Youth Musgrave awardee Courtney Foster (left) gets familiar with gold-medal awardee Professor Maureen Warner-Lewis at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) Musgrave Medal awards ceremony at the IOJ, downtown Kingston on Wednesday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Freelance Photographer

Professor Maureen Warner-Lewis collected the prestigious gold Musgrave Medal Wednesday as she was honoured for distinguished eminence in the field of literature.

Warner-Lewis was among 11 awardees who were recognised at the Musgrave award ceremony at the Institute of Jamaica, downtown Kingston.

The awards were presented to the recipients for their contributions to the fields of literature, science and the arts. A youth award was presented to Courtney Foster for community service.

A myriad of works

Warner-Lewis has taught in the secondary- and tertiary-level education systems in her native Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria and at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, in Jamaica, where she spent most of her professional life. She has written about and done much research on Afro Caribbean cultural forms and religion.

In 2001-2002 Warner-Lewis received the UWI Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in the field of research. In 2005, she was inducted into the Hall at excellence of her alma mater, St Joseph's Convent and also got the University of the West Indies Press Best-seller Award.

Two major works

Warner-Lewis has also rendered her services to the IOJ, served on the board of the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaicans/Jamaica Memory Bank, and produced two major works after her retirement from the UWI in 2003.

In her reply on behalf of the awardees, the professor noted the contribution of fellow gold-medal awardee, the late Wycliffe Bennett, who received his recognition while he was a patient at the University Hospital of the West Indies in August.

A moment of silence was observed for Bennett, Sonny Bradshaw, Trevor Rhone and others who passed on this year.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com