Series of events to be held ahead of Emancipation Day
A series of events will celebrate “legacies of honour” in the lead-up to Emancipation Day, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport announced today.
Owen Darrell said the theme’s title was borrowed from a film that will premiere tonight, followed by a panel discussion with past and present cup match captains.
He explained that as well as an opportunity to celebrate, the holiday was also a time to commemorate the formal end of the enslavement of people of African and Native American descent in Bermuda.
Speaking in the Senate, Mr Darrell said Cup Match provided opportunities to reflect and learn and to remember people who were executed owing to their attempts to overthrow enslavement as well as those lashed or hanged for minor offences.
He added: “It is equally important for us to remember that the history of Black Bermudians is not one of relentless tragedy.
“So much of our heritage speaks not only to the horrors our ancestors managed to endure and survive but also to our resilience as a people.
“Our stories speak to our strengths, our family and community connections.”
Mr Darrell said: "With this in mind, the Department of Culture set the theme for this year’s Emancipation Commemoration as ‘Legacies of Honour’.
“We have borrowed this theme from the title of the film that we will be premiering tonight as our signature event entitled Cup Match: Legacy of Honour.
“The production of this film, created by Dr Dana Selassie of Zyhon International, is supported by the Department of Culture, the Somerset Cricket Club and the St George’s Cricket Club working collaboratively on this project.”
The minister explained that the film explored the historical and cultural meanings of the Annual Classic, such as its evolution from a match played between members of Friendly Societies “into a symbol of excellence generations later”.
Mr Darrell told the Upper House: “Not only will this event showcase this new film, but we will also have the opportunity to hear from present and former captains in a panel discussion following the screening.”
Other events on the calendar include a talk at the library titled African Bermudian Maritime History: Where Do We Go From Here? by model boat-maker Milton Hill.
Mr Darrell said: “The Department of Culture is also pleased to highlight the work of tour guides, such as Rashida Godwin at Titan Tours, who will host a Mary Prince Legacy Tour; as well as lunch and learns with Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda.”
Senators heard that the department will hold its annual Emancipation Youth Creativity Competition.
The minister added: “Youth under the age of 18 are encouraged to submit a poem, essay, artwork or video exploring the theme ‘What family or community legacy makes me feel proud?’.
“We have had some excellent entries in previous years and we expect this year will be no different.”
The deadline for submissions is July 28.
Mr Darrell said: “The Department of Culture will close out the month with a two-part lecture series as part of the Bermudian Heartbeats programme, entitled Rites and Rituals: Memorialising Sites of Resistance and Trauma in a Modern Bermuda.”
He added: “As we begin the lead-up to Cup Match, Emancipation Day and Mary Prince Day, it is my hope that the programming provided by the Department of Culture as well as our community stakeholders will provide an opportunity for the whole of Bermuda to remember and celebrate the legacies that uplift us as a people.”
Ben Smith, the One Bermuda Alliance Opposition spokesman in the Senate for Youth, Culture and Sport, thanked the minister and welcomed the opportunity for residents to learn more about the history of the holiday.
• Cup Match: Legacy of Honour will be shown at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute from 6pm today. There is no charge to attend, and spaces can be reserved at www.culture.bm.
• To read the minister’s statement in full and to see a calendar of events, click on the PDFs under “Related Media”.
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