COMMENTARY: A new emancipation
Shaina M. Smith - Friday, August 17th, 2012 at 8:36 AM
Shaina M. Smith
Yet another Emancipation Festival has been closed in the history books, the 58th to be exact, and I have come to place even more value on the celebration of emancipation over the last two (2) weeks.
It started when I attended the Norwell Harrigan Memorial Lecture series on 27th July hosted by the St. George’s Anglican Church. I wish I could say it was well attended being the 10th year of its existence and this is when my mind’s gears started turning as I listened to this year’s speaker, Teacher Elmore Stoutt, OBE, expound on the history of VI fungi music, folklore and more.
Such events make me proud to be a Virgin Islander coming from such a rich heritage. The thought came to mind that if I were to ask the average eight (8) year-old what they thought was the meaning behind our annual emancipation celebration, would they be able to tell me that it is more than just Coney Island. If I was growing up now, I’d think festival was just about partying for three (3) days. As I talked with others and thought about it some more there are simple things that can be done to bring back the cultural significance and teach the next generation about the meaning of the emancipation festival such as an exhibition in the village depicting freedom from slavery.
I’ve learnt more about our local history in the last nine years since returning home than in all my years in school and I am truly concerned about the same thing happening to the next generation if we don’t analyse what’s going on and refocus on what matters. Kudos to all who have been the driving force behind the celebrations for the last fifty-eight (58) years but we should never be comfortable spending over a million dollars every year and not be able to say if the event was successful based on criteria or goals. Let me explain…
Here it is when you look over the schedule of activities for the celebration of the emancipation of our African ancestors on August 1, 1834 and the journey in our development from then to now, there is very little in the way of causing us to pause and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. After a few conversations, some ideas came to mind on how we can make festival even better in years to come as we place more emphasis on where we came from to guide where we are going. If the focus is on spending and making money, no problem there – got that covered; but if we are serious about reducing the cost of festival and getting value for money on the hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars spent every year, some planning is required to make that feasible.
I’ve heard some people talk about a compressed schedule with the highlights being on significant traditional activities that lead up to Heritage Month in August. An economic spin-off is a stronger tourism product that can be marketed around the world as something unique, because our VI culture is unique and how we celebrate it should be unique and not a carbon copy of what we see elsewhere. This is also an opportunity for us to come together as a community and build national pride and past on traditions to the next generation as well as to those that reside amongst us. These are all potential objectives that would serve to guide planning and successful implementation.
Emancipation Day is a national event in other former British Caribbean countries and should be treated with the importance it deserves as a major historical event. Not necessarily advocating for a national holiday (yet); but here are some of thoughts for discussion.
• To reduce the burden on the Treasury, the committees can raise more funds through concerts with international artists during the first six (6) months of the year. This would also lessen the necessity for charging entrance to the village even if someone is going to the Coney Island. That’s like paying twice – I pay in taxes and still at the gate. A family of five (5), going to the village on one of the lead up weekend is out of the question with gate charge plus the rides, food and drinks. Reduced attendance by families can translate to reduced earnings for booth owners since children tend to consume more than adults.
• Here’s some activity ideas for the schedule:
o (new) August 1: Sunrise Reflection at Sunday Morning Well (irrespective the day of week)
o Week before opening of Village:
* Friday: Culture Fair; Calypso competition
* Saturday: Kiddie Fiesta
o Friday: opening ceremony with cultural displays in the village and Gospel Fest concert
o Saturday: Car Show; Norwell Harrigan Memorial Lecture Series; Miss BVI Show
o August Sunday: Ecumenical Morning Service at Sunday Morning Well w/ local or regional speaker.
o August Monday: Jouvert; Parade
o August Tuesday: Horse & donkey races (old meets new)
o August Wednesday: Cultural Activities @ EE/LL
o Friday: Carrot Bay Fishing Tournament; Cultural games
o Saturday: Powerboat and Sloop races to celebrate our maritime heritage
o Sunday: Ecumenical Ceremony @ St. Philips Church, Kingston.
For those who may not be aware, after the UK abolished the slave trade in 1807, the Royal Navy deposited a number of freed Africans in the territory who settled in the Kingston area, thus the significance of the remains of the church there. Former slaves that were shipwrecked on Anegada’s reef also settled there. By the way, I found out slaves owned property before they were freed, but that’s a history lesson for another day.
As part of Heritage Month, it would be great to have seniors from the districts telling national and village stories on the weekends or displaying traditional games like spinning top, marbles and building log boat or coconut boat, etc. Another idea might be a fair day at the Bandstand @ the Old Recreation Grounds as was done in olden days.
In two years’ time it will be 180 years since our forefathers started their journey to freedom and we need to make sure that we preserve our culture amidst changing times and not enslaved to “bacchanal”. I say journey because emancipation was not a one-off event as often described because there was a period of apprenticeship after the proclamation in 1834. And truth be told we are still on a journey of emancipation. The history books tell of the good, bad and ugly times our predecessors endured and we are obligated to honor their memories every year in meaningful ways and not give it lip service.
There is a reason it is a festival and not a carnival, as it is incorrectly referred to at times. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what can be done and I’m sure there are other good ideas out there that can be tossed into the mix. Either way, as we say on the Dialogues, this is only the start of a change in conversation to a better emancipation celebration and a better Virgin Islands! Stay tuned…
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Inspiring story there. What happened after? Take care!
she’s a soft politician….just saying things so people could like her…afraid to rock the boat…soft
Enlightening commentary on celebration of Emancipation. Virgin Islands’ culture is diluted and is dying at a slow, agonizing and painful rate. Growth and development is a contributing factor in its demise. Growth and development is vital to the BVI survival but the worshipping of it, especially the love affair with the greenback, comes at steep cost.
We have drifted a long way from our cultural norms and we embracing other cultural norms at the expense of our own. We can and should use other cultures to enrich our own, not slaughter our own. We can embrace other cultures yet value our own. The goat has bolted out of the pen so how do we get it back in the pen and keep it there?
The community is responsible for the demise of our culture. And it will take the community to revive and maintain and sustain our culture; and it will take parents, government, civic organizations, churches, mosques,temples, educational institutions, NGOs,villages…..etc. Nonetheless, the first step on this journey is acknowledging, respecting, appreciating and valuing our culture. Typically, we do not value what we do not respect and appreciate.
EL/LL Festival is no where in the mix because it’s unecessary. I honestly don’t see the need. It’s a waste of time.
just my lil two cents, right now the culture of the virgin islands is so diluted you got to look real hard to even be able to indentify it. Firstly i am sure most virgin islanders of Shaina’s generation forward do not know the history or the culture of the virgin islands. The modernization and the pursue of the mighty american dollar has eroded the face of our culture. It is a shame to see about 20 people attending the event at the sunday morning well and then hundreds attend a tramp in the wee hours of the morning to gyrate in what appears no clothes at all saying they celebrating the emancipation of slavery. The whole celebration that is in place now is only about money, a selected few who gain financially from the festival, while the people who are the backbone of the community are left like dogs to gather the scraps that fall from the table, but you know what those people are satisfied with the scraps. corrupt politicians, a wide range of people benefiting financially from criminal activities parading around like they are biggers cause they dollars. Bear in mind these dollars are earned performing criminal acts. Only the good lord can help us now, i am hopeful and i will continue to pray that our beautiful little area in this world will wake and see what is going on.
Great Article Ms. Smith. Proud of what you continue to do to elevate and educate the people of this country.
Hmmm I think you make a lot of sense and some of these ideas should be considered.
Great commentary except that its’ rise and shine and not jouvert! Additionally, it is not much different to the way its currently set up!
Well, what about East-End and Long Look Festival? I don’t see them scheduled anywhere in the mix.
Read the article again…….August Wednesday Cultural Activities @EE/LL. EE/LL needs to manage its festival more effectively to create more interest in it. It may be too close to August Monday and too similar. By August Wednesday people are broke and what little is left they are saving for Carrot Bay. The village needs to look seriously at another holiday period that it can hog for itself and where all roads will lead. Easter is VG’s.
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