Emancipation Jubilee at Seville July 31

The 18^th staging of Emancipation Jubilee will be held on the grounds of the historic Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann, on Thursday, July 31.

The annual jubilee is a major national celebration organised by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), in honour of the African ancestors and their contribution towards the free society that Jamaicans now enjoy.

Activities begin at 8:00 p.m. and end at dawn on August 1. The organisers are promising the usual feast of traditional drumming, music, dance, fashion and foods that Jamaicans have come to know and love over the last 17 years. The reading of the Emancipation Proclamation will be at midnight, along with a tribute to the ancestors.

In an interview with JIS News, Chairman of the JNHT, Ainsley Henriques, said that Seville Heritage Park, which is the oldest historic site in Jamaica, is the most appropriate site to recognize and to celebrate Emancipation.

He noted that the celebration is not just a national event, but is also symbolic in encouraging people to recognise Emancipation and to show how important it is to celebrate it.

“We think it is extraordinarily important. We are saying to everybody, this is one of the most important expressions of Emancipation celebrations and everybody is welcome and encouraged to celebrate it in their own homes, churches and communities, if they cannot make it to Seville,” said Mr. Henriques.

Activities will include musical presentations, which will showcase various aspects of the Jamaican culture, including Kumina and other traditional rituals. Also on the Seville stage will be several gospel and reggae artistes, who will perform from midnight until morning.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the gate at a cost of $1,000 for adults and $500 for children.