Dear Editor,
I would like to pay tribute to my esteemed and cherished colleague, Dr Michael Gilkes, who died in London of the coronavirus. Michael spent a year at the University of Warwick’s Centre for Caribbean Studies, in 1986/7, and his scholarly presence gave a tremendous boost to the newly established Centre. Apart from his inspirational lectures and seminars on Caribbean Literature for undergraduate students, he was instrumental in organising the Centre’s first international Conference on the work of Wilson Harris, working closely with the Centre’s Director, the late Professor Alistair Hennessy. The collaboration between these two outstanding minds resulted in a magnificent publication, edited by Michael, entitled The Literate Imagination. Essays on the Novels of Wilson Harris (Macmillan, 1989). Essayists included luminaries like Jeremy Poynting, Mark McWatt and Stephanos Stephanides. The cover of the book was designed by the great Aubrey Williams.
Without doubt, the most memorable lecture Michael gave at Warwick was in December 1986, the Annual Walter Rodney Memorial Lecture. His subject was entitled ‘Creative schizophrenia: the Caribbean cultural challenge.’ Michael had a stage presence, being an actor and playwright. He ‘performed’ the Lecture, combining dramatic delivery with high scholarship, the result being mesmeric and thrilling. Even today, as I write, thirty four years after the event, I can recall being there, sitting at the back of the Lecture Theatre, spellbound, and also immensely proud that my fellow Guyanese was not just educating, but enchanting the large audience, many of whom (including the then Vice Chancellor) were unfamiliar with the genius of Caribbean writers. Again, his Lecture, and subsequent plaudits, helped to put Caribbean Studies on the academic map at Warwick.
Yes, Michael, you were a gifted scholar and maker of bright memories!
Yours faithfully,
Emeritus Professor David Dabydeen
( University of Warwick).
