Quote by Olive Senior: “The old stories are always alive.”

This quote speaks to the enduring power and relevance of traditional narratives and folklore. It suggests that ancient tales continue to hold wisdom and influence, shaping culture and understanding across generations, never truly fading.

The late 1980s marked a vibrant period for Caribbean literature, often focused on reclaiming and celebrating oral traditions and folklore as vital forms of cultural knowledge. Senior's work champions these enduring narratives as living forces that shape identity and collective memory.

Jamaican poet and short story writer whose work draws on Caribbean folk culture, women's lives, and the natural world. Her debut collection Summer Lightning won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 1987, and her poetry collection Gardening in the Tropics is a celebrated meditation on Caribbean identity and history.