HUNDREDS of people of African descent are expected to take to the streets of San Fernando on the morning of August 2, to give thanks and celebrate their heritage in this first-ever African Emancipation Day observance.
The Prime Minister announced in April that Cabinet approved a name change for the Emancipation holiday and, from August 1 it would be known as African Emancipation Day,
His rationale for the addition of "African," he explained, was that, “The time has come for us to make it quite clear what emancipation means; and who is being emancipated.”
[caption id="attachment_1099956" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Tameika Darius will perform at the Freedom Festival show on Friday. - Photo by Jeff K. Mayers[/caption]
He clarified that emancipation in TT meant the emancipation of enslaved African people, and that there was no comparison between slavery and any other form of human indignity.
“We are descendants of slaves. We have a duty to preserve our history, our legacy and make our claim without apologies to anyone,” Rowley said then.
In keeping with this philosophy, San Fernando mayor Robert Parris told the Newsday he wanted to bring a new experience to celebrate the ancestors and the birthright while attracting young Africans to immerse themselves in what is being offered. In this vein, he conceptualised a two-day Freedom Festival.
This festival, which will begin on Friday and culminate on Saturday evening at the Bandstand Harris Promenade, opposite City Hall, San Fernando, will incorporate a street parade, flambeaux procession, artisan market, fashion show and entertainment from local, reggae and Afrobeat artistes.
[caption id="attachment_1081943" align="alignnone" width="675"] Empress Aje - Photo Courtesy Roger Lewis[/caption]
“I wanted to add something new to the African Emancipation landscape. Having been part of similar celebrations in other parts of the world, I wanted to do something out of the box to attract the younger audience.
"The theme was also deliberate in that while it celebrates our African ancestry, at the same time we wanted to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of us as a people in San Fernando," Parris said.
“San Fernando is a unique place – a rich multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-ethnic composition of people who all celebrate each other’s uniqueness. We will celebrate Freedom Festival together.”
Parris said this is all part of the cultural tourism thrust in the city.
The festival is a collaboration of the office of the mayor, the Emancipation Support Committee (ESCTT) and Empress Aje Music.
In a July 30 interview, Empress Aje said the initial plan was to host the two-day celebration starting on the actual holiday, August 1.
[caption id="attachment_1099955" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fonclaire Steel Orchestra - Photo by Yvonne Webb[/caption]
She explained ESCTT, one of its partners, asked for the date to be pushed back by a day so as not to compete with its celebration in Port of Spain on Thursday.
Nevertheless, she said she anticipates m
