Story and photos provided by Scott Hauser of Pro Realty Anguilla (*add listing link)
As Anguilla prepares to joyously embrace the bacchanal of Carnival Week beginning the first Monday of August, it seems appropriate to take a break from my usual real estate-oriented newsletter to highlight the connection between two very important Anguilla holidays: August Monday and Anguilla Day, as the former celebrates the end of physical slavery with the latter celebrating the end of political subjugation–an intriguing historical duality.
The origins of street parties associated with August Monday celebrated the legal emancipation from slavery as the newly granted freedom from bondage enabled the previously enslaved people of Anguilla (and elsewhere) the joyous opportunity to dance and revel in Carnival bliss as an expression of their emergent freedoms.
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On the other hand, the origin of Anguilla Day is the celebration of the legal resolution of the cause celebre of the Anguilla Revolution, to wit: emancipation from the political subjugation of St Kitts. While the photo (above) of Ronald Webster atop the shoulders of his country men celebrating his role as “Leader of the Revolution / Father of the Nation” was taken well before Anguilla Day, it instantly shows the connection between the joyful street parades of August Monday (above and on left) with the enthusiastic embracing of Anguilla’s new found freedoms.
However, with Carnival in mind, I can’t but help to reminisce of times at the Sandy Ground Boat Races in the late ’70s / early ’80s when Atlin Harrigan (Ronald’s primary ideological opponent during the revolutionary years) and I would have a few jars of rum on the beach and chat about, well, who remembers?
Atlin was not only an avid boat race enthusiast but (much more importantly) he was the editor of The Beacon which was “An Independent Anguillan News sheet, published weekly…Price 10 cents”, The Beacon was a chronicle of Anguilla’s revolution era whereby therein my favorite phrase of Atlin’s was published in the September 27th 1967 “News sheet” as follows:
“GANGSTER RULE IN ANGUILLA. Our detractors have said this of us. We would like to invite them to visit Anguilla and see the conditions as they are. At 8.00 pm opening their meeting with prayer. Seven devoted men, all unskilled in the art of government, nobly bearing a burden that has been thrust upon them.”
Inspiring – Anguilla – always strong.