The streets of Port of Spain were filled with drums and African colors on Friday as the people of Trinidad and Tobago marched to celebrate Emancipation Day.
Emancipation Day commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834, and is observed in various Caribbean countries as well as in Canada.
Trinidad and Tobago was the first country to make it a national holiday.
Loading ...The theme of this year’s parade was “Shaping sustainable futures through reparatory justice,” on par with the African Union’s designation of 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”
But for Trinidadians, it was also a celebration of their African heritage.
“My ancestors went through a lot, and well they fought very hard for us to be able to have this holiday today,” said Kabira Floyd, a student participating in the parade.
Trinidad celebrates Emancipation Day marking the abolition of slavery
According to the United Nations, an estimated 25 million to 30 million Africans were uprooted for slavery to work mainly on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas, including the southern United States.
With the drumming and dancing, the parade also inspired a sense of pride in the island’s history.
Bongo Jack, a drummer at the parade, said the event was especially important for the education of the younger generation. “If they were properly educated in the greatness of African history, they would be more inclined to love themselves,” said Jack.
The Geneva-based Human Rights Council has called for global action for years, including reparations, apologies and educational reforms to make amends for racism against people of African descent in the 15-nation Caribbean Community, known as CARICOM.
