The Tribune

By Rev. Canon S. Sebastian Campbell

Happy heroes day, Bahamas. The entire month of October from now on will be observed as National Heroes/History Month. I thank the Prime Minister for his proclamation confirming the same and for enacting it into law, at last.

The celebrations have already started. Some Bahamians have lamented the paralyzing tradition where politicians must give a blessing in order to authenticate anything in our Bahamas. The Heroes Committee has been calling Bahamians to celebrate Heroes Day each year for at least 20 years. Every year since, more and more Bahamians have been waking up to the fact that no chains can hold them and progressively the idea is sweeping the minds across our archipelago. Also, though, the government is on board and legislation has already been past and new legislation is on the way to enhance that which has already been past, this year according to the Prime Minister. This is now reality, everyone will soon be on board.

Everyone will, no doubt, soon be on board. Already Bain’s and Grants Town is in the swing of things. On Sunday, 6 October, they launched celebrations of their heroes at Missionary Baptist Church on Hay Street. I applaud Dr. C. B. Moss and his aggressive foot –soldiers as they make the message of nationalism live and rescue from obscurity the heroes of that area. Indeed celebrations continue as they go into our schools and celebrate with a banquet later in the month.

Fox Hill is celebrating now for the third year their heroes. On Monday, October 14 at 11:00am there is a ceremony at St. Paul’s Baptist Church; host pastor is Rev. J. C. Rahming. A procession will follow terminating with a reception at the entrance of St. Augustine College. Honoured as their heroes this year will be: Shelia Rolle (Tourism), Mrs. Jennie Moss (oldest old scholar alive today from Sandilands All Age School), Mrs. Lillian Edwards (Female Care Giver Ranfurly Homes), Mrs. Winifred Mackey Moss (Community Worker), Ms. Ellvie Pratt (Social Worker), Mr. Mackey Rolle (Former Health Care Giver), Mrs. Esmeldra Johnson Rutherford (Past Director of Nursing Council) and Mrs. Mary Johnson (Former Director of Nursing). For these years now it has been quite an event, I encourage them in these efforts.

The exhibition at the Post Office, East Street Hill should be in full swing shortly. I seek the public’s involvement. Please, even now, submit photos and an abbreviated write up on your hero, role model. Here is a rare opportunity for you to define your idea of a hero. I would like to see this exhibit in high gear well before month’s end.

I know the Renaissance Movement, a group of youthful Bahamians, endorsed by the 40th Anniversary of Independence Commission, is planning a march and rally in celebration of our heroes. Please listen up for that date and let’s give them support. Go for it.

It is my good hope that come next year we will have combine efforts in bringing greater focus at a national level. I anxiously await the appointment of a National Cultural Commission as a co-ordinating body to all we do in the honoring of our heroes, legends.

But until then, let us press onwards in our given celebrations. We will get there. Other countries in our region have gone ahead of us by leaps and bounds. However we must not be discouraged. We will make up in order to get there with Barbados with a National Heroes and Errol Barrow day holiday, and with Jamaica with its Heroes park and swearing of allegiance only to their country and with Trinidad with its Emblazon honours system and its status as a republic. Yes and all the other, small albeit, countries around us as they strive with passion in their breast to forge their own unique cultural identify, knowing that they need no foreign government or culture to tell them who they are or accredit them in their local systems of identity.

Happy Heroes Day, Bahamas.