Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

PHOTOS: Scores of residents re-enact the Great March of 1949

Scores of residents embarked on the 15-minute journey from the Band Stand to Sir Olva Geroges Plaza yesterday as the territory commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the Great March of 1949 which led to the restoration of the legislative council (now called the House of Assembly).
The residents re-enacted the historic protest which was led by one of the BVI’s national heroes Theodolph Faulkner. Faulkner who was joined by other national heroes such as Isaac Fonesca and Carlton deCastro along with more than 1,500 BVIslanders who marched through the streets of Road Town to the Commissioner’s Office in protest of issues adversely affecting the territory at the time.

Changes were demanded by these protestors and it became the catalyst for political development which lead to the evolution of what is now the modern BVI.

Culture Minister and Deputy Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said he was proud to see the number of people who showed up for the commemoration of the history-defining march in the territory.

He also acknowledged the role of the Virgin Islands Communal Association (VICA) in staging the re-enactment as it was the first time it has happened since 2014.

“There has been a reawakening of the Virgin Islands spirit and just as sister Helda said, there is a need for us to know and appreciate our history and culture and that is why the cabinet decided on two new holidays in particular. One day is Heroes and Fore-parents day and the other is the 1949 great March and Restoration Day because we want that story to be told. We want it to be told on a consistent basis,” Dr Wheatley said.

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Culture, Dr Katherine Smith, said while the territory commemorates the march — which she describes as the most defining moment in the life and the story of the Virgin Islands — it is equally important to acknowledge the journey and struggle of the territory’s political status which is key to its cultural identity.

“In the words of our leaders in that march, today we are marching towards freedom and we will continue to March until that freedom has been secured,” Dr Smith said about the re-enactment.

The commemoration also heard testimony from Hilda Abbott-Smith who was thirteen at the time of the march and one of the more than 1,500 people who participated. Abbott-Smith said the BVI is currently lacking historical and cultural knowledge along with the integrity of those who fought for self-government.

“We should know our history; we should know our culture. But everybody brought their culture and we lose our culture and that is where we are today. I’m going to tell you something today [about the march]. Behind every story, there is another story and that march was not the first story. The first story came from the federation. The British Virgin Islands was under the Antigua Federation and they kept all the money and send us the weevil and the dregs and we had to survive how we could,” the elder said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×