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Posted: Tuesday 14 August, 2012 at 1:02 PM

EMANCIPATION soulfully celebrated at Zion

The Moravian Senior Choir
By: Lorna Callender, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Emancipation, for which the August holiday was first created, was celebrated in the spirit of ‘Remembering’ in order to ‘Move forward’ at the Zion Moravian Church, Basseterre on Sunday 5th August, 2012.

     

    The first half of the programme ‘Remembering’ took the congregation back to times of pre-emancipation and post emancipation and reminded all how much our forefathers used songs and singing to boost spirits and to help them to overcome dire tribulations.

     

    The Emancipation Concert opened in song with Rev Hilton Joseph entering singing “Meet me by the river...” a song which may have been sung in the days of our slave ancestors.

     

    The Rev. Joseph began by reminding the gathering of the words of Marcus Garvey who invited those emancipated physically to emancipate themselves from mental slavery... for while others can free the body, “none but ourselves can free our minds.”

     

    From the onset, he set the stage and facilitated ‘remembering’ with his slave dress of torn T-shirt and jeans, walking barefoot through the Church as he sang “When my God shall call me home...” voicing what was the slave’s concept of freedom in those times.

     

    Through song, links were made between the past and the present as evidenced in the first congregational song,

     

    So from the beginning, the fight we were winning;
    Thou Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine.

     

    The various choirs of Zion Moravian then took the congregation through the remembering phase with their rhythmic and uplifting negro spirituals and gospel songs... glorifying God always.... ‘Ride on, King Jesus, no man can hinder thee!’

     

    Choirs participating were the Zion Gospel Choir, the Zion Youth Choir, the Zion Senior Choir and contributions to this section also came from the Signature of Silent Praise and the Methodist Men’s Commission Choir.

     

    Interspersed with the renditions from these choirs were narrators recalling the lives of slaves and recently freed slaves who were significant contributors to the early Moravian mission experience.

     

    The lives recalled were those of Catto, Mary Prince and George C. Schneller all of whom were exemplary because of the faith, grit and determination they showed.

     

    The second section, Moving forward, saw invited artistes contributing in poetry and song (Tonya De Suza and Larry Vaughan ) in drumming (Rhoyd Phipps and the Okolo Tegramantine Arts Theatre ) acapella selections (Quatro Vocci ) in baritone and soprano solos (L arry Vaughan, Bro Jermaine James and Pauline Herbert ) and in Mime (Signature of Silent Praise ).

     

    Dance by the Zion Dancers was also part of this section by these very talented artistes. The quality of their contributions was consistently high and they were well received by the large and appreciative audience.

     

    The interactive drumming led by Rhoyd Phipps was loudly applauded as the congregation expressed their delight at this innovative, inclusive and totally relevant drumming experience.

     

    At the conclusion of the programme, the congregation was asked to stand and join in what is now referred to as the Black National Anthem, “Lift every voice and sing!”

     

    And as the words of this song were mouthed, it reminded all how appropriate and necessary it is to remember our past, recalling how “stony the road we trod, bitter the chast’ning rod” because it increases our gratitude for the freedom of the present and stimulates us to move forward in strengthened faith.

     

    It was indeed appropriate to

     

    Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us
    Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us
    Facing the rising sun, of our new day begun,
    Let us march until victory is won!

     

    Reverend Joseph hoped the Concert would be inspirational and entertaining for the audience, and judging from their comments and how energised they were at the end, it is safe to say that indeed it was.

     

    Kudos must go to all who contributed behind and in front the scenes who were all listed on the programme and who were appropriately thanked by Sister Emelita Paul. But very special thanks must go to the one who has initiated and organised these annual Emancipation concerts – Sister Clarita Richards. We hope to celebrate again next year!

     

     

     

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