Tribute To Activist Gershwyn ‘Shiloh’ Smith
Gershwyn ‘High Priest Shiloh’ Smith – a member of the Young Progressives who ran for Parliament as an Independent several times — has passed away.
Michael Markham said, “It is with deep regret that the Bermuda Young Progressives announce the passing of our founder Gershwyn Smith ‘Shiloh Mahdi’ from Spanish View Road in Smiths Parish.
“‘Shiloh’ or ‘Priest’ [Community ordained High Priest] as he was called in his community, emerged as a leader of the Devil’s Hole community back in 1969 during the time of trouble and conflicts which were known as the Devil’s Hole 11.
Mr Smith [left] and Mr Markham pictured below at the 2012 Election Nomination Day:
“It was then the local community asked ‘Shiloh’ to find ways to bring peace and reconciliation to the community which resulted in the Rainbow Festival held in 1970. This organization of grass roots supporters began the movement which was and is called the ‘Young Progressives’.
“This was the birth of Bermudians sharing a common vision for development in their communities under the encouragement and collective vision of Gershwyn Smith.
“From the years 1970 to 1977 ‘Shiloh’ developed and encouraged various communities based entertainers and writers and wrote his own book ‘Revelation Eternity to Eternity’.
“He and delivered a 10th anniversary keynote speech entitled ‘Creation gives rise to the New World Order, Millennium, Universal Community Development, the Progressive Heights of the Third World’.
“His spiritual teachings were summed up in his slogans such as ‘ Build a better World’, ‘Build a better Bermuda build and build a better World’, ‘Unity in the Community’, ‘Community Development depends on you’, Peace and Love’
“In the 21st Century ‘Shiloh’ lobbied and pressured the Bermuda government to medicalize marijuana as a herb not a drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, [he represented a religious group who saw its natural use as a part of their spiritual experience].
“He promoted debt forgiveness programs, universal preventive herbal medicine and healthcare, prison reform as part of Alternatives to Incarceration, community based self-policing, and more parish community self-government.
“He made an important presentation to the Bermuda Parliament Select Committee on gun violence advocating his community based solutions and recommendations.”
“Later in his life he spent much of his effort seeking justice, peace and reconciliation for Bermudians.”
