St. Mary Taking Steps To Ensure That Tacky’s Name Lives On

It was 265 Easters ago when Chief Takyi (also Tacky) led a daring uprising against the cruelty of colonialism, thus igniting a flame of resistance across the island that would serve as a catalyst for Jamaica’s emancipation decades later.

Those events of the 1760 Easter rebellion or Tacky’s War that unfolded in the North Eastern parish of St. Mary are a crucial bookmark in Jamaica’s story of nationhood.

That is why Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, in 2022, declared April 8 National Chief Takyi Day, as St. Mary and the nation pay tribute to a powerful historical figure.

During this year’s observance at the Claude Stuart Park in Port Maria, under the theme, ‘The Spirit of Chief Takyi never forgotten’, Mayor, Councillor Fitzroy Wilson, asserted that Takyi’s name “lives on in the soil, the rivers, the hills and the hearts of our people”.

“His story, his bravery and his sacrifice will never fade from the memory of our people,” the Mayor said, while hailing Takyi as a symbol of African pride and resistance in the Caribbean, whose ambition, courage and leadership set him apart.

The Mayor argued, however, that “for far too long, his name remains absent from our official story… his legacy overshadowed [and] undercelebrated. However, that is changing”.

Mr. Wilson said that the 2022 declaration of Chief Takyi Day by the Governor- General planted a flag for justice, heritage and truth.

“In the parish of St. Mary, we are taking steps to ensure his story lives on through tangible institutions that educate and inspire,” he added, pointing to the Tacky High School in the parish.

This institution, he noted, “is not just a building but a declaration that the spirit of Takyi will never be forgotten, that our students will have access to info on the life and story of Chief Takyi”.

Guest Speaker at the event, Associate Professor of Divinity and Religious Studies at Yale University, Dr. Todne Thomas, also underscored the importance of keeping the legacy of Takyi alive and of appreciating history.

“We are gathered here today because History matters. It always has and it does today. It shapes the stories we tell our children and ourselves [and] the way we see ourselves and each other,” Dr. Thomas said.

“History reminds us of our potential, that we have stories of our own to write. It is historical events like this (Chief Takyi Day) that make history a living, breathing thing, rather than a dead archival thing. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors like Chief Takyi, we build on their strength and we extend their hopes,” she added.

The day’s proceedings also featured cultural performances by Tacky High, Liberty Learning Academy, Port Maria Primary and others. Culinary delights, farm produce and displays were also on location.

The event was organised by the St. Mary Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the St. Mary Parish Library and Takyi Heritage Foundation. It was supported by Couples Sans Souci and Total Tools.