Slavery Remembrance Day

[Kev]

Slavery Remembrance Day acknowledges Liverpool’s role in the slave trade and seeks to both commemorate the lives of enslaved Africans and to celebrate the resistance, rebellion and revolution, which ended slavery, highlighting the role of enslaved people in their own liberation.

All events are free.

What’s on

10.45am - Interfaith Church Service - Liverpool Parish Church (St Nicholas) opposite the Pier Head.

A church service for people of all faiths to remember the victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and affirm their commitment to human rights and social justice for all. The service will include a special drama performance by Liverpool Community Spirit. A free bus will run from St Nicholas, Liverpool Parish Church to Otterspool from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

From 12pm - Cultural food and exhibition marquee - Otterspool Promenade* (opposite Otterspool Pub)

Enjoy a taste of traditional African and Caribbean food. Lots of activities for children, including arts and crafts and a chance to dress up in traditional Ghanaian and Nigerian costume. Try playing musical instruments or make a colourful mask. In the exhibition marquee explore artefacts from the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Learn more about the International Slavery Museum opening in 2007 at the Albert Dock.

1pm - Libation on the waterfront

Chief Angus Chukuemeka will lead a libation, joined by community and civic leaders from Merseyside. This traditional African ceremony calls on the ancestors to bless the event. The offering of libation involves the pouring of liquid, which can be water or wine, in a special pattern, while homage is paid to the ancestors.

Following the libation, the audience moves from the waterfront into the main marquee area.

1.30pm onwards - Main marquee

An afternoon of exciting and entertaining music, drama and children's activities. Special performances from local artists River Niger Arts, Rappers Yaw and Kofi, Liverpool Community Spirit, The Greenhouse Project and Tyndale Choir

With guest speaker Claire Dove.

source (http://www.liverpool08.com/Events/Event_Details.asp?DMS_ID=106081)....

[Howie]

Day of tributes for thousands of slaves
Aug 23 2006
By Catherine Jones, Liverpool Echo

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icliverpool/aug2006/2/9/3B429F16-A042-4244-9B9B3EF63B6E2BA2.jpg

LIVERPOOL'S leading role in the transatlantic slave trade was being remembered today.

Seven years ago, the city officially apologised for its part in the trade, on which the wealth of 18th century Liverpool was built, and has held a commemoration every year since.

The focus of attention is the Mersey, but this year events have moved from the Pier Head to Otterspool Promenade.

An inter-faith church service remembering victims of the trade was due to be held at the parish church of St Nicholas, followed by a waterfront libation ceremony at Otterspool led by community leader Chief Angus Chukuemeka.

Libation is a traditional African cleansing ceremony which calls on ancestors to bless an event.

More (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17610573%26method=full%26siteid=50061% 26headline=day%2dof%2dtributes%2dfor%2dthousands%2 dof%2dslaves-name_page.html)...

[Urban]

I think it is a good thing to commemorate the evils of slavery.


If we have a Holocaust day there is no reason why we shouldn't have a day remembering all those who were enslaved.

The fact is though race relations in Liverpool are still poor and this could help to bring understanding.

[FKoE]

I'd like to see an 'Irish famine' an Irish holocaust rememberance day. :rolleyes:

[Howie]

City tries to cleanse its past of slavery
Aug 24 2006
By Tom Calverley Daily Post Correspondent

LIVERPOOL recognised its historical role in the suffering caused by the slave trade yesterday with a series of events attended by community leaders and the public.

For the last seven years Liverpool has commemorated Slavery Remembrance Day (http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/srd/index.asp) on August 23 with a number of free events.

The day also set the scene for next year's 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Britain, and next year's commemorations, when Liverpool's International Slavery Museum will open.

The day began with an inter-faith service at Liverpool Parish Church opposite the Pier Head. The service featured music, prayers and scripture meditating on slavery from different religious traditions, and a play about slavery performed by the Youth Council of Liverpool Community Spirit.

This was followed by a day of cultural events and entertainment at Otterspool where two marquees hosted exhibitions, children's activities and the chance to try traditional African and Caribbean food.

The centrepiece of the day was the 1pm libation ceremony at the waterfront. Libation is a traditional African cleansing ceremony which calls on ancestors to bless an event.

Community leader Chief Angus Chukuemeka, who performed the invocation, said: "Libation is a traditional African way of remembering our ancestors, and has gone on for centuries, so our enslaved brothers and sisters would be familiar with it. Libation is a way of honouring them and our elders and to appeal to them to not take revenge.

"As you know there are many deep-seated emotions about the slave trade and libation will help to heal them."

In his speech Chief Chukuemeka said: "We recognise slavery was part of the country's economy that made it prosper, while also acknowledging it was a morally reprehensible act against human dignity.

"Africans and their descendants continue to live with the horrendous consequences of slavery, such as poverty and racism."

A minute's silence was observed, after which Chief Chukuemeka blessed and poured drink on the ground and in the Mersey and asked for forgiveness for citizens of Liverpool, Great Britain and Africa who were party to the trade.

Then Routes 2 Roots performed some traditional drumming, to symbolically represent the "talking drums" used by slaves to communicate secretly during their enslavement.

The ceremony was followed by an afternoon of music, drama and poetry, with the chance to enjoy a taste of African and Caribbean food, dress in traditional Ghanaian and Nigerian costume, and take part in arts and craft activities.

National Museums Liverpool chief executive David Fleming said: "Slavery Remembrance Day is very important to National Museums Liverpool because our job is to educate people about Liverpool's history and it was because of slavery that Liverpool prospered and became the biggest port in the world.

"Although it is in the past now, we need to know about it so we can move on and understand our present situation.

"There are people of African descent whose families have been living in Liverpool for more than 300 years, and we need to understand the slave trade to understand why we have that deep diversity."

Earlier this year a proposal to rename streets in Liverpool with names connected to the slave trade was abandoned.

Source: icLiverpool (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17617073%26method=full%26siteid=50061% 26headline=city%2dtries%2dto%2dcleanse%2dits%2dpas t%2dof%2dslavery-name_page.html)