Road to Independence 1962 ... (Part 5) Let us celebrate

The Independence celebrations began in earnest immediately following the raising of Jamaica's flag at the National Stadium at midnight August 5, 1962. The skies above Kingston and major townships were lit up with giant fireworks displays. Bonfires blazed on hills and mountaintops across the countryside. Jamaica was greeting its Independence with a spontaneous outpouring of joy and pride.

The top 10 tunes on the hit parade kept us dancing with lyrics and rhythms that reflected the mood and emotions of the people. Derrick Morgan's Forward March, Lord Creator's Independent Jamaica, and Al T. Joe's Independence Time Is Here invited us from every jukebox and every bandstand to "rise, Jamaica, rise, and let us celebrate".

The flag-raising ceremony was not confined to Kingston. Ceremonies took place that night in towns, village squares, and remote districts around Jamaica. In Annotto Bay, the British flag was lowered by scout Vincent Walker, while the Jamaican flag was hoisted by scout Cecil Khouri. Evon Grant conducted the combined church choirs of Mandeville at Brooks Park. The service at Porus was conducted by the Reverends Neville deSouza and E.A. Ritchie-Haughton. The Reverend K. Braithwaite spoke on the topic 'The old order changeth, giving place to the new', at a function in Mount James, St Ann.

On Monday, August 6, Independence Day, Jamaicans poured out on to the streets, schools, community centres, district commons, beaches, racetracks, playing fields, towns and the city to enjoy the holiday.

The Ministry of Education had summoned all schoolchildren to assemble at their various schools that morning for flag-raising, tree-planting, the national pledge, and the national anthem. Each child was given an Independence pack of sweets, aerated water, a pack of sweet biscuits, an Independence cup, badge and ballpoint pen, and a Jamaican flag.

1,000-village celebration

The Ministry of Development and Social Welfare had earlier unveiled a plan for a 1,000-village celebration programme across the island. Above Rocks in St Andrew hosted a picnic, dancing, foot and sack races, grease pig and pole climbing, and crowned Lilly Wall Miss Above Rocks. Wait-A-Bit in Trelawny selected its own beauty queen, Sonia Wright, while the village enjoyed a float parade which wound its way from the Alps down to Water Square in Falmouth.

Member of Parliament Tacius Golding presided over the Old Harbour celebrations. And in Port Maria, some 200 Maroons led by Colonel Phillip Latibeaudiere danced in the square before moving on to Richmond. Fishing regattas were held at Port Royal, Puerto Seco, Rocky Point and Port Morant, complete with dominoes, tug of war, cricket matches, beer-drinking competitions, and cross-the-harbour races.

Jamaica was partying as never before. The newly opened Sheraton Hotel was the venue for the Independence Ball, where the prime minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante, known more for his extravagant Latin American sambas, did a formal waltz with Her Royal Highness the Princess Margaret. Fans hurried to catch the street dances or to enjoy the roadside concerts with Miss Lou and Maas Ran.

The partying paused on the morning of August 7 for the official opening of Parliament. It was a solemn moment as the prime minister received the Constitutional Instruments from Princess Margaret, sister to Queen Elizabeth II, while Norman Manley, leader of the Opposition, seconded the address of thanks.

There was more to come. The largest crowd ever assembled in Jamaica, up to that time, turned out to watch the Independence float parade on August 12, where every conceivable aspect of the country's life was depicted in a grand and colourful pageant.

Unforgettable

As one of the representatives of my school, I was privileged to march in the parade that started at Cross Roads and ended at the corner of King and Tower streets. Taking the salutes on the dais were the governor general, Sir Kenneth Blackburn; Donald Sangster, representing the prime minister; the mayor of Kingston, Frank Spaulding; and Miss City of Kingston, Mitzie Constantine.

The staging of the IX Central American and Caribbean Games at the National Stadium, which opened that night and closed two weeks later, ended the round of extraordinary and unforgettable activities which marked the celebrations of Jamaica's first Independence in 1962.

The success of the Games was a fitting ending to a remarkable chapter in Jamaica's history.

Lance Neita is a communication specialist. Email comments to columns@gleanerjm.com or lanceneita@hotmail.com.