Jamaicans in Canada Celebrate 60th Anniversary of Independence in Different Ways

By Neil Armstrong

Photo credit: Sophia Findlay    JCA past presidents Adaoma Patterson and Herman Stewart present a plaque with photos of the three buildings owned by the organization over its 60-year history to active founding members Amy Nelson, Pam Powell, Roy Williams and Bernice Bailey. Missing is Beryl Nugent

Activities in Toronto celebrating Jamaica’s diamond jubilee of independence kicked off on the eve of Emancipation Day and will continue well into the fall. 

 

In the days leading up to August 6 — Independence Day — there were several flag raising ceremonies, a church service, a cultural festival, a jerk food festival, and the illumination of some sites in the Greater Golden Horseshoe metropolitan region, which includes the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, and Niagara Falls.

 

On July 31, the Jamaican Canadian Association held its Jamaica 60^th Anniversary flag raising ceremony at Toronto City Hall followed by a church service at Faith Sanctuary on Jane Street. It included various members of the clergy as well as performances by the Heritage Singers, Revivaltime Tabernacle Men’s Choir, and others. The last day of July was also the date of JAMBANA One World Festival in Brampton that celebrated the life of its co-founder, Denise Jones, and included her induction, posthumously, into the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame.

Dancers of Dance Caribe Performing Company at JAMBANA One World Festival in Garden Square, Brampton, Ontario

 

From August 1 to 8, a group visited Jamaica for what was dubbed the Jamaican Canadian Association Homecoming 60^th Anniversary of Independence trip to Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny. 

 

There were more flag raising ceremonies in the following cities: Markham (Aug.4), Oshawa (Aug. 5), Mississauga (Aug. 5), London (Aug. 5), Brampton (Aug. 6), and Hamilton (Aug. 7).

Lincoln Downer, Jamaica's consul general at the flag raising ceremony in Brampton, Ontario

Raising of the Jamaican flag at Ken Whillans Square outside Brampton City Hall

Hyacinth Lindo and Marjorie Taylor of the United Achievers' Club of Brampton at the flag raising ceremony

 

In Brampton, mayor Patrick Brown, former councillor and new member of provincial parliament Charmaine Williams, who is also the associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity, and Jamaica’s consul general at Toronto, Lincoln Downer, were also in attendance. Organized by United Achievers’ Club of Brampton, it involved speeches and performances. Peel District School Board trustee, Kathy McDonald, who is one of the recipients of this year’s Community Service Award from the Jamaican Canadian Association, was the emcee. 

Consul general Lincoln Downer and Fred Eisenberger, mayor of Hamilton

Lincoln Downer and Fred Eisenberger after cutting the Jamaica 60 cake

The Jamaica 60 cake

Jamaica 60 cupcakes

Fabian Coverley, co-executor of the Estate of Louise Bennett-Coverley 'Miss Lou'

Fabian Coverley and Doreen Watson, secretary of Jamaica Foundation (Hamilton)

Fabian Coverley and Tania Hernandez outside Hamilton City Hall

Tania 'Miss Tania Lou' Hernandez leads the kids in the "Ring Ding" program during the  Jamaica 60 flag raising ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario

Tania Hernandez 'Miss Tania Lou'

Pamela Appelt and Mary Bishop at the Jamaica 60th anniversary of independence flag raising ceremony at Hamilton City Hall

 

Hamilton included in its flag raising event a re-enactment of “Ring Ding,” a popular television children’s show of the late Louise Bennett-Coverley ‘Miss Lou.’ Tania Hernandez (Miss Tania Lou) led the kids in the celebration of various aspects of Jamaica’s culture. The event was organized by the Jamaica Foundation Hamilton.

Photo credit: Sophia Findlay   Niagara Falls illuminated on August 6 to celebrate Jamaica's 60th anniversary of independence followed by a celebration of Bolivia's independence

 

The iconic Niagara Falls was illuminated to celebrate Jamaica’s 60^th anniversary of independence. Some Jamaicans who attended said they were disappointed that the Falls did not display the black, green and gold colours of Jamaica’s flag but instead showcased the colours of Bolivia’s flag to celebrate that country’s independence. However, the Jamaica Tourist Board, which co-hosted the event with the Consulate General of Jamaica Toronto, begs to differ.

 

“Although not as prominent as anticipated, the colours of the Jamaican flag were illuminated as scheduled between 10pm -10:15 pm.  Black, yellow and green lights appeared on the Falls although the mist covered the black illumination,” says the Jamaica Tourist Board through its public relations agency, Fever Pitch Marketing Communications Inc.

In an email, it said, “Red and green lights cross to create yellow. The excess red created a red shadow in front of where the black appeared. 

“Landmarks across the country were illuminated in celebration of Jamaica 60, including the Edmonton High Level Tower, Ottawa’s ByWard Market, Vancouver’s Burrard Bridge and Halifax City Hall. In addition to our Jamaica 60 illumination, the Jamaica Tourist Board hosted a cocktail reception on August 6 in Niagara Falls with Jamaica’s Consul General.”

 

In an article published in Niagara Falls This Week on August 9, Niagara Parks says, “the Jamaican colours were, indeed, emblazoned on the falls as scheduled and that people may have simply caught the period following that when Bolivia’s colours were shone on the falls.”

 

It was responding to a story in the Jamaica Gleaner published with the headline “Niagara Falls heartbreak as Bolivian colours rankle Jamaican expats.”

 

There was also a lighting of the City Hall of Mississauga in the colours of the Jamaican flag on August 6.

Sandra Whiting, recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kathy McDonald, recipient of a Community Service Award

Nadine Spencer, Marcia Brown and Sandra Whiting 

Audrey Campbell, Adaoma Patterson and Sophia Findlay

Danae Peart and Elaine Thompson

Itah Sadu and Marcia Brown

Sophia Findlay and Marie Clarke Walker

Danae Peart, Neil Armstrong, Nick Dawkins and Sophia Findlay

Photo credit: Sophia Findlay        Chris Campbell and Neil Armstrong

 

The signature Jamaican Canadian Association 60^th Annual Jamaica Independence and Anniversary Gala was held on August 13 with a keynote speech by Dr. Mary Anne Chambers, former Ontario member of provincial parliament, government minister, new chancellor of the University of Guelph, and new author of her memoir, From the Heart: Family. Community. Service.

 

Awards were presented to several community members, including: Eunice Graham, Francella Moore, Bruce McDonald and Sandra Whiting who received a Lifetime Achievement Award for 35 years of continuous service; Wilbert Johnson for 25 years of continuous service; Michelle Davis received the President’s Award; Hyacinth Wilson, the Volunteer of the Year Award, and Andria Babbington, Camille Hannays-King, Kathy McDonald, and yours truly received the Community Service Award.

 

The annual Jerkfest Toronto was held from August 5-7 and on August 13 and 14 there were screenings of Roy T. Anderson’s documentary film, African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey, in Brampton and Toronto respectively. Both viewings were hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Caribbean. The Jamaica Foundation Hamilton held its Thanksgiving Service in partnership with Pentecostal churches on August 14.

 

Some of the upcoming events include a diamond jubilee cricket match, Jamaica XI vs. Trinidad & Tobago XI at Andrew McCandless Park in Brampton (Aug. 20), Falla Fashun fashion show by Flair Management at the Jamaican Canadian Association (Aug. 21), Sinting Fest on Eglinton West (Aug. 26-28), A Taste of Jamaica (Aug. 27) at the Jamaican Canadian Association, and on October 21, the Jamaica Hamilton Foundation will hold its annual banquet in Hamilton, and the Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation will hold its Jamrock 16^th annual gala in Toronto.

 

On July 28 — a couple days before Toronto’s major Caribbean Carnival took over the city — the Downtown Yonge BIA held the launch of the exhibit, Rhythms and Resistance: Caribbean Music in Toronto, curated by Klive Walker and Nicholas Jennings at Friar’s Music Museum on the second floor of Shoppers Drug Mart near Yonge-Dundas Square.

 

The exhibition documents the history of Black and Caribbean musicians, musicologists, media, venues and events who have contributed significantly to the development of Caribbean music and resistance in the city.

 

Check out Jamaica60to.com to see the events and to learn more about the Jamaica 60 Toronto 35 Change Makers who are highlighted on the site as being among “the most influential and impactful next-generation and senior leaders of Jamaican heritage in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area.” 

 

Congratulations to them!

 

Trinidad & Tobago celebrates its 60^th anniversary of independence on August 31 and there are several events happening in the Greater Toronto Area to recognize that historic moment.