After being indoors for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Macedonia-Joppa Volunteer Committee (MJVC) has planned a “spectacular” Emancipation Day celebration on August 1st for the Corentyne to celebrate 188 years of Emancipation.
Emancipation Day in the Macedonia-Joppa district will be an all-day event at the Eversham Community Pavilion and will commence at 06:30 am. The event will be hosted under the theme “UPLIFTMENT” for this year’s celebration to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Guyana in 1834 and to mark 188 years of Emancipation.
According a press release from the volunteer committee, due to the pandemic, children were barred from attending schools, libraries, and recreation facilities, and adults were unable to enter their places of worship.
The enforced isolation took a mental and physical toll on society with the restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, it added.
The day-long activities will begin with a mile-long road race which comprises of two categories – male and female. The male category race will start from Macedonia (Number 35 Village) and end at the Eversham Community Pavilion, while the female category will begin from the Number 43 Village and also end at the pavilion. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the participants in the following order for both categories. The winners of each race will receive $20,000, the 2nd place runners will each receive $15,000, and the third and fourth place runners will each receive $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.
The release further said that at 10:00 am, there will be a road march with African drums and traditional calypso music for the villagers and children to revel in. The road march will commence from Number 35 Village and wend its way to Number 43 Village and then to the Eversham Community Pavilion after which there will be a flag-raising ceremony, followed by the singing of the National Anthem and “Arise Guyana”. A cultural programme will inform the people, especially youths, about the birth of Emancipation Day, a brief account of slavery and its abolishment, and the history of the various villages in the community. There will also be a display of African attire modelled by men, women, and children of the community.
Traditional African cuisine (metemgee, foo-foo) and drinks (mauby) will also be available. The activities will see the villagers decked out in their African attire, while traditional folk and African songs will be played. There will be various exhibits of African cultural customs, folk games, African crafts and artwork displayed, as well as singing, dancing (masquerade), and drumming (African Drums). All the members of the community are expected to participate. The Macedonia/Joppa Volunteer Committee plans to make Emancipation Day celebrations an annual event.
