Community Marks Emancipation Anniversary

Community members gathered at the statue of Sally Bassett at Cabinet Grounds to “join in highlighting the lessons drawn” from emancipation.

A spokesperson said, “Representatives from stakeholders in the community gathered at the statue of Sally Bassett at the Cabinet Grounds. They included Joan Dillas Wright [Senate President] and Roy Wright [retired Dean of Liberal Arts – Bermuda College]; Dale Butler [retired Minister of Culture]; Arion Mapp – Legal Counsel of Human Rights Counsel] Dean Smith [President of Bda. Trade Union Council]; Nekesha Holdipp [Department of Education] Saleem Talbot [ Islamic Community] Kyle Bridgewater [ ADHT & Friendly Society]; Toni Robinson [Bda Entertainers Assoc.] Makai Dickerson– [Social Justice Bermuda]; Glenn Fubler [Imagine Bermuda]; Hassan Durham [ retired Cup Match player – 15 yrs S.C.C.]; and Irving Ingram – [community activist in North Village].

“As we approach the anniversary of emancipation – ending the inhumane system of slavery – community stakeholders join in highlighting the lessons drawn from this transformative milestone. This wisdom from our shared past offers helpful pointers to today’s generations for navigating through current significant challenges – locally and globally.

“This milestone provides us the opportunity to re-consider on both the personal and communal level, the need for affirming the sanctity of each life of all members of the human family. This, as opposed to the dehumanisation of slavery and its justification through supremacist ideologies, leading Bob Marley to remind us to ‘Emancipate Our Minds.’

“Cup Match is Bermuda’s most iconic festive period, a time of joyfully expressing our appreciation to our ancestors whose character sustained their survival during the brutality of slavery. Be reminded to offer gratitude for those who acted to overthrow that gross injustice – notably the Haitian defeat of Napoleon’s troops in 1804, shifting the global paradigm. Consider that the global abolition campaign – including the key role of Mary Prince – was the straw that ended slavery’s tyranny on August 1, 1834, in Bermuda and other British territories.

“While emancipation took place almost two centuries ago, the ideas which justified slavery and the exploitation of humans remains baked in the global culture. We witness manifestations in various ways:

• “We all witness aspects of this in ourselves when we forget who we are.

• “Extremes of this are witnessed by some on the margins of our society, caught in the cycle of violence.

• “Last week Israeli-American Professor of Brown University Omar Bartov, an expert on the Holocaust and genocide, did an opinion piece in the New York Times titled ‘I’m a Holocaust Expert: We are entering a Terrifying New Era.’ In this piece, Bartov pointed to the fact that genocide perpetrators are not only acting with impunity for crimes against humanity, but are profiting from mass death and destruction.

• “In late March, the United Nations General Assembly voted 122 – 3 [some abstentions] on a resolution on the global significance of addressing the impact of the European/transatlantic slave trade, and calling for exploring reparations.

“As we use this opportunity to reaffirm the sanctity of the lives of each member of the human family during the period of Cup Match and emancipation, let’s begin personally, with committing to addressing the spirit within.

“In closing, Joan Dillas-Wright thanked those who joined the gathering and contributed to the dialogue, noting that these type of initiatives were vital to sustaining the best of our shared culture.”

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