By the Observer Staff
(Charlestown, Nevis) – Officials of the Nevis Island Administration have started preparations to mark the 25th anniversary of independence. Deputy Premier, the Hon. Hensley Daniel is chairperson of the planning committee. Mr. Halstead Byron, special advisor in the Ministry of Culture, has responsibility for the dramatic presentations aspect of the celebrations.
According to a release from the Nevis Island Authority, “To mark the start of activities, there will be an Ecumenical service jointly organised by the Christian Council and the Evangelical Association and that another Ecumenical service would be held in September, when the nation became independent in 1983.
“Throughout the year, there will be special sports competitions to celebrate the achievements of Nevisians in all areas of sports; a beautification and village clean up project designed to help to elevate the spirit of the communities. Each Parish will have a Community Day to celebrate its achievements and to bring about a sense of appreciation and oneness.
“There will be Schools in Concert programmes, essay competitions, and an elocution contest; a series of debates and public lectures and an event dubbed The Premier’s Gala, to which a major speaker will be invited to mark the 25th Anniversary of Independence.
“A major religious concert is also planned; a national exhibition of arts and crafts products and services on the island. A queen and calypso show is being contemplated in collaboration with St. Kitts.
“ There will be the recognition and profiles of children born in September of 1983. The Committee will also focus and profile all persons celebrating their 25th Anniversaries, particularly of marriage and businesses. There will also be a Food Day, where an array of local foods and dishes, fruits and vegetables and locally processed foods would be on display.
“A number of streets, buildings and important landmarks would also be named or renamed. The Deputy Premier indicated that suggestions for this exercise would be done on a village basis where residents will be asked to submit the names of persons who have made critical contributions to their respective communities.”
Mr. Byron spoke about historical aspects of the celebration.
“Even though it is a short 25 years, it is important for us to celebrate history and if we’re to do a dramatic presentation, we would want to go back a little earlier than that in order to show the general public the prelude to how we got to 1983,” he said. “The dramatic presentations should be the focus from Africa, to the Plantations in the Caribbean, to Emancipation, to the fight for Independent Statehood and into Independence itself and then of course, to look at the many achievements we’ve made since 1983.”
In response to a number of questions, Mr. Byron elaborated on how individuals could prepare themselves for the celebration.
Q: Why is it important to look at the history of Nevis before 1983? What impact do the events of the pre-independence period have on life today?
A: ” A people without a knowledge of their history and culture is like a tree without roots”.
“If you dont know where you are coming from, then you wont know where you are going.” – Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940)
Any discussion on the attainment of independence for St. Kitts & Nevis in 1983 or the subsequent milestone celebrations thereafter should be prefixed with a chronological synopsis of the history of the islands and our people from the pre-Columbian period to the present and should include Africa before slavery, invasion and capture, the horrors of the middle passage, plantation slavery and resistance, abolition and emancipation, free villages and peasantry, attempts at federation, the struggle for sndependence.
It is important and essential to do this in order to give our youth and people a sense of being, identity and ownership (belonging). We must understanding and remember at all times that many lives were sacrificed; there has been too much pain and suffering through our struggles to get where we are today. Our independence must not be taken for granted, especially by our young people or we may soon find ourselves in a modern day type of slavery.
We must therefore use the knowledge of our turbulent history to inspire us to safeguard and strengthen our sense of independence through the preservation and promotion of our rich cultural heritage. This is so essential if we are to develop a strong sense of national pride and identity, especially in light of the strong negative influences of American culture via cable TV, the internet and other media.
Q: What are the most significant events prior to 1983?
Emancipation of slaves – 1838
Crown Colony Government – 1865
St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla combined into one presidency in 1983
Migration to Panama, Cuba, Doninican Republic, Bermuda, Curacao in early 1900s.
Moyne Commission of 1939-40
Universal Adult Suffrage – 1952
Migration to UK and USA – Late 1950s – 1980s
Migration to USVI and BVI – 1960s -1980s
West Indies Federation – 1958-61
Associated Statehood – 1967-83
Anguilla Revolution – 1967
Nevis Secession Referendum – 1977
PAM/NRP Coalition Government – 1980-83
Q: What factors or events prior to 1983 are in danger of being forgotten and need to be brought into the public consciousness?
A: Enough has not been done to educate our people on the significant impact that the events listed in (the previous question) have made on present day living. A lot more needs to be done, through public/community education, displays and demonstrations to get our people to understand how said events have impacted our lives.
In school, more emphasis should be placed on our recent history. Many of our youths are in or are leaving the education system with little or no knowledge of these recent events or their impact in shaping who we are today.
Q: Are there special challenges facing those who want tolearn about the history of Nevis?
A: For the most part, we are a mis-educated people. The Eurocentric/North American influences on our culture, over a long period of time, have blinded us as to who we really are as a people. A significant portion of the populace, even so called ‘educated’ or ‘qualified’ persons are ashamed of their history; ashamed to be identified as African descendants; ashamed to speak of slavery. They fail to see how they can use our turbulent history to motivate and positively influence themselves and the country. Unfortunately these are the same people who are responsible for the ‘education’ or mis-education of our youth.
It will always be a major challenge for anyone to to get a meaningful grasp of the nation’s history when the majority of people refuse to identify with it.
Q: If someone wants to learn more about the history of Nevis, where is the best place to start?A good starting point to research Nevis’ history is at the archives at the Museum of Nevis History located at Belle Vue, adjacent to the Government House. (Phone numbers are) 469-5786/0407. Please note that these are my personal views and not necessarily those of the government or any other entity.
