2007 marks the 200th anniversary of abolition of the Slave Trade Act - though it would be another 25 years before slavery was abolished altogether. And while Emancipation Day is widely celebrated throughout the English speaking Caribbean on the first Monday in August, in Belize it has not been traditionally observed. But it was today at the House of Culture and 7NEWS was there.
Ritamae Hyde, Curator
“We have the official launch of ‘Free Again.’ This is a historical exhibit. Not only does it outline the slave trade, slavery, the abolition of the slave trade, emancipation and all of these details dealing specifically with slavery but the purpose of the exhibition is also to provide a greater understanding of African culture, heritage, and identity.
So our focus here is not only to present the whole picture of slavery and its impact because we know what the impact of slavery is but we are trying to give a wholistic picture, a picture of all of Africa in terms of which culture, the civilization that was on par with all civilizations of the time.
We also have a complimentary exhibit, Africa in Art, and this is an exhibition displayed here at the House of Culture, it was set up by the Image Factory and you notice that that exhibit shows all the different artistic pieces and it shows the greatness of African art.”
But more than just displays, the commemoration of the bi-centennial of the abolition of slavery is underpinned by the release of this book. It’s called family alive and well: an account of the occurrences in the business of mahogany and logwood cutting in the Bay of Honduras in 1789. It is the printing of a daily journal from Scottish Col. James Lawrie over 200 years ago. It gives a first hand, sometimes brutal account of slave labour in the logwood industry.
Yasser Musa, NICH President
“Yes it was a record from the owners, the business, the imperialist’s perspective, but it is important that we have a very exact and accurate knowledge of what the thinking was.”
Ritamae Hyde,
“You are made to come to terms. A lot of us don’t even want to hear about slavery, we just want to bury it in the past. But that is not the answer, that is not the way that we will move forward as a people. We need to come to terms with all the emotions, all the pain, all the suffering. We need to come to terms with that and other aspects of our heritage so that we can move on as a people.”
And in the ceremony today to launch the book and exhibit, Culture Minister Francis Fonseca and NICH Chairman Yasser Musa discussed the importance of a new outlook on the history of slavery in Belize.
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture
“But I think our objective is really to try and ensure that our young people in particular have a greater sensitivity and understanding of their African-ness, of their African history, of their African culture. Not only hear about slavery, because that’s what, basically when you talk about African history, our experience in school was slavery, African slavery and the dark painful side of African history, but also to highlight the many positive achievements of African history.”
Yasser Musa,
“Our strategy is to ensure that what has occurred in the past is not repeated and what I mean by that is one perspective is given, and obiviously coming out of a Colonial legacy, the perspective of the master is the dominant perspective. And this progressive perspective involves full embrace of our blackness, of our African-ness, without any kind of apprehension.”
A stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of abolition was also launched today. The book is available at various outlets and the exhibition is open to the public.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift
