Preserve our heritage and culture

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

It is quite hard to reconcile that Jamaica, considered a progressive front-runner in culture, the preservation and promotion of its heritage, and a pioneer in this regard, does not have a national museum housing its many treasures.

Sadly, however, this country's people and its coffers remain the poorer for it! And the more one thinks about it, the more incredulous it seems that a country, so rich in history and that has so influenced the world, has been so derelict in cataloguing its own development and foundation. Indeed, the very notion does not only border on the absurd, it seems preposterous and speaks to a monumental neglect that is nothing short of criminal. Alas, that is the abject reality of our current status, as this is a country whose historical treasures are not only scattered across the globe, but of that which is to be found here, the majority is housed in conditions belying their true import to the nation, its people and history!

Sad state

How else could we explain that some 17,000 historical artefacts and heritage treasures are housed in the basement of the Institute of Jamaica and in some other nondescript and unheralded locale, away from the people of Jamaica and the world? In the process Jamaicans have been deprived of their intrinsic educational value. Sadly, those elected custodians of our national heritage, in their collective myopia, have not seen it fit to provide the nation with an appropriate edifice to house and showcase our heritage treasure-trove. What makes this situation even more sad is that our leaders are constantly upbraiding us of the importance of expanding the national pie to create employment and increase our foreign-exchange- earning capacity, while ignoring the windfall a museum would provide.

Curiously, there is loads of talk about heritage tourism. What is missing from the discussion, however, is a fulsome understanding of the concept of it, as those doing the talking have framed the discussion in the most parochial setting, casting the discussions in the 'Long time Gal Mi Neva See You' fashion, instead of embracing and including the sum total of that heritage, as against constituent parts!

Anyway, recognising this institutional deficiency and, even more importantly, the role of our heritage in continuing to forge our national identity and as a crucial tool in building bridges of understanding between peoples and generations, a concerned group of Jamaicans came together under the banner of Friends of the Museums, under the aegis of the Institute of Jamaica, and the Director of its Museums Division, Dr Rebecca Tortello, Greenland.

Their mandate: To help advance the vision of a functioning national museum that would facilitate:

A national museum that is child- and family-friendly and accessible by all, especially the disabled and the aged;

Adequate space to exhibit the permanent collection and for visiting/temporary exhibits;

Community engagement - schools groups, social space, lecture hall;

Revenue generation;

Research and scholarship;

The expansion for fully functioning museums at strategic locations across the island, so as to enable equal access by all and thus be able to better serve and educate.

Interactive ceremony

So on the eve of World Museums Day, the initiative was launched in what was both a charming and interactive ceremony, two Tuesdays ago, in the corporate boardroom of the Guardsman Group of Companies, on Old Hope Road. And what an educational eye-opener it proved!

With the esteemed high commissioner Burchell Whiteman as chair, and a host of dignitaries and leading personalities in attendance, the initiative was launched in the Guardsman Group's corporate boardroom and entertainment deck, a most fitting backdrop, housing as it does one of the most unique collection of Jamaican art and artefacts. And make no mistake about the understanding of and support for a national museum of Jamaica, as not only was corporate Jamaica out in full support, so too were leading art collectors, patrons of the arts, and benefactors and resource personnel lending their support to the initiative. And in the brief official ceremony that preceded the post-launch cocktails, Ambassador Whiteman; Dr Tortello-Greenland; the charming Staci-Marie Dehaney, executive director of the Museum of History and Ethnology and her staff, guided guests through the exhibition mounted for the launch, while the young Jeffery Hall made the speech of the event in his closing thank yous.

And so it was, amidst art and artefacts of the foundation era, historical pieces and artefacts documenting the role of Jamaica and Jamaicans in world events, pieces providing a gateway into our past, the exhibits made for a moving testimonial as to the urgent need for a national museum.

Among those out were: guest of honour, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen; host Kenny Benjamin; chair of the Institute of Jamaica Vivian Crawford; High Commissioner Burchell and Jolene Whiteman and their daughters Gail Moss-Solomon and Lisa Harrison; president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association Nadine Molloy-Young; British High Commissioner Howard and Gill Drake; Canadian High Commissioner Stephen and Cathy Hallihan; French Ambassador Marc-Olivier Gendry; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; US embassy official James Hathaway; Honorary Consul of Israel and historian Ainsley Henriques; Honorary Consul of Iceland and art patron Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of Portugal and patron of the arts Paul Issa; the charming Jill Roberts; Dr Marshall Hall and wife Dr Jeannette Hall; the charming Myrth Hall Butler; Charles Johnston and wife Lisa McGregor Johnston; businessman and patron Gordon Tewani; Al Niazi; Dr Dhiru and Dr Laura Tanna; Dr Jonathan Greenland; Dr Sonjah Stanley-Niah; Dr Diana Thorburn Chen; the stunning Sheila Benjamin McNeill; the lovely Aloima Suarez; head of the Guardsman Group Valerie Juggan-Brown; architect and businessman Evan Williams; Wisynco's William Mahfood, wife Frances and their daughters Mary and Mia; RJR Communications Group boss Gary Allen; head of RBTT, the fab Minna Israel; TVJ general manager, the charming Kay Osborne; Gary and Cheryl Peart; Vinay Walia; the esteemed Herbie Miller; the charming Carol-Rose Brown; Cmdr George Overton; Tarun and Catherine Handa; Tamara Hill; Jason Hall; Tania Nethersole; Robbie Epstein; Enith Williams; Andrew and Bridgette Levy; Fredrick Moe; the lovely Juliette Stephenson; N. Joseph Tai; Janice Allen; Gary Willoughby; Mary Langford; P.J. and AnnMarie Asher; Judy Azar; Christopher Julius; Camille Bergsrud; Hertha Beckmann; the lovely Kellie Magnus; David Douglas; plus a number of others!

Sadly, however, the Minister Youth, Sports and Culture was quite noticeable by her absence!