As the oldest of the lot, the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) can claim to be a parent or grandparent among the several overseas-based associations serving Jamaicans all over the world. Among its many accomplishments and achievements, the 50-year-old JCA has established an enviable reputation in the greater Toronto area as some people who put on some real boonoonoonoos events. And that's exactly what they did with a thing called Pickney Sinting this past Father's Day.

It sweet mi so til! Listen nuh, I was one of many proud fathers sitting in the audience for the delightful production, produced and directed by Jamaican theatre stalwart Marcia Brown, and featuring more than three hours of top-notch entertainment from young Canadians of Jamaican background, the children of the Jamaican-Canadian community. Unnu know dem kind a foreign pickney deh? Di Jamaicans who never been to Jamaica but can be more Jamaican than me and you. Di ones who eat and drink and walk and talk Jamaican even though dem neva set foot a yard from dem born. Yes, dem same one!

wicked showmanship

Dem tun up di Father's Day and light up di Canadian evening with some wicked showmanship. The performers ranged in age from four to 19 and their presentations covered every aspect of the performing arts. And, as the Canadians love to say, 'the kids were awesome', or to put it in Jamaican, dem did good bad, mi nah lie! They all did well.

I saw classical and traditional folk dances, dancehall, hip hop and tap dance. I enjoyed a range of poetry, singing and instrumental offerings. One of the highlights of the evening for me was a skit with the children playing Jamaica's 14 parishes arguing about which one was the most important and historically interesting. Actually, it was Negril plus the parishes, with the parishes having a juice of a time to convince the uppity little tourist town that she's not even a parish; she's just a part of Westmoreland and Hanover.

Two young singers, 11-year-old Rakim Kelly and 12-year-old Krishane Prince, also stood out for me with their unquestionable talent and confidence, as did 16-year-old Khalil Stewart, whose piano rendition was just absolutely out of this world. And the MC team of Rochelle Robinson and Jesse Ellis created such a spark that they were getting requests to host other function even before the close of the show!

Pickney Sinting is a great idea. The JCA is involved in a wide range of social, cultural and educational programmes that serve to celebrate, promote and support the positive values and traditions of our diverse Jamaican heritage, and help to improve the quality of life of Jamaicans here and there. Events like Pickney Sinting are wonderful avenues to such objectives, that also keep our culture alive and underline our sense of self. And trust me, this is very important for people who are domiciled in a foreign land.

They've promised that it will be an annual event, and I really hope they continue it, because it was nice. This first edition was a reassuring and entertaining reminder of how blessed our country is. It was also a fantastic cultural feast on a not yet fully respected day. Yes, mi friends, Pickney Sinting 2012 was fine family fun for Father's Day.

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