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Re-enactment march, marketplace event highlight Int'l Museum Day observances
Speaking with this news site, Deputy Director of Culture, Mrs Brenda Lettsome-Tye, disclosed that attempts were made to ensure that a marketplace scene, depicting locals of the past and staged at the Sir Olva Georges Plaza in Main Street, was as historically accurate as it could possibly be.
Lettsome said Main Street was looked at as a living and open museum and explained that much of the Virgin Islands’ history took place on the street that contributed to significant change in the Territory.
She disclosed that one of the most significant events that happened on Main Street, was the march of 1949 which created tremendous political change in the VI. Up until that point, she revealed, the VI was part of a Federation that sat in Antigua and did not possess its own Governor or Legislative Council at the time.
Three men, Theodolph Faulkner of Anegada, I. Glanville Fonseca and Carlton de Castro, spearheaded a march that wound its way from the Band Stand through Main Street to the Sir Olva Georges Plaza, calling for meaningful and effective change within the Territory.
The result of this Mrs Lettsome-Tye said, was the very first election in over 50 years which was followed by the reinstatement of the Legislative Council the following year.
A traditional marketplace was held for some time at the Sir Olva Georges Plaza on Main Street and organizers sought to recreate the scenery as part of the International Museum Day observances.
Additionally, she said persons were also flogged in the square while slaves were also sold in the area as well.
“We really tried our best to give it an old-fashioned feel, we found old photographs, we found film and showed the market as it used to be,” Mrs Lettsome-Tye said, “the effect, I think, has been wonderful [and] we have this really old-fashioned feel to the whole area.”
She was pleased with the turnout by vendors and the many products that were on display and up for sale which she said captured the feel that the organisers were looking for.
There were also several school tours held during the course of the week which involved students of various primary schools.
During the march, Natalio Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru, Carlton de Castro and Edmund Maduro, relived the fateful day with chants of ‘Cruikshank must go’ and ‘Get out or be put out’ among other slogans as they held placards that called for representative government among other demands to the Foreign and Colonial Office.
The re-enactment march ended opposite the plaza on Main Street with a mock speech from leaders of the march and a response to their demands by an actor that played the then Commissioner J.A.C. Cruikshank.
One of the participants, Ms Kristin Frazer, said she was very pleased with the activities being held and felt it was very encouraging and should be held more than once per year.
The theme for this year’s International Museum Day observances was “Museums: memories plus creativity equal social change”.
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22 Responses to “Re-enactment march, marketplace event highlight Int'l Museum Day observances”
I say this is the land of my birth.
I say this is the BVI, my BVI,
the land of my birth.
Very distasteful comment, however I can assure you that the idea was not Ms Brenda's idea. Were it not for Mactavious doing all the background work there would not be anything for you to comment on. That is a FACT! Time will tell
The massive demonstration led by Dolph Faulkner through the streets of Road Town in 1949 resulted in the reinstatement of the legislature in 1950 and the first election since the early 1900s. It was the first election in which Virgin Islanders had the opportunity to vote directly for 4 elcted members. We owe a debt of gratitude to Dolph Faulkner; he has not gotten the recognition he deserves. Still struggling with why he was not among the first four members to be directly elected to the legislative. He needs a bust in the Sir Olva Georges's Square from where for endless evenings he strongly advocated for improved rights for Virgin Islands.
Another group highly worthy of more recognition is Positive Action Movement ( PAM), which was led by national hero Noel Lloyd, along with Lindy Decastro ( Ras Uhuru), Patsy Lake, Wilfred Smith, Cromwell Nibbs, Meg Donovan and others. PAM's strong agitation and personal sacrifices was instrumental in scuttling the Kenneth Bates-Hill 99-year giveaway of Wickhams Cay and most of Anegada, returning it to the people of teh Virgin Islands. Under the giveaway, Wickhams Cay would have been the Virgin Islands' apartied. Today's local Wickhams Cay property owners need to tip their caps to PAM.
Further, those of us that abode in mansions, drive expensive rides, wear designer rags, dine in the best resturants or command relatively high incomes need to also tip our caps to the freedom fighters and those who made great sacrifices so that our quality of life and standard of living could improve. We did not achieve this by ourselves; many selfishly sacrificed so that we can. Let's celebrate, not be ashamed, of the past so that we do not repeat it. We cannot be too busy to celebrate our past. What if Dolph Fualkner was too busy to fight for us? where would we be today? The poorly attended re-enactment is a poor reflection of our attitude about our past struggles and the sacrifices made by other Virgin Isalnders for us.
If we lack the courage to continue to fight the strugggle started by Dolph Fualkner, Noel Lloyd and others we will tommorrow have to fight the same battles. Virgin Islanders, we ahve an obligation to succeeding generations to fight thenbattle so that they do not have to fight the same battles. Their battles should be withn struggles ahead not the ones that should have been put rest by their parents and grand parents.