On this Emancipation Day...
In my last blog, I mentioned my desire to Steemit all the way to Africa in a quest to travel and explore the motherland. Making little mention of the paradise I live in presently. Jamaica, the land where my ancestors of different ethnicities intersect. Those who were taken through the middle passage from West Africa into the so called new world. As well as that one Brit who risked his life relocating here for an opportunity to make a fortune far away from the claws of the British government. Which for many, resulted in luxorious lifestyles far superior to their counterparts in Britain.
As I closely analyze everything my eyes catch, whether in literature or the environment, I realize very little has changed over the centuries. Our present is very much a raw reflection of our legacy as Great Britain's most valuable colony. As well as Spain's prize possession. The enterprise of dehumanizing African peoples for the purpose of using their energy for free was massively profitable for centuries. Today, the scheme involves using IMF odious debt under the guise of independence to achieve the same thing. Ensuring Europe keeps collecting a steady stream of interest, inflation, and migration. Replacing the income that used to arrive in the form the taxes and debt paid by plantation owners.
In case you haven't realized, the flag above is Jamaica's last colonial flag. What dem call emancipation cost the British Tax Payer £17 Billion in 1833 to essentially nationalize what was private property. It was the largest financial bailout before the 2008 financial crisis. So for those in the British West Indies going all out to celebrate Emancipation Day this year, who's emancipation are you celebrating exactly?
My Response to Jamaica 55, Has Independence Been Worth It
On an individual level, Jamaicans who take up the task of honestly locating themselves within our messy history are rewarded with an honest, holistic understanding of self. Making little waste of the ancestral memory passed on from all ancestors.
Keep history as your compass and live your best life now. Don't forget to follow, upvote, comment, and resteem :) Nuff manners & respect.
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Happy Emancipation Day!