Freedom is to be ‘lived, protected & passed on’- Premier Wheatley
Long Look is said to be one of the oldest, continuously existing black communities in the Western Hemisphere and the Virgin Islands (VI).
Premier Wheatley, who delivered the keynote address during the ceremony, said that although the meeting ground is no longer how it was back then, the spirit, purpose, and calling of this “sacred ground” remain.
Freedom is something to be lived, protected & passed on
“Our ancestors once posted messages on the Stickit tree so that the community could know, understand, prepare and respond. Today, we gather to post a message, not on a tree, but upon the hearts and minds of a people, and the message is this: the spirit of Long Look free people still lives. It lives in Long Look, it lives in the Virgin Islands, it lives in their descendants, it lives in every person who believes that freedom is something not merely to be remembered but something to be lived, protected and passed on.”
He called the gathering on Sunday a “divine appointment” as it was not just an anniversary celebration and commemoration of what happened 250 years ago. “It is about what must happen now.”
Hon Wheatley said what was done 250 years ago in 1776, by 25 Africans in Long Look, still shakes the conscience of history to this day.
“In a world that said they were property, they declared by their actions that they were people….They took lands, they built homes, they farmed, they fished, they sailed, they traded, they worshipped, they raised families, they built institutions, they became a community. They did not wait for the world to believe in them; they believed in the God who made them, they believed in one another, they believed in the possibility of freedom, and because they believed, we are here today. This is the miracle of Long Look.”
The first people of Long Look, he said, declared liberty in the absence of armies, wealth, political power, protection of a friendly system, but faith, courage, each other, and a vision that once claimed, freedom must be organised, defended, worked and lived.
“That is why Long Look is not merely a village; Long Look is a testimony, Long Look is a sermon, Long Look is a constitution written in courage, Long Look is proof that a people determined to be free can build a life even when the world around them is organised against their freedom.”
A week of reflection, fellowship & thanksgiving
The opening ceremony marked the beginning of a week of reflection, celebration, education, fellowship and thanksgiving.
“We will gather to honour the remarkable journey of a community whose history has been shaped by resilience, faith, perseverance and unwavering commitment to family and one another,” Bernadine A. Louis, Chair of the Committee, said. “We honour those men and women whose courage, determination, and sacrifice laid the foundation upon which this community was built.”
She added that though many of their names have faded from history, their legacy lives on in every family, every home, every tradition, and every success that has emerged from Long Look.
Louis encouraged everyone to participate in the week of activities, saying, “Each event has been designed to celebrate our shared history while inspiring future generations to preserve the rich legacy of Long Look.”
She wished that the 250th anniversary would strengthen the sense of identity, deepen appreciation for those who built this community and inspire generations yet unborn to carry forward the proud legacy of Long Look.
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