By Tanya Batson-Savage, Staff Reporter
The story of faith healer Alexander Bedward, comes to life in Louis Marriott's 'Bedward' playing at The Ward Theatre, downtown Kingston from Wednesdays to Sundays. The play features a talented cast, including Erica Allen (front) as Sister Plunkett and Winston Bell (seated) as Bedward, and a number of other actors. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
IT HAS been 200 years since Haiti succeeded in freeing itself from French rule. It has been 200 years since Haiti freed itself from slavery. To mark this, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, is spearheading a year of activities.
The first event took place at the undercroft at the UWI on Friday evening. According to Dr. Marie José N'Zengou-Tayo, the day for the launch of the year of activities was significant because January 2 marks Forefathers Day in Haiti.
As a backdrop to the proceedings, an ancestral table took centre stage on the podium. A bouquet and four burning candles were at its centre, surrounded by clusters of fruits, punctuated by cups of white liquid.
It was fitting that the Akwaaba drummers gave a rousing prelude to the marking of the bicentennial of Haitian Revolution. Long before anthems sang the praises and hopes of the newly independent isles of the Caribbean, the revolutionary power of the drum had held sway.
The launch was a combination of music, dance and poetry, with Mutabaruka taking on the duties of host. Whether it was said through song, or poetry, the message was that the value of the Haitian Revolution to Caribbean history has not been sufficiently noted to the general public.
With his shoes abandoned and acoustic guitar in hand, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, Dr. Barry Chevannes, quoted David Rudder, "Haiti wi sorry, Haiti wi love yuh bad," he said. The words which preceded his suite of songs, summed up much of the sentiment of the night.
It was clear that many of those who performed believed that the Caribbean community needs to pay more attention to Haiti and that the country's current state is, a far fall from its days of being a jewel of the Caribbean, fall out for having the temerity to not only rebel, but to succeed at it.
"I know a lot of people not used to what happening in the Caribbean, though Jamaica in the Caribbean," Mutabaruka said when he got to the microphone, noting the culture of ignorance surrounding the revolution.
He noted that the significance of Haiti's position as the first Black nation to win its independence should not be forgotten. He noted that the celebrations were not merely to be attended 't'ru di show dem done'.
Mutabaruka's own interest in the Haitian Revolution would point to the connection between Jamaican and the revo-lution. The dub poet encouraged that more detailed study should be applied to Bookman, a Jamaican who was instrumental in the revolution.
Alwyn Bully also took up this cry. He noted that the Jamaican connection was largely unknown in Jamaican schools and that it is vital that the importance of the revolution be taught.
The poetic works of Edward Baugh and Kamau Brathwaite were also used to mark the centennial, as were performances by Amina Blackwood Meeks, Jean Small, Erna Brodber, M'bala and L'Acadco.
