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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Bahamas Information Services Updates
WASHINGTON, DC – Hundreds of Bahamians living in the DC Metro area flocked to the annual reception hosted by The Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on July 9, 2010, at the Organisation of American States’ Hall of The Americas to commemorate the 37th anniversary of Bahamian independence.
The bold black, aquamarine
and gold of the Bahamian flag reflected the Bahamian pride that ran
like a current through the room on the festive occasion. Straw-work
from the Straw Market in Nassau was also on display, underlining the
distinctly ‘Bahamian’ atmosphere.
The theme for Bahamian
Independence
this year was “Celebrating Independence Through The Eyes of Our Youth.”
Bahamas Ambassador to the United States Cornelius A. Smith elaborated
on the theme during his annual Independence Address.
“This year’s theme seems
to me to be entirely appropriate,” he said, “because it is the young
who will inherit our independent nation. It is the young Bahamian who
must step forward and navigate waters unknown to us. It is they who
must tend and grow the garden of jewels that makes up The Commonwealth
of The Bahamas, but it is we who must lay the foundation for them to
build upon.”
“It is vitally, critically important, therefore, for our generation to lay a foundation of prudence, truth and wisdom, and to chart a course that will continue to lead The Bahamas ‘forward, upward, onward, together.’”
Ambassador Smith pointed out
that in 2008 more than one third of the Bahamian population was under
the age of 18.
“With that in mind,” he
said, “I encourage all of us to find ways to pour into the lives of
the young people in our circle. Mentor a young man or young woman. Be
a big brother. Shepherd a lost young person. In doing so, you will be
investing in the future, and that investment will pay dividends of
peace,
prosperity and progress unparalleled in Bahamian history.”
Boys Choir Of The Bahamas
In honour of the youth-oriented
theme, the Boys Choir of The Bahamas, directed by Dr. Patricia Bazard
and Alfred Dean, were the featured entertainment of the evening.
The choir, nearly 40 strong
and ranging in age from eight to 18, was well-received and
enthusiastically
celebrated. Their repertoire ranged from classic sacred music to
arrangements
of contemporary Bahamian “Goombay” songs.
In addition to the other
repertoire,
the boys presented the increasingly popular “rhyming spirituals”
native to The Bahamas, giving the crowd a delicious sample of Bahamian
“dicey doh” style singing.
More Bahamians Participate
Bahamian musician Freddie
Munnings
Jr. also performed at the reception, giving a Junkanoo and Goombay twist
to “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” considered by many to be the “Black
national anthem.” As pointed out by Mr. Munnings, the piece was written
by American poet, politician and scholar James Weldon Johnson, who had
strong Bahamian heritage – both his parents had their roots in Nassau,
Bahamas.
Also new this year, Bahamian
chef Elgatha “Chef Apple” Wells catered the event, and offered
an array of Bahamian-style seafood dishes that were a major hit with
the reception-goers. Chef Apple offered conch salad, grouper fingers
and crab/lobster cakes, in addition to a very popular grilled lamb
skewer
with curried potatoes.
Yves Barrett, Fred Charlton and other Bahamians ended the evening with an impromptu Junkanoo “rush,” with drums, cowbells and whistles seemingly appearing out of thin air to bring an entirely new level of energy to the festivities.
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