Month: July 2016

The 19th African Remembrance Day (ARD) event was held in the grounds of St Mathews Church in Brixton London SW2 and nearby was the starting point for the 2014 African Reparations march on Downing Street.

The theme of ARD was African Belief and Religion. With over 70 people attending the day began with drumming, followed by prayers, keynote address, interactive session with the Griot, recitals and story-telling.

The day concluded with the singing of Redemption Song

African Remembrance Day took place over 2 days – It was held in partnership with the Windrush Foundation led by Arthur Torrington, and was an important element of the year long “Making Freedom” series of activities and exhibition to mark the 150 anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean. The theme for African Remembrance Day over the 2 days was The ‘Black Family’, focusing on how family relationships had survived slavery and responded to political, social and economic factors in the subsequent years to the present. Both days were held in The Marcus Garvey Library in Tottenham North London.

31st July

Historian Robin Walker tackled these issues in his keynote speech for the African Remembrance Memorial lecture On 31st July. In front of an audience of 60, he discussed the resilience of the black family when confronted by numerous challenges. He also provided a stunning critique of the official response in the Caribbean, UK, and US, which has attempted to pathologise the black family as dysfunctional and chaotic. A lively Q & A followed, with Walker finally, urging better teaching of black history, and more ownership from black parents and communities in supporting young people in order to consolidate and expand the progress made so far.

1st August

The Remembrance Day ceremony opened with Chair Onyekachi Wambu, welcoming 200 people in attendance, followed by opening prayers, drumming and songs leading up to 3 minutes silence at 3.00pm.

The keynote address was given by Councillor Patrick Vernon, owner of the Every Generation website on black and African genealogy and ancestry. He talked about tracing his ancestry and supporting others to do likewise. He also mentioned the options available for using DNA to trace your ancestry to Africa. He reiterated the importance of remembering and celebrating all our ancestors, not just the celebrated ones. Vernon, was followed by Felicity Heywood, a museum curator and journalist, who has been on the trail of some of the oldest African populations in the world – the Batwa of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, many of whom remain as hunter gatherers. Even for the settled Batwa, their plight was pitiful, as many had been marginalised by the African farming and pastoralist communities which surround them and have political and economic power. She urged African here to get involved in speaking up and protecting these vulnerable families and communities.

Following the keynote speeches, there was an open mic reflecting the theme of the day. with poets, drummers and members of the audience speaking to the theme of the day.The Griot Chinyere led the charge with story telling. Several others, poets, singers, drummers and members of the audience, contributed with poems, drumming and songs. Members of the community also contributed with witness testimonials and statements.

The day concluded with the singing of Redemption Song, sharing and partaking of food and drink , socialising and networking. An announcement was also made that the theme of 2014 would be African belief and religion.

Africa Remembrance Day 2012 took part over two days at Waterloo Park in Hampstead. The theme over the two days was the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Jamaica and Trinidad.

July 31st

The events kicked off with a lecture at Lauderdale House presented by Cecil Gutzmore and Nicole Rochelle Moore, on the contribution of African liberation activists such as Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley in Jamaica, and George Padmore, Kwame Toure, and CLR James in Trinidad, to independence, as well as their broader contribution to the Pan-African movement.

Firstly, Cecil Gutzmore tracked the problems with the West Indian Federation, which led to the independence of Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica. He also spoke about the struggle of the Maroons in 1739, 1740 and 1742. Finally there was also a focus on the continuing challenges facing Jamaica as it seeks to expand freedom and economic wealth to the poor.

Nichole Moore looked at how the nation of Trinidad and Tobago was built, highlighting those who paved the way and started the journey to independence. A few of those men were JR Hooker, Sylvester Williams and George Padmore. Nichole also spoke about the contribution of Trinidadian writers, for example Emily Paul who wrote about the hypocrisy of religion, J.J. Thomas who won a scholarship, before focusing on the well known pan-Africanists Henry Sylvester, Jacob Thomas, and CLR James.

August 1st

The event was held at Waterloo Park with presentations from representatives from the Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaican High Commissions, reflecting their respective countries and providing information on their achievements as well as the challenges facing them. The three minutes silence was held on behalf of the victims of the Jamaican and Trinidadian victims of the struggle for freedom, as well as the millions who died in the Middle Passage, in the Far East and on the African continent.

Poems, songs, and witness statements were contributed by members of the community to the proceedings. The day was concluded with the singing of Redemption Song, sharing of food, drinks and flowers.

With a theme celebrating the birth of the new nation of South Sudan, African Remembrance Day (ARD) 2011 was held on August 1st at Queen Mother Moore School in Clapham, South West London.

It was a day for healing of the African family and for reflection, paying special tribute to the African victims of slavery, slave raids, and second class citizenship over the last 1000 years in South Sudan.

The day was presented by Onyekachi Wambu and Ra Hendricks, members of the ARD Committee. Arthur Torrington (CBE), Rev Hughie Andrew, spoke on many aspects of our history in remembrance of our ancestors. Sister Amasade, Sister Pat Green, and assembled drummers provided cultural input for the 150 people in attendance. In honouring the birth of South Sudan, historian Robin Walker provided one of the keynote speeches, tracing the journey of South Sudan from the pre-Pharonic period to the present day.

South Sudan became a new nation on July 9th 2011. And audience members paid additional tribute with songs, recitals and drumming. Ambassador, Paul Akaro, a representative of the Government of South Sudan up dated the gathered assembly on the current situation in the country, as well as outlining the future vision for independence. Before providing the ARD Committee with a flag of the new nation, he urged Africans everywhere to visit South Sudan, to invest in the new nation, and to continue to show solidarity.

A three minutes silence was held at 3pm for the victims of the Sudanese holocaust and for the millions of other Africans who died in the Middle Passage and elsewhere.

African Remembrance Day Committee printed T-shirts and made commemoration ribbons which were sold on the day. Information on the work of the Remembrance Day Committee was shared. The day concluded with the singing of Redemption Song and networking.

The event was held at The Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham, London. Professor Cecil Gutzmore, Sister Estha Stanford, Arthur Torrington (CBE) and members of the community paid tribute and many others participated on the day. Onyekachi paid tribute to the late Bernie Grant who was the MP for Tottenham and noted that this was his tenth year of his passing to the ancestors.

A 3 minute silence was held at 3pm and information on the work of the African Remembrance Committee was shared with community members who attended the event. The day was concluded with the singing of Redemption Song and general networking.

The event was held at High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. It was hosted by Brother Gordon and Brother Nana Ausar Bonsu who poured Libation and provided refreshments. Several members of the audience participated in the event, including the community children. The key note was given by Onyekachi Wambu.

The event was held in Greenwich Park, London. The Ausar Auset Society poured libation. A 3 minute silence was observed. The event was closed with the Circle of Life pledge and the singing of Redemption Song.