Members of the National Independence Committee yesterday unveiled plans for the upcoming 33rd Independence Celebrations, which will begin June 29 and end July 24.
The theme for this yearﾒs celebrations is "Past, Present and Future: A Bahamian Culturama."
Last year, the committee voted to honour the outstanding men of the nation. This year, in keeping with the tradition, the country will be honouring outstanding women from each Family Island.
There are several categories in which the honorees will be recognised including education, sports, law enforcement, authors, arts and culture, public service, politics, business and finance, community, religion, health and civics.
Winston Saunders, chairman of the committee, explained that a sub-committee has been receiving names of the persons who will be honoured.
"The committee has also been in contact with Family Island administrators in an attempt to establish a local Wall of Fame and a booklet that will give a small paragraph on those persons and the work they have done in that community," he explained.
"We decided to coalesce the Wall of Fame with independence because we are paying respect to things Bahamian and those Bahamians who give us reason to celebrate.
"We want children on every island to walk home from school and see the accomplishments of their neighbours and relatives from their own communities and have a reason to be proud."
There will also be a showing of two classic Bahamian plays during the celebrations – "You Can Lead A Horse To Water" by Winston Saunders, which will be held June 29 – July 24 at the Dundas Centre; and "Sammie Swain" by E. Clement Bethel at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, which opens Saturday, July 8.
On Saturday, July 1, the Legacy Ball will be held at the Wyndham Crystal Palace Ballroom. And on the following Sunday there will be a National Dance Presentation at the Sir Kendal Issacs Gym at 4 p.m.
On Monday, July 3 there will be a Gospel Arts Festival in honour of E. Clement Bethel. The following day there will be a Bahamian Music Concert at Arawak Cay featuring various Bahamian artists. And on Wednesday, a music drama and dance festival, also dedicated to E. Clement Bethel.
On Thursday, July 6 "Run Come See," a collaboration of music and story telling, will be held at Arawak Cay.
Friday, July 7 is National Pride Day -1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Rawson Square. And a Junkanoo Summer Festival will follow at 6 p.m. on Bay Street.
Peter Deveaux-Issacs, assistant chairman of the National Independence Committee said the committee is hoping that National Pride Day will be a recurring success.
"We thought that we would feature National Pride Day again this year [because] last year it was such a hit," Mr. Issacs said.
National Pride Day will be a celebration of music and dance. There will also be a "silent" gardening competition, when judges will "discreetly" seek out the countryﾒs best-kept gardens.
On Saturday, July 8 the Independence Float Parade will begin at 10 a.m., followed by Junkanoo Summer Festival at Arawak Cay at 2 p.m., Independence Police and Defense Force Beat Retreat at Rawson Square at 4 p.m. and the first showing of "Sammie Swain" at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.
Calvin Bowford, the committee member in charge of the independence float parade, appealed to businesspersons to take part.
"We would like to appeal to the corporate entities to come on board with this because many of the floats are expensive and we would like to see real good floats this year," he said.
On Sunday, July 9 there will be a second showing of the play "Sammie Swain" at the National Centre for the Performing Arts at 4 p.m. Later that night at 9 oﾒclock, Bahamians can look forward to the flag rising at Clifford Park, which will also feature the inspection of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force by the Governor General.
This will lead into the fireworks at 12 oﾒclock on Independence morning, followed by an All Night Bahamian Music Concert and The Peopleﾒs Rush Out, both at Arawak Cay.
Said Mr. Issacs: "We would like to stick as close to the theme as possible in encouraging neighbourhoods to celebrate by having neighbourhood functions," he said.
Mr. Saunders indicated that though the celebrations this year will be huge, the committee is looking forward to the 35th anniversary celebrations.
"Though these celebrations are big, they will not be nearly as big as the ones hoped for on our 35th anniversary. Last year we celebrated men, this year we are celebrating women, next year we hope to celebrate both men and women," he said.
By: Kendea Jones, The Bahama Journal
