Mona Heights building legacy for future generations

“I said to myself, ‘No man, he has to do something cultural today’.”

And, with that in mind, Gabrielle Andrade-Bell coaxed her six-year old son, Phiago, into attending the annual Mona Heights Flag Raising Ceremony on August 6.

Phiago didn’t regret it one bit.

‘Mommy’ had told him about the bounce-a-bout, but she hadn’t told him about the mesmerising Maypole dancing - he would have to see it for himself to understand it anyway - or about the slated performance of last year’s National Festival Song Contest winner Kimiela ‘Candy’ Isaacs. Candy’s electrifying voice would have kids bopping enthusiastically along with adults – so much so that she had to do an encore.

A mainstay of the community, organised by the Neighbourhood Watch (Mona Heights), in collaboration with Mona Heights Citizens’ Association, the Independence Day ceremony was founded by the late Corine Kiddoe (who also co-founded the neighbourhood watch with her late husband L. Garth Kiddoe) just about three decades ago.

Lead planner of this year’s event and member of Mona Lion’s Club, Carolyn Wright, took up the mantle in 2024. Receiving solid support from surviving members of the Kiddoe family to ensure smooth production and communication, Wright also reached out to the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) for as much input as they could avail, again, given the number of Independence Day activities the JCDC is obliged to support.

Last year, Roy Rayon was as powerful as ever with his festival classics, allowing no one to keep still and quiet. He implored the adults to bring out more of the children – even if it had to be by force. Wright was already strategising.

As the short burst of rain destined for the late morning held up, attendees returned indoors to the community hall to enjoy a quintessentially Jamaican hominy corn porridge breakfast.

During that time, the chairs were rearranged (facing inward) into a huge circle, large enough to accommodate St Theresa Preparatory School’s Maypole dancers.

The surrounding children’s gazes were fixed on the Maypole routine as audience members clapped rhythmically, cheering on the student dancers while they unravelled intricate patterns previously weaved with their ribbons in hand.

The energy stayed high when octogenarian retired nurse and former Ms Hanover, Shirley Tomlinson, gracefully executed her beauty queen walk (wave and all) on request, and another retired nurse spotlighted, Matron Sidonie DePass, showed off her agile folk-dancing skills by orbiting all the way ‘round the centre circle and dipping her hips, virtually to the floor itself, then back up, with ease.

With the Lion’s Club offering to do blood sugar, blood pressure and eye testing, the event was a holistic experience: celebration, education, entertainment, and wellness.