Carolyn Cooper | Liberty Hall pop down

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Inna March 1923, di Kingston Division fi di Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) buy one building a 76 King Street fi dem headquarters. Ascorden to di website fi Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey, “it served as the venue of UNIA meetings, operated small businesses, and hosted spectacular cultural and intellectual programmes for the entertainment and education of people of African descent. Throughout the decades the use of the property changed with its owners, but Liberty Hall remained an important cultural site in Kingston. Liberty Hall Kingston was the first meeting place in Jamaica that was fully owned by Blacks.”

Marcus Garvey was a man wid a hell of a vision. Im seh, “Up, you mighty race! You can accomplish what you will.” Im legacy live on all over di world. Inna 1987, di Jamaica National Heritage Trust buy Liberty Hall an turn it inna one national monument. By di way, mi wah know a wen Heritage Trust a go mek CEMEX open up back Rockfort Mineral Bath. Dat a one next national monument.

Liberty Hall did a rotten down. Inna 1997, Miss Elaine Melbourne, one a fi wi top-a-top diplomat, aks Burchell Whiteman – im a minister a education an culture dem time – if im woulda help Friends of Liberty Hall fi try save di building. A so it turn inna one museum. From 2003, Donna McFarlane did in charge a devel it up. She study how fi set up an manage museum. An no aks if she never build up Liberty Hall wid her heart, soul, mind an body. She tell di whole story inna fi her book, Representing Blackness: The Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum.

RESPECT DUE TO MARCUS GARVEY

Liberty Hall a part a di Institute of Jamaica. But it look like seh di Institute nuh know di value a di museum. Dem nah look bout Liberty Hall to dat. From yu outa gate, yu see problem. Rubbish full up di grate fi cross over go inna di yard. Outside di building wah paint. Inside, same ting. Mi find out seh di computer dem old; di UPS mash up; di building nuh have nuh generator; di AC nah work good; di water pump wah fix; nuff a di door an window dem a leak; di toilet dem stay bad; an termite a nyam down di building.

From hurricane Beryl, di museum lock down. Di staff still a try dem best fi work inna one bad situation. Yesterday a Marcus Garvey 137th birthday. Dem keep di Harambee festival. An dem put on di 15th Marcus Mosiah Garvey Lecture. Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams talk bout “Marcus Garvey and the Arts: Inspiring Cultural Renaissance and Creative Expression.” ‘Renaissance’ a one French word weh mean ‘born again.’ A time fi one renaissance a Liberty Hall. Respect due to Marcus Garvey, wi first national hero.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Ina Maach 1923, di Kingston Division fi di Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) bai wan bildin a 76 King Street fi dem edkwaataz. Azkaadn tu di websait fi Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey, “it served as the venue of UNIA meetings, operated small businesses, and hosted spectacular cultural and intellectual programmes for the entertainment and education of people of African descent. Throughout the decades the use of the property changed with its owners, but Liberty Hall remained an important cultural site in Kingston. Liberty Hall Kingston was the first meeting place in Jamaica that was fully owned by Blacks.”

Marcus Garvey woz a man wid a el av a vijan. Im se, “Up, you mighty race! You can accomplish what you will.” Im legisi liv aan aal uova di worl. Ina 1987, di Jamaica National Heritage Trust bai Liberty Hall an ton it ina wan nashinal maniment. Bai di wie, mi waahn nuo a wen Heritage Trust a go mek CEMEX opn op bak Rockfort Mineral Bath. Dat a wan neks nashinal maniment.

Liberty Hall did a rotn dong. Ina 1997, Miss Elaine Melbourne, wan a fi wi tap-a-tap diplomat, aks Burchell Whiteman – im a minista a edikieshan an kolcha dem taim – if im wuda elp Friends of Liberty Hall fi chrai siev di bildin. An a so it ton ina wan myuuziyom. Fram 2003, Donna McFarlane did in chaaj a devel it op. Shi stodi ou fi set op an manij myuuziyom. An no aks if shi neva bil op Liberty Hall wid ar aat, suol, main an badi. Shi tel di uol stuori ina fi ar buk, Representing Blackness: The Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum.

RISPEK JUU TU MARCUS GARVEY

Liberty Hall a paat a di Institute of Jamaica. Bot it luk laik se di Institute no nuo di valyu a di myuuziyom. Dem naa luk bout Liberty Hall tu dat. Fram yu outa giet, yu si prablem. Robish ful op di griet fi kraas uova go ina di yaad. Outsaid di bildin waahn pient. Insaid, siem ting. Mi fain out se di kompyuuta dem uol; di UPS mash op; di bildin naa no jinarieta; di AC naa work gud; di waata pomp waa fiks; nof a di duor an windo dem a liik; di tailet dem stie bad; an tormait a nyam dong di bildin.

Fram orikien Beryl, di myuuziyom lak dong. Di staaf stil a chrai dem bes fi work ina wan bad sitiyieshan. Yeside a Marcus Garvey 137th bortdie. Dem kip di Harambee festival. An dem put aan di 15th Marcus Mosiah Garvey Lecture. Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams taak bout “Marcus Garvey and the Arts: Inspiring Cultural Renaissance and Creative Expression.” ‘Renaissance’ a wan French word we miin ‘baan agen.’ A taim fi wan renaissance a Liberty Hall. Rispek juu tu Marcus Garvey, wi fos nashinal iiro.

Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com