Mavis McLaren: cultural connector, community champion

Fort Rouge

Mavis McLaren’s husband calls her Ms. Jamaica, because she spends more time doing activities pertaining to Jamaican culture than anything else.

She is what you call a die-hard Jamaican and a cultural icon in the Caribbean community. A storyteller, Mavis tells stories of historical significance and of exceptional personalities of Black folks, particularly from Jamaica.

The former elementary school teacher and current anointed Elder by the Black Manitobans Chamber of Commerce, Mavis attends most Caribbean events, and she is often asked to do the Black History acknowledgement at the beginning of such events in which she would read out a list of Black heroes.

Recipient of more than 15 community awards, including the Badge of Honor from the Government of Jamaica for being a positive role model and ambassador of Jamaican culture in Canada, Mavis said she arrived in Canada more than 50 years ago to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree and then to return home to teach in Jamaica, but that did not happen as planned. She met her Jamaican/Canadian husband soon after and has two children from the union.

“My life in Canada and Winnipeg has been good,” she said. “I don’t regret not returning to Jamaica. I got a job teaching, which I enjoyed because in teaching I got to share my culture and history with the stories I told. Life has improved for Black teachers in Manitoba, even though it is not perfect. There are more Black teachers in our schools and even though some Black history is being taught we, Black folks, must fill in the rest to educate the public.”

“My own personal history has been enhanced since living in Canada and meeting Africans from the Motherland. I made sense with what my grandmother used to say to me as a child. She’d often say, ‘I’m an Ebo woman’. Since we did not know what that meant it did not mean anything, but I met Ebo people in Winnipeg. I then realized the truth of what my grandmother said. She came from the Ebo tribe of Nigeria and that I am from the Ebo tribe. That was a great revelation for me. History is important,” she mused.

Mavis has been involved with the Black History Month Committee since its inception under Wade Kojo Williams, one of Caribbean community heroes. Though many found it difficult to work with Wade’s indomitable personality, Mavis stood steadfastly with Wade through all the difficulties. Even though they did not always see things the same way, Mavis remained faithful to Wade.

“I recognized that Wade had some great ideas, and I was willing to work with him. Nobody is perfect and he wasn’t, but his heart was in the right place. He was a strong advocate for Blacks, and he was fearless,” Mavis explained, adding “Wade opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

Mavis asserts “celebrating Black history is important. Since my retirement I have been giving Black history lessons in schools whenever I am asked to do so. Because I am an educator, it is always a thrill to educate. I love it.”

A former member of the once popular group, Jamaican Folk Ensemble, the now defunct group was a headliner at the Caribbean Pavilion for many years. They had the audience singing and clapping to catchy folk songs like “mango time.”

Another of Mavis’ passion is her faith. She is heavily involved in the Catholic Women’s League and served as the President of the Diocesan Council of Women’s League and on the executive for years. Most of the work of the Women’s League involves charitable work and serving the poor among us, Mavis explained.

When not teaching or doing community work, Mavis loves entertaining and feeding family and friends with her favorite oxtail stew, curried goat and rice and peas.

What is on her wish list currently? Providing a minibus enables seniors with mobility limitations to attend events they previously enjoyed but now find it difficult to access.