One day in '62 - Music veterans remember Independence Day

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

For many Jamaicans, Independence Day is now just another public holiday. However, when Jamaica gained its Independence on August 6, 1962, it was cause for sheer joy, optimism and national pride. At the stroke of midnight, the British Union Jack was lowered and the black, green and gold Jamaican flag raised for the first time.

In addition to the flag-raising, the ceremony (which began at 11 p.m. on August 5) also featured a national parade and fireworks. There were approximately 20,000 people in attendance at the National Stadium, it was reported. Present were Sir Kenneth Lightbourne, Jamaica's first governor general, his wife, Lady Lightbourne, and Jamaica's premier, Sir Alexander Bustamante, who was later sworn in as Prime Minister. Also, there were Princess Margaret, representing The Queen of England, and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon. Dignitaries from other countries such as the United States, Australia and Pakistan witnessed the ceremony.

In a 2009 interview with The Sunday Gleaner, former Prime Minister Edward Seaga described the night as being one of the most memorable in his life.

"There was a glorious display
of fireworks that went on for quite a while. It was very emotional
because I was very involved in the event. I campaigned for it
(Independence). It brought me to tears," said Seaga, who was the then
minister of development and welfare in the Jamaica Labour Party-led
government.

IMMENSE SIGNIFICANCE

For
singer and record producer Derrick Harriott, the day had immense
significance. Around that time, Harriott said he, along with his group,
The Vagabonds, had the number-one song in the country. In addition, he
said he was privileged to be part of the float
parade.

"The excitement was there as usual with the
float parade and while that was going on, I would be singing. I made
festival songs before they had the Festival Song Competition in 1966 and
that was Sugar Dandy and I Care,"
he told The Sunday Gleaner.

"There
was a lot of joy and we were proud to be Jamaicans getting
Independence. There was the float parade and then you go into the
(National) Stadium and perform. That was really big. When we were
declared an independent nation, it was such a proud
moment."

Trying to break into the music industry at
the time, but now a veteran artiste, Ken Boothe said the day was a
joyful one.

"It was the most celebrated day.
Emancipation Day, everything come in one. People feel better about
freedom," said the singer, who placed second in the first Festival Song
Competition in 1966 as a duo with Glen Adams, who passed away in 2010.
The song was I Remember.

Boothe
noted that unlike now, the society was "more together in mind and
spirit".

The celebrations were not confined to
Kingston, as there were activities around the island in places like
Lionel Town, May Pen and Chapelton in Clarendon. But Edna Manley College
of the Visual and Performing Arts lecturer and former member of Third
World, Michael 'Ibo' Cooper, though a Clarendon resident, was not privy
to these activities.

Only 10 years old at the time and
tucked away in the rural community of Spalding, Clarendon, Cooper said
the celebration he experienced was different from what other people in
the Corporate Area had.

"Most of the excitement would
have been centred around Kingston. We all had to go to school on August
6. The ceremony had the National Anthem and the raising of the new
flag," he told The Sunday Gleaner, noting that the
ceremony lasted for about an hour. He said there were a few perks to
going to school on that day, as students were given a metal glass or cup
with the Coat of Arms on it.

"Afterwards, we went
home and listened to the proceedings on the radio," Cooper
explained.

Having started playing the piano at six
years old, Cooper said every morning he played the National Anthem that
had been printed in The Gleaner. Although young, he
was familiar with many political issues at the time because his father
discussed them with
him.

IMPROVEMENTS

In the years that
followed, Cooper said the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC)
came into being and with that came Jamaica Festival, the Festival Song
Competition and the Grand Gala. As time progressed, he said, there were
also improvements in the equipment used at major events. And, as the
technology improved, more people had access to television
sets.

Fab 5's Frankie Campbell described Jamaica's
Independence Day as a momentous occasion.

"In the
early years, the celebration was tremendous. It was exciting times.
Everybody was excited about Independence," he said.

Fab 5 has been together for 40 years and is heavily
involved in the yearly Independence
celebrations.

However, Cooper said things could have
been done differently to mark Jamaica's 50th anniversary. "Coming down
to the 50, both administrations should have done things differently. The
celebration should have been a one-year period from August 6, 2012 to
August 6, 2013 to give themselves more time and stretch it over a year,"
he said.

Harriott said the celebrations have changed
over the years, sometimes improving, while at other times it has fallen
off. However, he is hoping for better.

"I love Jamaica
bad. I just pray and hope that everything goes right and we just strive
to be the best nation. We want to make it better and for them to
present real good positive artistes who come out and make the type of
music that our children can listen to," Harriott
said.