Emancipation
was given to slaves in the British West Indies on the 1st of August 1838, after
450 years of Slavery. In Trinidad a colony with strong French, Spanish and
Roman Catholic influences the news of this freedom was greeted by the
Afro-Caribbean slaves with Cannes Brulees processions throughout the
country. “After Emancipation the negroes
began to represent this scene as a kind of commemoration in their condition and
the procession of the ‘cannes brulees’ used to take place on the night o the
1st of August, the date of their emancipation...”[1]
The “Re enactment of the Canboulay Riots 2010” will take place in both north and south Trinidad this year. This means that for the first time, people outside of Port of Spain will get the opportunity to experience this symbolic ceremony, which marks the very beginning of Carnival.
The first is carded for Thursday, at 5:00 am on Coffee Street, San Fernando (Corner of Howard Lane and Hillside Street – Next to Skiffle Bunch Pan Theatre). The second will be held at the Piccadilly Greens, Port of Spain on Friday February 12, 2010 at 5:00 am.
The Honourable Marlene Mc Donald, Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs is expected to deliver the feature address on both days.
Canboulay, or “Cannes Brulees” means “burning cane” and this commemorated the putting out of cane fires during slavery. After slavery, it became one of the important and deep-rooted festivals of the black people and was marked by ribald dancing and the lighted flambeaus carried in the street.
The police always opposed this with vigour, claiming that the lighted flambeaus could burn down the town. But the people, who always regarded the police as oppressors, resisted bitterly until they eventually claimed the right to celebrate Carnival as they thought fit.
I cannot emphasise to you what or where or how the people of Haiti have survived the many hardships they have survived for hundreds of years, but they as a people, have. I found this sires of videos that can give you an idea how Haiti became the first Black Republic . Like I said before the Haitian Revolution was the only successful Slave Revolt in history, these people back then kicked the collative asses of the French, Spanish, and British, in other words this pearl of the French Empire defeated every world power of the day, something we should never forget, it was this revolution, that triggered others in the region, it is because of the stand these people made for freedom that the monster that was slavery had to recoil and many others were then emancipated.
It is this revolution believe it or not, that lead to in Trinidad what we call the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ our freedom celebration, in more ways than one... WE ARE FREE BECAUSE HAITIANS FOUGHT FOR FREEDOM AND WON.
And then, they were made to pay Europeans for their actions for centuries to follow.
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