently, 
was hit incredibly hard by the pandemic. None-
theless, it continues to bounce back and resurge 
with a renewed force of unity, joy, and resilience. 

We hope this volume and the works included 
reminds you of that.   
  
The production of this edition of the Quilt is 
attributed to the efforts of the Advisory Com-
mittee and Reading Committee. We also would 
like to express our gratitude to the talented Me-
gan Mugalsingh, whose stunning artwork has 
graced our cover for the third time. Many thanks 
to our Advisory Board Chair, Dr. Kevin Ed-
monds, for helping us every step of the way and 
to the Journal Production Services Team at the 
University of Toronto Libraries. Without them, 
this would not have been possible. 
 

With gratitude, 

 
 
 

Alyssa Nurse     Brittney Bahadoor    Haonan Qin 
Editor-in-Chief     Associate Editor    Layout Editor 

  
 
 

Mobólúwajídìde (Bo) Joseph 
Layout Editor 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 



6 
 

NOTE ON THE COVER 
                                                                                  

 

Megan Mungalsingh 
University of Toronto 2T1 
FAS, Cognitive Science and Psychology 
 

The Stage is Scorched Earth (2023) 
  Gouache on mixed media paper 

 

 
In its most literal form, this painting depicts a Moko Jumbie crossing the Carnival Stage alone, face 
painted white, and its mouth covered. In the waves of their fabric are Spanish Conquistadors and one 
of Columbus’ three ships, positioned here as heralds of colonial violence. In Trinidad and Tobago’s 
Carnival, the Stage is an open space that performers and masqueraders cross while being observed by 
judges and spectators. It is a place that has served as a background and an artefact to rebellion and 
celebration. While it is becoming a place of the commodification of our culture, this piece begs the 
sorrowful reasons for its existence are not forgotten. 

 

Megan Mungalsingh is a Trinidadian artist whose mediums include gouache, watercolor and acrylic 
painting. She is an alum of the University of Toronto who majored in Cognitive Science and Psy-
chology. Her artistic interests include Caribbean folklore, fantasy and horror. 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



7 
 

LETTER FROM FACULTY ADVISOR 
                                                                                  

Being a student organizer can be a tireless and 
thankless task – yet their work is crucial in order 
to continue initiatives which mean so much to 
programs such as ours. This year, the Caribbean 
Studies program is deeply indebted to the hard 
work and dedication of two student leaders who 
stepped up big time to produce Volume 7 of the 
Caribbean Quilt, Alyssa Nurse (of the Caribbean 
Studies Students’ Union) and Brittney Bahadoor 
(of the West Indian Students’ Association). On 
behalf of the Caribbean Studies faculty and 
student community, I want to thank you both for 
taking this very large and challenging task of 
putting together a journal in short order while 
somehow balancing your own schoolwork, ex-
tracurricular, as well as personal responsibilities. 
It is not easy, but you have both produced 
something to be proud of – and I am confident 
that I will continue to be impressed by your re-
spective achievements in the future! 

Over the past year, it has been incredible to see 
how the journal has drawn so many new students 
into Caribbean Studies. This year’s volume fea-
tures a great mix of first-time and returning 
contributors, with articles ranging from political 
economy, cultural expression, Indigeneity, in-
ternational relations, and feminist thought, in 
addition to three unique artistic submissions. It is 
rewarding to see the journal's reach and the re-
spective articles published in past volumes con-
tinue to grow. The last time I checked, the 
most-read article had been viewed over 11,000 
times, and the most cited article had been refer-
enced by 20 other publications, with many others 
in close succession. This is impressive by any 

measure and is a testament to the high-quality 
work that Caribbean Studies students are pro-
ducing, the questions they are asking and the 
gaps they are filling through their creative re-
search and insightful analyses.  

For the fourth volume in a row, we have been 
very lucky to feature beautiful, 
thought-provoking artwork by U of T alumni 
Megan Mungalsingh on our cover. We are also 
thankful for the hard work that Moboluwajidide 
(Bo) Joseph and Haonan Qin put into the journal 
over the summer of 2022 to help create the 
template for this volume.  

Beyond the editorial team and students, I wanted 
to thank Professor Conrad James, who, as the 
Caribbean Studies Program Director, has always 
gone above and beyond to support the produc-
tion of the journal. Thank you to all the Carib-
bean Studies instructors, who provided the in-
spiration and guidance behind many of these 
pieces Thanks to Professors Melanie Newton, 
Alissa Trotz, Ramabai Espinet, Bernardo Gar-
cia-Dominguez, Lee L’Clerc and Chris Ramsa-
roop. Thank you to the New College Principal’s 
Office and the Office of Student Life for their 
support, as this journal would not be possible 
without the funding made possible to New Col-
lege Academic Student Groups.  

In Solidarity, 

 

Kevin Edmonds 

Caribbean Quilt Faculty Advisor 
 


