Turn emancipation flickers into flames

31.JULY.08

Tomorrow, Friday, August 1, 2008, local activities to commemorate Emancipation Day, and celebrate this important milestone in the history of our people, spark off what is now known as Emancipation Month in St Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}} Emancipation from chattel slavery is an experience not unique to our country and indeed some countries in the Caribbean have a shared history of organizing such activities on a far grander scale than we have achieved so far. The shift from the August Monday holiday to August 1 has provided a welcome fillip to such activities though some still yearn for the convenience of the Monday holiday.

That is so because as a people, the relevance of emancipation has still not been rooted sufficiently in our consciousness. Our colonial past and neo-colonial present has not allowed us en masse to be fully appreciative of what August 1, 1838 really meant for Caribbean society. Not just the descendants of African slaves, but the population as a whole, white and non-white, freed from the burden of that dehumanizing experience. Though still partial in scope, emancipation was a step in the right direction in the march towards political and social advancement.

It is heartening that the Ministry of Culture and the various cultural and social organizations who participate each year in Emancipation celebrations, continue to keep the flame burning. Additionally, the move to decentralize the activities has increased community participation. The involvement of young people in such efforts represents a beacon of hope for the future. There is much comment publicly on what are perceived to be negative aspects of the behaviour of young people, but not enough praise given for their positive contributions.

Each year, as the power of the international communication giants increases, and other attractions glitter before us, it becomes harder and harder to infuse that enthusiasm about emancipation celebrations. The fact that August 1 falls smack in the midst of the various Caribbean Carnivals, coinciding with climaxes in Barbados and Antigua, does not make the task any easier. Perhaps it is time for us to also begin to see whether regional approaches could complement those at the national level, linking organizers and activities throughout the region and incorporating creative methods. What about an agreed focus on an emancipation aspect of our Carnival, in mas, kaiso and the much-touted Miss Carnival and similar shows throughout the region? We must do all in our power not just to keep memory alive but to turn the flickers into flames, letting the Emancipation spirit imbue our very being.