The reinstated national Emancipation Day holiday was celebrated on Monday with music, dance, historical exhibits, food and fireworks, all along the George Town waterfront.
The celebration began on Sunday with 345 Day, an opening gala and church service. But the festivities kicked into gear on Monday, when celebrants lined Seafarers Way and neighbouring roads with cultural displays and activities.
In the late afternoon, families perused the exhibits, which included a recreation of historic Bodden Town and the typical guardhouses protecting the community from as early as the 1830s. Other booths displayed examples of a traditional backyard farm and historic household artefacts, plus demonstrations of thatch weaving.
Other artistic offerings included a poem titled ‘Speak’ by Alta Bodden Solomon from Cayman Brac.
Many of the displays were organised by community members who said they simply wanted to play their part in sharing uplifting stories of the past.
Volunteer Lyneth Monteith, the acting chief officer of the Ministry of Education, said, “This is a big event in the history of the island. It’s important for the youngsters and oldsters alike to remember, and especially for our children to care about our culture.”
Attendees wove through the tents selling Caymanian delicacies – including the now national dish of stew turtle. Others stood along the shore to watch as the Cayman Catboat Club and Cayman Islands Seafarers Association offered free rides out into the bay.
Entertainment continued through the whole day at the main stage, where dancers did the quadrille and musical groups including the Regeneration Band, Impulz Band and Swanky Kitchen Band packed the streets as the heat of the day dissipated. The Cayman Islands Folk Singers also performed.
Fireworks and a drone show signalled the conclusion of the celebration of Emancipation Day.
Keeping tradition alive
As part of the festivities, the Cayman Islands National Museum offered free admission, inviting people to visit the exhibition, ‘Slavery be dead…we be free’ which recounts the history of slavery and emancipation in the Cayman Islands.
Outside the museum, musician Randy Chollette brought some history to life with demonstrations of traditional drums, including a log drum whose origin dates back hundreds of years.
Chollette said music is an accessible and fun way for people of all ages to engage with culture and history. By building his own traditional Caymanian drum, which has the iconic melodic bar attached to the rim, he said he felt more connected to artists of the past.
“It’s a celebration of humanity and the past,” he said. “Our past is directly connected to our future.”
Now, he enjoys teaching others and sharing this unique slice of art.
Reason for return
Keeping tradition alive was a big reason for bringing the holiday back, according to Cabinet ministers who attended the celebration.
Heritage Minister Isaac Rankine said he was “ecstatic” to see the holiday come to life.
Though the Cayman Islands observed Emancipation Day in 1835 – the year Captain Anthony Pack read the proclamation in Bodden Town – leaders replaced the celebration with Constitution Day in the 1960s. Legislators revisited the holiday in late 2022, and in 2023, they moved forward with reinstating it.
“We know the reason why we’re here today, and that’s to bring back Emancipation Day after 62 years,” he said. “Every journey begins with the first step.”
He added, “It tells our story for us, by us,” he added. “I’m pleased because I’ve been getting positive reviews from all the participants who have come out.”
Rankine said even bigger and better things are planned for next year now that the celebration has been re-established.
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said the holiday is “supposed to be a celebration of a time when humankind realised how important it is to not enslave another human being”.
He added it is imperative that generations continue to learn from history and fight against injustice. While the holiday provides an excellent opportunity for people to get involved, Bryan said the government wants to focus on expanding cultural education throughout the year.
Losing history and generational knowledge only contributes to inequality, he added.
“I think Emancipation Day helps us understand compassion better,” he said.
Community shows appreciation
The week of activities continued Tuesday with a turtle release on West Bay Beach, and then the unveiling Wednesday of a commemorative plaque at the Bodden Town Slave Wall on Monument Road.
It all comes to a close next weekend on Cayman Brac, when the festivities will take place at Heritage Park at Spot Bay on Saturday, with closing church services on Sunday at the Aston Rutty Centre.
Community members shared their appreciation for the holiday’s return.
Celicia Alley said as a proud Caymanian, she was glad to share her culture and history with her children and other family.
“I love getting to interact with my Caribbean people and say hi to people we haven’t seen in a long time,” she said. “It’s good that we can get together as a Caymanian culture and celebrate where we come from.”
Dean Williams said he especially enjoyed the atmosphere, delicious whelks and turnout for the revitalised holiday.
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