Fun, culture and history at George Town Heritage Day

By Christopher Tobutt

Cardinal Avenue was full of people getting a taste of real George Town heritage and culture on Friday 18 November. There was music, from the DJ playing old Trinidadian songs, and later, Mr. Michael with his Pan ‘n’ riddim steel band made it come alive with good vibes. Lots of hard work had gone into it for weeks, behind the scenes, planning and preparing non-stop with dedicated volunteers from George Town Heritage Committee.

Ms. Lucille Seymour M.B.E, and chair of the Committee was busy greeting old friends, and showing the youngsters what real dancing is. She introduced George Town Primary school choir, who had been rehearsing hard to bring a lovely medley of old-time favorites, including ‘Right through the Marl Road, singing, ‘Charley Charley Charley Marley,” and “Don’t work on Sundays.” There was dancing too, and it was a lot of fun.

The kids from Prospect Primary school were giving a presentation, but first Donna Bryan, all dressed in beautiful traditional Cayman clothes, was showing them all about the old-time artifacts, and the fruits and vegetables that women used to grow on their ‘grounds’ in the old days, to support their family while the men went to sea. Oh and the other thing that every young woman learned was how to make beautiful, strong hats, baskets and bags from tough strands of silver-thatch palm, with the leaves cut from the tree and then left to dry in the sun.

She had the different weaving patterns attached to a board. There was 11 string, and variegated 11 string, where some of the strings have been dyed different colours.

George Town Central MP, and Minister for Tourism and Transport Hon. Kenneth Bryan was there too.  “You must be just as excited as we are to be able to be back out there and have some fun,” he said. “Its truly an honor as a Central George Towner to and I know all the George Towners are happy to be back outside so make some noise for them,” he said.  Mr. Bryan thanked everyone on the Committee who had worked so hard to make the day such a success. 

“There’s some lovely food here today, I know I am going to be leaving here ten pounds heavier than I already am. We have some great amazing conch stew, corn turtle, stew wilks, scolded conch, lobster shrimp the whole works.The committee of Central Scranton has been fighting for a long time for having a good location specifically for this, and hopefully this time next year this won’t be a problem anymore as the government has since acquired three acres of land ….to extend George Town Central Park and the design is in the works. We are going to announce to the public where we can potentially have a better environment where they can truly feel what George Town is like, and not only George Town Central but all of George Town so hopefully we will have a better location by next year.”