It appears that common ground has been found between developers and concerned citizens regarding the construction of a national monument near the Enslaved Burial Ground at Newton Plantation.
The latest measures, which include a “three-day period of quiet” at the site, aim to balance the preservation of the sacred site with the development of a memorial to commemorate the victims of slavery.
A group of concerned citizens, including historians, academics and spiritual leaders, had protested the erection of the monument at the Christ Church site, claiming that there were no consultations with stakeholders about the commencement and progression of the construction at what is believed to be the largest communal enslaved burial ground in the Western Hemisphere. They had expressed concern about the construction’s impact on the sacred grounds and nearby areas of archaeological significance referred to as ‘The Negro Yard’.
In a petition that has garnered 816 signatures, the group demanded “accountability, inclusion and transparency in the project’s implementation, execution and future curation of events at the space”, “orientation for the construction workers, senior administration and managers about the space’s significance”, “legislation and policy to protect the burial space as a sacred space”, and protection of the rights of people who revere the space.
The International Association for Caribbean Archaeology (IACA) also backed the concerned group and “urgently requested” a pause in construction.
In a letter addressed to the developer – the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII) — earlier this month, IACA President Dr Jay B Haviser “strongly” advised the “assessment, mitigation and remediation of the boundaries and associated sites of archaeological investigation, while also ensuring that a valued site of memory for the slave trade and slavery for African Descendant communities globally includes local communities and religious practitioners.”
On Monday, the BTII, which has insisted there has been no disturbance of graves, said it is working with the relevant stakeholders to preserve the sacredness of the site.
“To ensure that the significance and sacredness of the burial ground are preserved during the installation of the monument, BTII is now working with several key stakeholders, including the Barbados Museum and Historical Society (BMHS), various faith-based groups, and professional organisations. Several of the recommendations of the BHMS are already being implemented and include recommendations raised by the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology,” it said.
The state tourism investment agency added that it has conducted a geological survey, in collaboration with key stakeholders, “in keeping with best practices as it relates to work being carried out on archaeological sites”.
“The findings, once received, will better inform the archaeological mitigation necessary. Archaeological evaluations will continue throughout the implementation of the project,” the BTII said. “As the work progresses, parts of the monument will be constructed off-site from Friday, January 31st to Sunday, February 2nd, 2025. This three-day period of quiet will also be used to sensitise workers on the significance of the site. During this time, all faith-based groups and interested persons are invited to begin to acknowledge the sanctity of the burial ground in keeping with their faith and customs.”
Two vocal critics of the project, historian Dr Tara Innis, deputy dean of humanities and education at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, and John Hunte, immediate past chairman of the Council of Spiritual Baptist Churches of Barbados, welcomed the development.
“It is a first step in the right direction,” Hunte told Barbados TODAY. “The faith-based communities can begin to think about how they can engage in ceremony and rituals of atonement and this could be the first part of that. Such things cannot necessarily happen in one go and certainly not in such a short time but we acknowledge that this is a gesture in the right direction.”
Dr Inniss added: “Things are moving in the right direction and there seems to be a much more intentional approach to the inclusion of valued stakeholders in this process, especially communities and the larger public. We will have to ensure that all of the requirements are met for the development and future protected management of the property.”
In 2021, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced plans to create a Barbados Heritage District, which would include a monument, a major global research institute and a museum at Newton, which would also serve as a tourist attraction.
According to the BTII, the monument, designed by world-renowned Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, is to commemorate the remains of nearly 600 enslaved persons who toiled, suffered, and died there during the brutal system of enslavement on the island. It said that in addition to the Enslaved Burial Ground at Newton, the monument will also serve as a tangible reminder of the effects of the trans-Atlantic trade in Africans and slavery in the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
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