Photographed by Brenda L. McCartney
It is the end of Easter holiday, thousands of Bahamians and Bahamians residents are returning relaxed and enthused from spending their holiday abroad and in particular the family of Islands. The domestic airport attendants are very busy. The conveyor belts are working overtime with suitcases, ice boxes of fish and conch harvested from the waters of The Bahamas. The long term parking lots revenue has sky rocketed. There are flashes of million dollar smiles from passersby. The hot cross buns have all been eaten, the mini regattas wined down. Some have spent time in reflective moments on endless spaces of white sandy beaches. Others strolled onto shallow banks of the oceans for miles while some enjoyed beach picnics of fun and frolic. For many children the Easter baskets had their favorite treats. Easter weekend was a weekend underpinned by sharing, encouraging and sacrificing where our thoughts, deeds and words were mostly motivated by love. I hope that this refreshing pause helps us to become focused and energizing.
At this time of the year we are filled with holiday cheer. We go about merrily greeting everyone (known and unknown) in an affectionate way. In Montserrat it is a custom to greet everyone (family friends, acquaintances, and strangers) at anytime of the year; this is considered a polite and loving and respectful thing to do.
The spirit of the Holidays is warm and so are our spirits. As we share this jovial spirit this Christmas let us pull out our Christmas Stockings of happy recollections and remember those whom have touched our lives, including those who are still with us and those who are no longer here. Let us pray for this spirit of love to be with us all year; so in doing this the world can begin to heal and be a better place
Merry Christmas every one!
In 1807 the slave trade was abolished, however the British Parliament did not pass the Act for the abolition of slavery until 1 August 1834.
In November 1837 the Montserrat Assembly voted to end the irritation and appointed 1 August 1838 as the date on which all slaves would be emancipated. Nevis, St. Kitt’s and Barbados followed.
The first Monday in August every year is celebrated as a holiday in the Caribbean as we commemorate the abolition of slavery.
“Caribbean people celebrate by enacting plays and doing other activities such as holding bazaars as we recognize the struggles of their ancestors.
In Montserrat, the story of emancipation involves a man called Nincom Riley. The story goes that Nincom Riley was a black slave who read the declaration for the Emancipation of slavery from Britain.
The song Hurrah for Nincom Riley still excites Montserratians and heralds emancipation on August 1, 1834:
The first of August is here again,
Hurrah for Nincom Riley.
If Buckra kick, ah kick again,
Hurrah for Nincom Riley.
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