An annual event geared at commemorating the abolition of slavery in Dominica has officially been launched and Dominicans far and near are being encouraged to participate fully in the activities. The 2014 Emancipation Celebrations will involve a variety of educational, cultural, community and outdoor events which will include the Golden Drum Awards and the Grand Emancipation Day Hike.
Speaking at the official launch on Tuesday morning, Acting Chief Cultural Officer Jacinta David explained that the celebration is one of freedom.
“It is a celebration of the struggle of our ancestors, the maroons and others to abolish slavery. It is an occasion to pay tribute to those who gave up their lives in that struggle and to those who died during the Atlantic crossing and as a result of inhumane conditions and brutality of slavery.”
According to her, this year’s celebration will be special since it marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Jacko, Dominica’s paramount maroon chief and also marks the 180th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in Dominica.
“Emancipation day activities include a historic walk starting from the Barracoon building, proceeding along the Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard to the Cruise Ship berth where flowers will be scattered in the sea to commemorate those who died during the Atlantic Middle Passage. A short address and libation will follow at the Roseau Market and then a special ceremony and concert will be held at the Peebles Park.”
Minister for Culture, Youth and Sports Justina Charles added that special focus is being placed on the Baracoon building and the Old Market during this year’s celebration.
“Last year we unveiled the Emancipation Negre Maroon monument in Roseau. This monument is a paramount symbol which serves to remind us or to stimulate thinking or curiosity about emancipation from slavery and the role of the maroons. This year we give some focus to the Barracoon buildings and the Old Market, two important sites associated with slavery.”
She added that a people with no knowledge of their past is like a tree without roots hence, it is important to recall our history and pass this on to the young generations.
Charles encouraged everyone to participate in the various activities.
Other activities to commemorate the Emancipation Celebrations include an Emancipation Lecture on July 31st, Honoring our Heroes event in Grandbay on August 2nd, and the Nature Island Literary Festival and Book Fair from August 8th to 10th, 2014.
Emancipation Day is slated for August 1st, 2014.
Come on let us celebrate in grand style. Our fore fathers fought for us to be where we are today. It was because of the sweat of their brows that today we are seen as human beings. We were considered as worthless, and not human.
So therfore my sisters and brothers go for it let us be proud to be who we are and celebrate Emancipation.
It hurts speaks the truth. We D/cans are well aware of these cardinal issues but fail to act.
If we want to be first in anything we have to put our best foot forward. So all those who have speech pathologies
put them in the back offices.
DA would transform over night.There are so many people with wonderful voices,articulation, pronounciation,command of grammer and the English Language on island who go about their daily lives without jobs when they could easily displace these unfortunates who just think they are it.
Groovy bat is another one.
Even the opposition party leader should be employed to read news after the next elections.even Just Dennis.
They are good let them make DA proud in other ways than politics
Some may be mad at me but Skerro and blackmore & Douglas are on the list of passa parle.Backoffice for them too.
Interesting that DNO allowed It hurts comments. Am proud of DNO to allow such an important observation.
DNO has to be complimented for being honest here.!
Three cheers for DNO.
This observation was well said I could not have said it better.
In 2014 we demand more from our announcers we were better 40 yrs ago.I do agree 200% with It Hurts this is so factual.
Some of us Cannot accept the truth.
I want to add my five cents piece. I listen to Q95 too and that self anointed court reporter C.Jno Baptiste is another one who should not be allowed to speak.
Last but no least the Union guy who went to see Skeritt during the PWD protest. These guys like to be behind microphones. Skerritt too should not be allowed to speak until they take classes which oughtto be mandatory for those addressing and in the public’s eye
Talk is cheap. Hear the Minister of Culture spewing that a people without the knowledge of its past, is like a tree without roots.
The Skerritt DLP Gov’t established foreign relations with Morocco, just recently. The exploited people of Western Sahara have been fighting for decades for their freedom against the autocratic rule of the occupying colonial nation, Morocco. Mental enslavement?
Construction of a State Palace, State college, housing projects, and so on awarded to Chinese. Work that local construction Cos. and workers could do. Emancipation??????
Mental Slavery continues to envelop all and has turned many into Zombies, supporting a new kind of slavery, corruption, Bad governance, and even cheating and stealing of elections. Emancipation??????
People have struggled and died for their freedom and the right to vote in FREE and FAIR elections. Implementation of Electoral Reforms to ensure Free and FAIR elections is stubbornly resisted and blocked by those who want to remain in Power, by all means possible. Emancipation?????
Dictatorship trends hitting us in the face. Illegal acts committed by those in authority are praised. Massa days continue in devious ways. Our forefathers are ashamed of those who continue to betray the mission of those freedom fighters. They spilled their blood in their struggles to set us free against the atrocities of the Elite Class against the majority of poor people. .
Yet, the patriots advocating, fighting against corruption and dictatorship trends are vilified, victimized. How could one explain our diplomatic passports reaching the hands of foreigners with questionable operations? Massa day ain’t done yet. The chains have been tightening around our necks in this new colonial setting.
Emancipation from whom? from what?? Witness what our own black brothers and sisters, “in power” are doing to the people and this beautiful country. How Long???? Not Long!!!!!
We should also celebrate the date when Dominicans will be FREED from the brutal clutches of the Labour Party. This is a party that has made thousands of Dominicans slaves and beggars in their own country. Just as in the days of slavery, if you do not spot the Labour Party colour, or give open support to the party, it will be difficult or impossible to eat bread. Part of the Dominican emancipation will occur when the people are freed from the brutal, evil, wicked grip of the Labour Party.
THIS IS POLITICAL EMANCIPATION!
WE NEED IT ON ISLAND!
Emancipation is still a work in progress and should not be treated as just a historical footnote that should be remembered. Mental slavery still exists especially in the context of Dominica where we view white and foreign as superior to black and local, we continue to be our own worst enemy and most of the precepts that have been mprinted on us over 400 yrs of slavery. Full emancipation is inclusive of freedom from from the mental chains that bind us as well as the financial emancipation forseen by marcus garvey where black nations would be free from banking systems controlled by the whites and currently in this era the chinese. Unless we are truly our own masters we will never be free.
It is also amazing that we celebrate the maroon who rose up and fought for freedom while today uttering phrases such as ‘we will have to fight’ are paramount to terrorism and persons are vilified for patriotism. We must remember that most of the wickedness done was actually through slave drivers who were blacks and these maroons were often fought using blacks in units such as the west india regiment. I say this to say that our freedom is not guaranteed because we elect someone with our skin tone and we must continually ensure that our liberty thus far is protected from those who would sell rhese hard won rights for a few pieces of silver.
DNO…..acting chief
ADMIN: Thanks
They were the Maroons of radio.
The guy mentioned does not qualify not even to be a coon
Please allow me to state this observation as we celebrate Emancipation.
I grew up listening to Jeff Charles, Barnett Defore ,Andre’ alias Lalay coco ,Ramond Lawrence,Daniel PapaD , the late Ferdinand Frampton and at a more mature age Shermain Green-Brown and it always a pleasure more so Raymond.
in 2014 Listen To C.Mathew is like listen to a guy with an oxygen tank for his heart and lung disease.
I listen to this guy with the emancipation issue as number 1 topic. I tuned off.
Please DBS emancipate us from such auditory torture.
Put this guy behind a desk rather than a microphone.
Please Sil vous plait por favor!
You forgot Joan Seaman Prevost
I would like to see our history one day extend to our ancestors in Africa. I would really like to know which lineage my genes comes from. Keep the memory alive and let us work hard to rid ourselves of the other forms of slavery that now exist.