Commentary

Lance Neita, Contributor

The weeklong Independence celebrations of 1962 culminated with the opening of the IX Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) at the National Stadium on Saturday, August 11.

The stadium had already hosted its first-ever international sports event when Jamaica's boxing sensation Bunny Grant defeated Britain's Dave Charnley over 15 bruising rounds on the night of August 4 to win the Empire Lightweight Championship.

The crowds returned a week later for the CAC opening, with 15,000 persons cheering as the 1952 record- breaking Helsinki Olympians Arthur Wint, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden and Les Laing entered the stadium and carried the Games torch around the track. The honour of lighting the Azteca Flame was given to Dr Wint, while George Kerr, captain of the Jamaica team, took the oath on behalf of the 1,600 athletes from 15 competing countries.

Partying

Jamaica was partying like never before, with the sounds of Derrick Morgan's Forward March, Lord Creator's Independent Jamaica, and Al-T-Joe's Rise Jamaica Rise providing a background beat to the formal and informal functions that marked our transition to full nationhood.

There really has been nothing quite like the wholehearted and enthusiastic response which the entire country gave to the occasion back in 1962.

It is a spirit that we are trying to recapture with the modern festival programmes and activities so admirably re-energised by Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange and JCDC director Grace Silvera.

Unfortunately, partying has taken on an entirely different meaning this Independence, as our politics continue to divide us with little hope of the two leading factions uniting over anything.

There was a strong political divide in 1962 but those men and women found cause to unite when it came to identifying and selecting our national symbols that were to lead us into Independence.

Previous articles on this subject have highlighted how the House stood in unison to agree on the new flag and the new anthem.

New national colours of black, green and gold replaced the red, white and blue.

Scores of persons still have their Independence Day cup and button, and are always proud to recount how they were crowned the beauty queen of their village or how their streets and town squares came alive with multicoloured lights and flags.

On that Independence Day, nostalgia be excused, the whole island was alive with the tempo of the occasion.

It moved the 'Old Lady of Harbour Street' to come up with an editorial that savoured the moment and looked forward to the building of the nation.

The August 10 editorial referred to the little village of Hermitage in St Andrew as an example of the manner in which the general populace gave meaning to our new motto, 'Out of many, one people.'

All-village affair

"Hermitage made the celebrations an all-village affair, with the entire community combining their talents and their energies in one heart-warming effort to make Jamaica's Independence a living experience for every man, woman, and child in that village.

"But Hermitage was not alone. Throughout Jamaica, the people of the villages and hamlets were given an opportunity as never before to celebrate a national event at the national level.

"The Arts Celebration Committee working through the Jamaica Social Welfare Commission and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Board, the bauxite companies, the various parish committees, and the Central Celebrations Committee itself.

"They gave of their knowledge and experience but it was from the people themselves that much of the celebrations proceeded, in village contests, in crowd participation, and in enthusiasm.

"It is this which has given and is giving the events of recent days in Jamaica's history a pleasing flavour which will linger long."

We have to ask ourselves the question, how long did it last?

"Independance with a vengeance, Independance raising Cain", crowed Miss Lou in 1962. "Jamaica start grow beard" she said, but wait: "A hope wi chin can stan' de strain."

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