The Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago has signalled the start of this year’s Emancipation celebrations with the blessing of the grounds of the Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
This year’s celebrations are taking place under the theme “Shaping Sustainable Futures Through Reparatory Justice.”
ESCTT Director, Elder Equino Moyo, said they aim to spotlight the power of reparations through collective action across local, regional, and international communities. He said at the heart of it all is the enduring strength and inspiration drawn from our ancestors, whose legacy continues to guide and empower.
“Our people have long known this fact because our ancestors developed rituals on the continent which helped them to survive the maafa, the great disaster that our people were subjected to.”
Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, Martel Waldron, said the ceremonial blessing of the grounds prepares our hearts and minds, reminding us of where we come from and grounding us in the spirit of those who walked before us.
“Our ancestors were people of immense courage and wisdom who endured, who resisted, who dreamed of freedom, even when it seemed out of reach. Their strength lives with us, and it lives in us as well.”
Chargé d’Affaires for Ghana in Trinidad and Tobago, Charles Marfo, reminded attendees of the benefit of having brothers and sisters across the African continent, pointing to support to be had from both the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“The Emancipation Support Committee of T&T can count on the support of the various governments in Africa and, by extension, within the Caribbean because it is their blood that is here. So even if they neglected them some centuries ago, the offshoots of those who came here are still alive, so they must do everything possible within their means to come on board to support them.”
The Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village opens from July 25th to August 1st and will be the venue for a host of cultural activities, including the Caribbean’s largest African market featuring African-inspired art, crafts, jewellery, clothing, and more.