As Dominica observes Africa Day on Wednesday, a representative of the House of Nyabinghi, Ras Bernard Imani Shaw believes that day should be set aside as a national holiday.
Numerous calls have been made in the past to make the day a holiday and Shaw made the call again in an interview with Dominica News Online on Wednesday.
Wednesday marks the 53rd anniversary of the signing of the African Liberation Day Charter in 1963 and to form part of this celebration members of the House of Nyabinghi have organized a march in the streets of Roseau from 4:00 pm in remembrance of the spirit of their ancestors who were killed and brutalized for standing up for justice.
The march will be followed by a rally at the Harlem Plaza in Newtown.
“By right it should be a holiday because this is a significant day in the whole movement and independence of black people, so by right we should have that day historic…,” Shaw said. “We have so many other religious holidays: Pentecost, Isidore, we celebrate things like Valentine’s Day, Commonwealth Day, Francophone Day, Easter and all those things have colonial roots but we don’t give credence to Africa Day which is really our day.”
He stated that although the day is not a holiday right now, it should be observed as “a national remembrance.”
Shaw called on the Government to do more in terms of recognizing the day.
“It’s important today that the government can at least recognize the efforts to bring that awareness and looking at it in a different light,” he stated. “We just have to move further we cannot just stay at that point alone. Let’s move forward and give more credence to that day. The government of this nation that is what we are asking them to do.”
Shaw also called on the public to get involved in this celebration because “it is linking to our culture and identity and our forward movement.”
According to him, the message of black awareness has to be spread.
“We still need to be liberated,” he noted. “From the political liberation that’s where it is, we have not yet gone much further,” he remarked. “We have not been able to set up our own systems, put what was given to us and start to re-do the systems that can take us forward.”
Government officials including Minister of Culture, Justina Charles, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit or his representative are expected to give remarks at the rally this afternoon.
There will also be the awarding of prizes to the winner of the Football Academy match which took place on Sunday as well as a feature of the fashion show which took place on Friday night.
“Especially that our ancestors are also from France, Europe and Spain. They ignore that part of our heritage. Down with an African holiday.”(Facts).
I promises I am not going to call you or anybody a fool if I can avoid it! Nevertheless, I must ask you:
Are you a fool? France and Spain are in Europe, don’t you know that?
I am now going to shatter every confidence you have that you are smart and educated: If we now know for certain, which we do that life itself began in Namibia, or shall we say it is proved scientifically that life God created on the continent of Africa, and we know for a fact that Africans left Africa, and traveled throughout the four corners of the world populating the world, how can you make that stupid comment that our ancestries are from all the places in the quote above.
In reality the worlds population ancestors are African. Your question, and many who are less educated will ask well, how come there are white people, Indians and any other…
Continue:
Your question, and many who are less educated will ask well, how come there are white people, Indians and any other complexion. My answerer is simply this: even in the twenty-first century less than ten years ago a black woman in England gave birth to a twin, one black, one white!
Shortly after that a white woman never had sexual intercourse with a Black man in Australia gave birth to a Black Child! In human biology if you have that level of education you perhaps would be familiar with terminologies, such as mutation, and survival of the fittest. There are many times in modern times two Black parents has brought white children into this world, and we are not talking about the genetic defect which some people call Albino!
Rather than you waste your time talking crap about Roman Catholic bull, you might read your Bible, perhaps you will come on the scripture where God told us do not worry about genetics, and I believe the reason is to avoid the nonsense as you…
Finally
I believe the reason is to avoid the nonsense as you have written in the quote. People have researched and found in Namibia, in the Black people there; the phenotype in every different completion are found in the features of the people of Namibia!
So, if you go there you will find Black people with straight noses as white, people, chines, Indian, and black! Educate yourself before you saturate DNO with garbage, maybe you are not to old to take a semester in Human Biology, next semester take human anatomy, educate your mind and stop talking nonsense; Dominicans are not the only ones reading DNO, when some people read such foolishness it can stigmatize our entire nation, believing that we are all dumb people; you need to stop!
If you contend that some of our accessories are from all over then you are insinuating that God created different “people” at different times. Nevertheless, out of Adam came Eve; Adam and Eve produced Children, hence the world became…
Face the facts. Give us all a break with your moronic postings. If you want to consider yourself ‘mixed race’ that is your problem, don’t force your ignorant views on others. I AM PROUD of my African Ancestors and will continue Honouring their Heroic Spirit. Don’t bother replying with your catholic nonsense as it is of no relevance to me. Jah is my Protector Amen Selah.
There is no such thing as an African day in Africa, perhaps in Dominica only!
To recognize an African Day in Dominica would be a celebration of Slavery, it would be condoning the brutality of our forefathers who were treated as beast of burden on the plantations. It would be a celebration of the slavers owners, and masters and the raping of black women and young girls.
It would be a celebration of the vicious slave owner getting our women pregnant, and by the time their babies stop breast feeding the slave master drags the child from the arms of the mother; only to be sold into slavery while the mother cry and watch; never to see her child again.
Never, forget their could not be slavery, had our African ancestors not cooperated with the slave traders. For no white man could have gone into West Africa, and capture millions of Blacks and bring us into slavery, our own Kings, and tribal Leaders sold us into Slavery!
We are Dominican-born, from the same place, island of Dominica.
We were not born in Africa; are not Africans; not from that country. We are of mixed parental heritage.
Those who say it is ignorance, they are the ones who are ignorant as the pot always calls the kettle black.
For that matter, it appears only those who call themselves Rastas, some of whom were once baptized Catholics of all and practicing ones who now identify themselves as Rastas with Hail Selassie as their god, their leader. Oh my!
They deny Our God. They took a short-cut so that they can also smoke illegal drugs, saying it is their religion and they are Africans. Really?
We Christians must pray for them that God will graft them back into His Fold that they will not miss the boat of salvation.
Lord, please help them! They ignorantly do not know what they did and say.
“We are Dominican-born, from the same place, island of Dominica.
We were not born in Africa; are not Africans; not from that country. We are of mixed parental heritage.”
Facts, it is said if a fool keeps their mouth shot no one will know that they are stupid! Every human alive originated in Africa.
Learn this from me an academic; be informed life itself began in Namibia in Africa; and medical science has proved that via DNA, all human life is from the same source, noted from the oldest exoskeleton found! No matter what complexion of the skin or to what country they belong science proved their accessory originated Namibia.
We are not the same culturally. We have to identify ourselves as Dominicans, however, there should not be any special recognition of Africa in Dominica, they do not celebrate a Caribbean nor West Indian day.
And that crap you keep talking about Roman Catholic, the Roman Catholic condoned and supported Slavery, they use a part of a scripture to…
And that crap you keep talking about Roman Catholic, the Roman Catholic condoned and supported Slavery, they use a part of a scripture to support their argument, saying black was created to serve white people, whereas the to first human were Black people, of every other color came from Black, science proved that. To hell and back with your Roman Catholic garbage!
This one of the few times I will support you 100% as far as all humans originating from one, and the wealthiest continent that is being raped by Europeans and that is, Africa. Like you stated, “if fools keep their mouths shot (shut), no one will know that they are stupid.” There are so many ignorant (fefusing to learn) comments being posted on this forum that it is just pathetic.
Some people do not realise that this is supposed to be a place where people need to be learning instead of posting nonsense.
Yes, brother, the catholic church played a great role in enslaving our foreparents and yes, the bible supports slavery. “Servants, be obedient to your masters.”
In this 21st century, we need to open our eyes and see what has been done to us as a race of people. Why we hate, despise, reject, etc., each other. This stemmed from slavery and you may not agree with me but christianity has done more harm than good to us as a people. We MUST research our history to find out the truth.
No way! These guys just complain their minds not free either. Styles! Just now Muslims will want one too! No way!
When a people are very disconnected to their ancestors its not their fault because they have being strip of their native tongues, their languages, their cultures and traditions, their true and living God and was givin everything different and false by the slave masters who mentally beat them and drawed fear in our ppl.. The very Kalinago people origins are not from the caribbean but are of African origin, a people that migrated out of African continent to the Asians lands and they gradually migrated over the western path of the world to the caribbean and the north, middle and south of America. We are not west indians, these are names columbus gave to these area geographically thinking he made it to India which was his intent to reach but ending up in the western hemisphere. For what our ancestors went through as a ppl should be acknowledge and remember, we are one African people whether you look like what ppl called Kalinago or wooly hair ppl, its all in the DNA. Time to awake our soul
My brother, if our people were aware or educated about their history, they would not post such ignorant (not informed or lack of knowledge) comments. Even our brethren on the Motherland have conformed to the Europeans’ way of life. Another thing that has us confused is that Europeans’ religion, called christianity. Our foreparents were kidnapped from their homeland and transported to the Americas, including Dominica, which was, as you mentioned, given the name by christopher columbus, who had no navigational clue. We used to see this European as such a great man but he was sent by isabella and ferdinand of Spain to look for gold. We must come to realise what these slave owners, kidnappers and killers were about. They were about stealing, reaping and controlling the wealth from the natives. Look at the way they have controlled Africa, the wealthiest place on earth. While they are still reaping the resources, they show us poverty, starvation and death on television.
If you are of mixed origin, where do you fit in? Some have French and European origin. Look at it this way, if you are of mixed origin/heritage, how can you be African and a full-fledged one at that? This is what I am trying to make some people who appear to have no sense in their heads think about.
I could argue this and also with full-fledged Africans.
In the true sense, you cannot be called African. For one, you were not born and brought up in Africa. If one of your parents, grandparents were not African, how can you be called African?
Honestly, I do not identify with Africans. The only way I am “somewhat” identified, it is only because of one of my parents. Those who were Africans may have been great, great, great, etc., etc., etc., and probably cousins down the family tree of how many I do not know.
I would love to know where that side of my family originated. However I was brought up as a D/can, a West Indian and this is good enough for me.
SUCH IGNORANT COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UNAPOLOGETIC
How many countries in Africa celebrating that day ?
We are Not Africans but Dominicasi
Yes our ancestors came from there but we are not africias
Every hoilday is costing the country a lot of revenue
No no no
We cannot afford it
You have surely spoken your mind, which is a European mind and you have no clue of who you are. It is just pathetic that we have been made in everybody else’s image except our own. We don’t know where we’ve come from and where we’re going. What can we teach our children except what we’ve been taught, which are lies and deceit at the hands of the Europeans. Are we willing to become the once great people we were before our fore-parents were captured(not by their own as the Europeans would make us believe) and take our place again? The Europeans know who were were and are but it’s a pity that we are the ignorant ones, who do not want to know and accept our greatness. Our minds have been programmed to despise and hate each other and it is time that we realise that this was purposefully done by our enemies. It is only when we are ready to open our eyes that we will have a different mind.
IT IS MORE THAN HIGH TIME THAT WE AWAKE OUT OF OUR SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is more, the issue is we are not Africans. I can never understand why some Dominicans call themselves Africans.
I am not against participating in African activities/celebrations as a spectator. It would be a reminder of some of my African ancestors and with respect for them, though departed. However I can never consider myself African.
Like seriously….. Dominica already have too many holidays n u want to add talk about Africa day…. Well I’m not from Africa……
We already have two days when we celebrate our Black, West Indian and African Heritage and those two days are Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
The thought crossed my mind to ask our Dear Historian, Lennox Honychurch, if he knows of the African country of the Africans who were sold as slaves. Were they from one area or various parts of Africa and where?
Many of us do not know where our African ancestors originated from. From time to time this conversation comes up. Only recently I had such a conversation with an African and lamented, if only we knew; if only I knew where my African ancestry originated from.
We never thought of asking our parents, in my case, my father whose ancestry is from Africa – if he knew. Our parents, grandparents probably did not give it a thought to inform us about that. I would have loved to know.
Any information you can glean on that? Each one of us who have African ancestry would greatly appreciate it.
There is a display at the museum in Roseau that shows where slaves came from. Unfortunately some of the name tags were missing but most were still there. Support the museum!
A rep. of the House of Nyabinghi, Ras Bernard Imani Shaw. Note the name. Who are you, a fallen away Catholic or other Christian? Oh my!
Religious holidays as Easter, Pentecost, etc. have nothing to do with colonial days. They are holy-days, in reverence to Our Lord Jesus Christ. I will not go into detail. You do your research and leave our holy-days out of your secular requests.
Whatever the history, D/cans are of mixed origin. They should not ignore and caste their ancestries aside as the French, British and Spanish.
I have stated that D/cans are not full-fledged Africans. You look around you and open your eyes to see the different pigmentation. How can you want an African holiday? You want D/ca to return to those African days of tribes and female oppression?
Africans do not recognize us West Indians. Their culture is totally different. D/cans are West Indians and Caribbean people.
I have noted only radicals want D/cans to be regarded as Africans.
Easter is not reverence to no lord jesus christ but it is reverence to Ishtar the ASSYRIAN an BABYLIONIAN goddess of fertility and sex, and her symbols was eggs and bunny. And it was Emperor Constantine christinize the Empire and he change easter to represent Jesus. plz do your home work. Dont you know by DNA analist and testing that african people are range from dark color to light scientifically with different shades. African is full of many different cultures which today are seen in all western hemisphere, even your cultural dances to the music its all African origin. When you speak of Africans u referring to all, and its not all africans even know about what took place to their and our ancestors during the middle passage cruel paths. Haile Selassie I the head of Oganization Of African Unity( OAU ) acknowldege we in the western hemisphere as not just as AFricans but blood brothers and sisters, and many other african states acknowledge we as a people. Dominicans are not west indians
My brother, when you try to educate our people about their history, they are quick to say,”I’m not an African” because many are not aware that Africans were the first people on the planet and that every other race came from the African. Research is necessary so that we do not present ourselves ignorant. Even the name Africa is not original.
“The name Africa was given to the continent by the Romans. Africa was also called: Kemet, Corphype, Olympia, Libya, Egupe, Hesperia, Ortegia, Ethiopia, Ta Merry and Sedan. The ancient name for Africa before it was hellenized was “Akebu-Lan”.
The reason why we are so confused is because we were not taught our history and many of us are not willing to change our mindset. We are comfortable in what we have adopted and are scared to rock the boat. One person said,’two things that keep the masses confused are fear and chaos.” These two things were implemented by the Europeans.
You pagans have indifferent opinions. I cannot change your mind. Therefore, I will not waste my God-given precious time to argue with you.
The Catholic Church has its history. It of all celebrates Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost. This originated 2000 years ago when Our Lord Jesus Christ was born, lived, suffered, died and resurrected.
Pentecost, He appeared to the disciples and His Blessed Mother, Mary in the Upper Room. They prayed there for nine days waiting for the great day when the Holy Spirit descended on them in tongues of fire.
I suggest that you read/study the Holy Bible commencing with The New Testament.
As I always state and am convinced as a Christian, the day you die all will be revealed to you. You are instructed and you deny it. I only hope you will be surprised and stand in awe and that it will not be too late for your salvation.
Otherwise woe to you for all eternity.
Did you ask yourself where is the soul of Hail Selassie?
I wonder how many African countries celebrate Africa day
You doh find de country have enough holidays.
It dead already you want to bury it
Africa Day for what?
Steupse
Excellent question. Made me laugh.
None I suppose. Only fools who are not Africans celebrate it and want to call it a holiday. Such ignorance.
It appears those who worship Hail Selassie who placed himself on a pedestal and called himself a god of the people. Well, he is human. He died. He stood before Our God to be judged.
I have a fair knowledge where his soul is for rejecting The One and Only God and placing himself on earth above him; deceiving the people. We know what is contained in Holy Scripture about such a person – people.
We need to get rid of some of the holidays that we currently have before adding anymore but i do agree that we need holidays that show who we are, who we have become and what we as a people have worked for rather than holidays that link us back to colonialism,
You need a holiday that shows you half of who you are?
Ever thought of that? If you are not a full-fledged African, you are half of one; not the whole.
You do not have the full genes.
I agree..could use another day off!
While we’re at it, why don’t we set aside another holiday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Because, as we all know, a lack of holidays is the most pressing of our socio-economic problems. Sigh!! SMH.
I agree. They are Dominican-born and they have their heritage. They deserve to have a special day in honor of their ancestry and culture.
I am of mixed origin, two races and so are many Dominicans, I would think the majority of them, if not all of them. Why this emphasis on Africa alone? We must utilize our common sense.
Dominicans are of a mixed race. This is why I am not interested in having this day as a holiday. Even though some of our ancestors were slave masters, it is part of Dominica’s history. These ancestors should not be ignored. Can people ignore their ancestry, so-called black or so-called white? It would be hypocritical.
In all fairness, I would not agree to this so-called holiday. I am no hypocrite!
Dominicans should have a history day, depicting our general history with no discrimination and sarcasm. I would not object to that.
Bad enough, the powers that were then in government, ruling Dominica, were responsible that Dominica seceded from Great Britain. It was to their benefit and financial one at that but not for Dominica and nationals.
What preceded and ensued prior to this so-called independence from Great Britain was not a pleasant scene.
Dominica is no better off from British rule and being independent. It is not independent, only of Great Britain.
It was stupid to secede from Great Britain. Dominica still needs Great Britain. Is this not something?
Face the Facts, you probably need to change your name to “Need to know the facts.” Why is it so hard to acknowledge the fact that whether we are, as we usually say, ” mixed,” that we are all Africans? Man’s origin, whether pink, black, chinese, indian, all came from one place. Do the research!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You don’t need to be so religious that you refuse to get out of your comfort zone.
A national holiday so that the productivity of the island goes down even more. I wonder how many of these people who are proposing this ever ran a business?
I would support this only if they swapped out one religious holiday and replace it with that one.
Oh yes! Are you an atheist, agnostic or a pagan, or nothing – all one and the same
Ignoring God? You will regret your words, even your life.
You can swap Boxing Day or other such holidays; not religious ones. Only godless people would do that. They are liable to receive the wrath of God.
When you die you will realize how some of your words and some other people’s were ungodly, stupid, in vain and a waste of their God-given precious allotted time.
Leave God’s holiday alone! They have been there for hundreds of years.
So did god tell someone that they should keep his holidays or did man create these holidays? You seem to be an intelligent person but when it comes to religion you are all caught up in that web. This is so pathetic.
UNAPOLOGETIC
It hurts to say this but I am not in favour of this day becoming a “holiday”. Once you guys are linked up to this misgovernment my support for ALD will not be forthcoming. Moreover, with the exception of Ghana, ALL the countries of Afrika are being improperly managed. Take for example the case of South Afrika where the misgovernment continues to illtreat its citizens while at the same time enriching themselves. Corruption is rampant just as we have here. Imagine I was so involved in the 1970’s and today those whom we kicked out of the front door have been welcomed through the backdoor by these modern day pirates. It really hurts me to the max. Yes, we need to get the consciousness and build a culture, a civilization but I don’t see it in these current Afrikan leaders including here in DA but not a holiday. There is too much work still to be done.
HOTEP!
Old Pirates yes they Rob I
Sold I to the Merchant Ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hands were made strong
By the hands of the Almighty
So I forward in this Generation
Triumphantly!!!!
So…Dominicans…would YOU help to sing
These songs of FREEDOM
As it’s ALL WE EVER HAD
REDEMPTION SONGS!!!
Dominicans…Emancipate yourselves from MENTAL SLAVERY
Because none but ourselves can free our minds
Stop having fear of the White Man’s Energy
Not ONE OF THEM can stop the time!
How long will they kill our Prophets and Heroes
While we stand aside and look
Some so- called preachers are also part of it
Brainwashing Dominicans with the White Man’s book!
Dominicans wake up and emancipate your minds from the Babylonian system!
I second the motion.
PEACE(HOTEP)
we are asking for yet another holiday. I have a great idea lets make every day a holiday in Dominica and make February 29th every leap year a working day sounds good.
Forgive me but I think a national holiday based on race is divisive and we do not need that. We can celebrate our African heritage in many other ways.
How is Celebrating one’s Cultural Heritage based on “RACE” Sir???? Is the largest West Indian Parade held in Brooklyn, New York which celebrates Caribbean Culture every Labor Day about race? Isn’t it simply a celebration of the people’s CULTURAL FREAKING HERITAGE???????????????????????????????
Carcon, of course I celebrate my cultural heritage but in Dominica that is not only Africa and to have a national holiday for that is nonsense. If you want that the Kalinago people have more claim to that than the rest of us. In the article Imani Shaw says it should be a holiday because this is a significant day “…in the independence of black people”. I don’t like this because you don’t have to be black to celebrate independence. All people cherish their independence equally.
The topic is about an African holiday. African is a race. I do not refer to them as a black race.
Black is a color; so is white. The color of fabric, a pen, paper, shoe, purse and some other material. It is not to be attributed to the color of our skin and should not.
Especially that our ancestors are also from France, Europe and Spain. They ignore that part of our heritage. Down with an African holiday.
You want to bet that our African forefathers (parents) would not encourage it? Furthermore, it is an African who sold his own and caused this exodus of Africans to other lands which contributed to much pain and suffering. Some of them died on the way.
If it were not for that greedy man and some of those who helped him, the Africans would have remained in their country and not have been subject to such humiliation, discrimination and suffering. When we think of that, it should immensely sadden us.
Who would want to celebrate African Day? Only those who appear to have forgotten it, do not think of it and also ignore it. Not me!
Your comment is so ignorant(lacking knowlegde of what happened to the African). The Europeans have made us to believe that our foreparents sold their own into slavery. We are really ignorant of our own history. We have accepted the Europeans’ history and religion hook, line and sinker and many of us are not willing to let go. How can we emancipate ourselves from mental slavery? Our foreparents’ hands and feet were shackled but now it’s our minds that are shackled by religion. You said “Down with African Day.” I’m saying, down with christianity, islam and judaism because these are religions formed by men. Our foreparents were not religious but they were spiritual. Their connection was with nature; the universe, plants, animals, people. They did not look up to the sky for a so-called saviour.
We need to let go of the white man’s religions and re-connect to our spirituality which they have labeled “evil.”
NO APOLOGIES
A holiday based on race is divisive and those based on religion are not?? You are aware that many of our holidays stem from religion right? Smh