The tradition of stilt walking in Jamaica traces back centuries, rooted in the cultural practices of Maroon communities. Walking Tall Jamaica seeks to honour and revive this rich heritage, serving as a platform for education, exploration and community-building while welcoming individuals from all backgrounds to participate and contribute.
We are guided by three fundamental pillars—Culture, Connection and Community and strive to embody the essence of Caribbean identity and unity.
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Culture represents the cherished practices and traditions that define Caribbean life
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Connection fosters immersive and inclusive spaces that encourage networking and relationship-building among participants
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Community brings together diverse groups to learn, share, and grow together, forging bonds that transcend differences
Since 2019, Walking Tall Jamaica has partnered with 1000 Mokos and Moko Jumbies based in Trinidad & Tobago, further solidifying its regional impact and collaboration.
I'm A Rainbow Too® is a groundbreaking project aimed at expanding opportunities and capacity for LGBTQ+ artists and creative producers to collaborate with international partners in touring, co-producing work, and skills sharing. Recognizing the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the arts, this initiative seeks to create a platform for LGBTQ+ voices to be heard and celebrated on a global scale.
Key Components:
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Partner Identification and Engagement
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Capacity Building and Skills Development
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Co-Production and Touring Opportunities
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Networking and Exchange
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Advocacy and Visibility
I'm A Rainbow Too!® has received support from the Outburst Americas Collective and British Council Americas.
Outburst Americas Collective is an independent group of LGBTQ+ arts and festival directors, producers and cultural activists from Brazil, Argentina, Northern Ireland, Uruguay and Jamaica.
Lady Blake Ophelia Stratum
Reconnect to Memory, Commune with Lady Blake
Lady Blake Ophelia Stratum is the first born in the 7th bloodline of the Royal House of Stratum, Keepers of Memory of the Empire of MaKroMa.
MaKroMa comes under attack and in a fight to save their rituals and sacred memories, the spirit of Lady Blake is thrown across time and space and she awakens into a new reality – the island of JAMAICA - where instead of being regaled as an Elder of the MaKroMa, she is now “the other,” an outsider.
She awakens to the pulsating rhythm of her ancestral truths, with each movement finding sacred keys - the ABENG, the DRUM, RUM, the AFANA and the Book of ECHOES which she must use to unlock the embodied memories that hold the divine ways of the MaKroMa.
Past Communions/Performances:
- Outburst Queer Arts Festival, Belfast, UK (2021)
- Desire Lines, Berlin, Germany (2022)
Interview with DW, Germany
