PORT MARIA, St Mary
ST. MARY heralded the beginning of the day to mark Jamaica's Emancipation celebration on 1st August 2002, with a vigil at Claude Stuart Park Port Maria on Wednesday.
An annual joint venture between the St. Mary Cultural Development Committee and the Ministers Fraternal, the 3 1/2 hour programme re-enacted in songs, dance, drumming, poetry, portrayed the struggles, tribulations, and triumphs to freedom before emancipation.
A unique feature this year was the performance of the Bamboo Cultural group from Bamboo Walk, a rural district in the Retreat area of St. Mary. They displayed their versatility in the use of the bamboo of various sizes, as musical instruments, backed up with shakers, a guitarist and singers. They had the audience rocking and dancing to the lively heritage and work songs during their performance.
The emancipation choir rendered songs such as We Shall Overcome, Cumdung To All A Wey Lord Jesus, We Are Jamaicans, and the freedom song. They were accompanied by drummers from the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Port Maria, under the direction of organist and choir director, Bruce Wedderburn. The items of drumming by the juniors, from as young as 6 years and upward, received long and loud applause.
Members of the Ministers Fraternal who participated, the Rev. Charles Manderson, the Rev. Glenroy Lalor, the Rev. Henroy Samuels and the Rev. Roy Wickham, offered prayers of thanksgiving as well as in memory of those who died in the cause of the fight for freedom. The proclamation was read by Rev. Manderson.
