Dominican community stalwart Jacinta “Jess” Bannis, a lifelong educator and grassroots advocate, marked a landmark dual milestone on October 18, 2026: her 70th birthday, and the official launch of her very first published book, *Of Islets, Folklore and Second Chances*. The celebratory event, hosted at the Castle Bruce Regional Emergency Shelter, drew a packed crowd of loved ones, local residents, and public figures, with programming rooted in Kweyol and African cultural traditions that pay homage to Dominica’s rich ancestral heritage. Bannis’s debut work is a deeply personal narrative rooted in her own 1960s rural Dominican childhood, transporting readers back to an era when most remote communities on the island operated without widespread access to grid electricity or municipal piped water. The vividly rendered story weaves together snapshots of daily village life that span intergenerational family bonds, community religious practices, local school experiences, neighborhood sports matches, seasonal cultural festivities, and long-held traditional folk beliefs. A central thematic pillar of the book is the celebration of *koudmen*, a beloved, centuries-old Dominican communal custom where neighbors voluntarily contribute labor and support to one another with no expectation of monetary compensation. “We would show up to help each other clear farmland, build a home, or prepare for a big event, and the only payment we ever asked for was a shared pot of home-cooked food and the joy of each other’s company,” Bannis shared during the launch, reflecting on the practice that formed the backbone of her early community. The narrative also follows the bittersweet, deeply relatable personal journeys of two lead characters, Matthew and Makeba, as they navigate love, loss, and unexpected new beginnings. Bannis’s own life path is as extraordinary as the stories she writes: despite never having the chance to attend high school in her youth, decades of relentless volunteer work and dedicated public service in her community eventually opened doors for her to pursue formal university education later in life. For many years as a teacher at Castle Bruce Primary School, she earned a beloved reputation for designing creative, immersive lessons that integrated original poetry, local folk music, and hands-on outdoor learning activities to make education feel accessible and joyful for her students. During the launch ceremony, Bannis formally presented a special first-edition copy of her new book to Senator Austelle Lockhart, who received the gift on behalf of Castle Bruce Secondary School, a gesture aligned with Bannis’s longstanding commitment to expanding educational access and preserving under-documented local history for future generations. Now stepping into this vibrant new chapter of her life at 70, Bannis shared that she is brimming with excitement to connect with readers of all ages, and eager to hear how her stories resonate with both older community members who recognize the traditions she describes, and young people who are encountering Castle Bruce’s unique cultural legacy for the first time.
Jacinta ‘Jess’ Bannis launches first book during 70th birthday celebration in Castle Bruce
