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sounds of drumming filled the morning air at the All Stars Pan Yard
on Duke Street, Port of Spain for the Emancipation Day drum call,
which started at 5 a.m.
There were dignitaries from Africa, North America and trader from
West Africa were reported among the thousands.
At 8 a.m. the Brian Lara Promenade was overflowed with spectators
and performers, clothed in colourful African wear.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning arrived at 9 a.m.
He stood next to Minister of Culture, Joan Yuille-Williams, Minister
of State in the Ministry of Culture, Tunapuna MP, Eddie Hart and
Khafra Kambon of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC).
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Minister
of Culture
JOAN YUILLE-WILLIAMS
giving her speech at
“camboulay” celebration.
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Elder Akino of the Orisha faith invited “spirits”
to begin “camboulay”.
Elder Akino who blessed the camboulay and called on the Orisha
gods to give them life and invite them to participate in the
day’s proceedings.
Akino said that this year’s celebrations were in honour
of Imhotep, the builder of Steppe Pyramids in Egypt. He added
that Imhotep and Marcus Garvey, the shaper of African Minds.
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Prime Minister PATRICK MANNING, State Senator
(USA) KEVIN PARKER (left), KHAFRA KAMBON
of the Emancipation Support Committee and
Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
EDDIE HART at the celebrations.
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“Africans every
year are learning more and more about each other,” stated
Joan Yuille-Williams.
She added that during a visit to South Africa last year she found
out that people did not know there were Africans here in Trinidad.
The minister said: “Focus should also be placed on the individual
family units, especially the youth.”
She added that the reason she bought this to the fore was because
of the theme of the event “Uniting the African Family.”
“The concept of Pan Africanism started in our country sweet
TnT with the likes of CLR James and Kwame Ture for starting this
movement,” the minister added.
She revealed that in research centres in North America, Africans
are getting their genes tested to disclose which ancestral country
they belong.
“Because their ethnicity was distinct from nationality,”
she added.
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