Honour the Memory of Our Ancestors

Abstract

Originally published as “Letter of the Day” in the The Gleaner (Thursday 15 August  2024), a newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica, the author reflects on a visit to Seville Heritage Park (St Ann’s, Jamaica) with members of the TWP workshop, where he was dismayed to observe the stark contrast between the maintenance of the Great House and the housing for the Tainos and the enslaved Africans, which were in disrepair.   He suggests this is emblematic of the theory of Plantation Economy, with a preference for glorifying the achievements of the privileged while neglecting the stories and concerns of the marginalised. The essay includes The Gleaner’s reply, with the assurance of future improvements.