Ontario artistes keeping the legacy of Miss Lou alive

TORONTO:
Tania Hernandez, also known as Miss Tania Lou, and Nadia L. Hohn have been so inspired by the life of Jamaica’s late cultural ambassador, Louise Bennett-Coverley, popularly known as Miss Lou, that they have created works to honour her legacy. 
Hernandez, who was born in Jamaica and is a multi-talented Hamilton resident, has spent more than 30 years celebrating and preserving Jamaican culture through her work as an educator, speaker, four-time award-winning author, and recording artiste.  
On July 9, she was one of the recipients of the Creator Awards presented by the City of Hamilton at its 2026 Arts Awards ceremony and celebration. 
The Creator Awards recognise living artists or artistic collectives working in any artistic discipline and at any career level. Up to nine Creator Awards are conferred each year to recognise artistic excellence and/or innovation that contribute to artistic growth in the city, advance an art form, and express the cultural vitality and diversity of Hamilton’s arts scene. 
Described as a dedicated mentor and philanthropist, Hernandez fosters cross-cultural understanding and heritage preservation through initiatives such as her ‘Ring Ding’ children’s programme and her support for City Kidz. “Utilizing a unique ‘edification-through-education’ approach, Tania brings the vibrant folklore, wit, and resilience of her birthland to life, inspiring audiences and fostering a joyful connection to Jamaica’s rich cultural legacy,” the city noted. 
Hernandez said the recognition means everything to her.
“It gives me a bigger platform to celebrate my Jamaican and Caribbean roots and to ensure Afro-Canadian and Caribbean voices are seen and heard in Hamilton. I am carrying my heritage, my people, and my story on to that stage, while keeping alive the memories and works of Miss Lou. Ay ya yai.” 
Summer is a busy time for her. She recently hosted a workshop at the Jamaica Foundation Hamilton’s Afro-Caribbean Cultural Summer Camp to educate and entertain youths about their Jamaican heritage through stories, songs, dance, riddles, poetry, and food-tasting. 
Hernandez will also perform at the Jamaica Liaison Service’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP) Diamond Jubilee 60th anniversary celebration on July 24 in The Blue Mountains, Ontario. 
On August 8 and 9, the artiste will host four children’s workshops on Anansi stories and folklore at the annual JerkFest in Centennial Park, Etobicoke. She will also take some of her Ring Ding Kids to the Emancipation celebration at Fieldcote Museum in Ancaster on August 1. 
Hohn, an award-winning children’s book author and educator, was so inspired by her research and writing of A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett-Coverley Found Her Voice that she wrote her first play, Wheel and Turn, in 2021 as an assignment in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing programme at the University of Guelph. 
Wheel and Turn, a semi-autobiographical production, premiered at the 2025 Windsor Fringe Festival in Windsor and will run at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival from July 15 to 26. 
After Aya Parke, played by Hohn, overcomes cancer, she embarks on a transformative journey to Africa. When she returns home, however, she is heartbroken by a devastating series of events. Depressed and uninspired, she throws herself into a research project on the late Jamaican poet and playwright Louise Bennett-Coverley, better known as Miss Lou. The surprise that follows might be just what she needs to heal her heart, according to the synopsis. 
In the play, Miss Lou visits Aya and presents her with a mission: to write her story. Exploring themes of reinvention and discovery, the play is set against the backdrop of the Jamaican language and Afro-Caribbean percussion and folk songs. 
Hohn began researching Miss Lou at the Louise Bennett Archives at McMaster University in Hamilton in March 2016 for what later became her book. 
“Returning to Hamilton 10 years later with a play about Miss Lou’s life is a full-circle moment,” she said, noting that Hamilton’s festival is larger than Windsor’s and has been running continuously since 2003. 
She said the Windsor Fringe Festival provided her with a stage, a supportive environment, and a valuable learning experience where she was able to produce, cast, act, co-direct, and write. Participating in the Hamilton Fringe Festival was also beneficial because Olivia Carter, who plays Miss Lou, is a graduate student at McMaster University in Hamilton. 
Following the Windsor run, Hohn trimmed the play to 60 minutes, which helped her focus on its key message and communicate it more effectively within the shorter format. 
She also realised that Wheel and Turn is a musical, prompting the cast to perform more original musical arrangements and songs. 
Kevin HeronJones plays several roles. He portrays Jalen, a former student of Aya who is excited to share news of his academic success, but also has a personal request for his former teacher and mentor. He also plays Aya’s disgruntled husband, who wishes she would pay him more attention, as well as a news reporter who interviews Miss Lou. 
“I knew that she was a popular Jamaican poet and entertainer. Some of my poetic colleagues were fortunate enough to meet her while she lived here in Canada. I wish I had also had the opportunity because she was pure entertainment and such a trailblazer, not only for Jamaicans, but for Caribbean people in general who celebrated her. Her work holds a special place in our hearts,” said heronJones, who is also a poet. 
Carter, who portrays Miss Lou as a fairy godmother, noted that “in many ways, Miss Lou has been a fairy godmother to generations of Jamaicans. Through her work, she encouraged us to embrace who we are, celebrate our unique identity, and boldly write our own stories”. 
“Miss Lou is the mother of Jamaican culture. It is almost impossible to think of Jamaican pride, language, creative arts, or Patois without thinking of her immense contribution to our nation.” 
What inspired Carter most about Miss Lou’s story in the play was her unwavering commitment to authenticity.
“The play reveals how she navigated the international stage, building friendships and earning admiration around the world without ever compromising her Jamaican identity. It also sheds light on some of the personal struggles she faced, challenges that many people would never associate with someone who brought so much laughter and joy to others. Despite those hardships, she continued to uplift people through her artistry, resilience, and love for Jamaica,” said Carter.