Things That Matter: Role models, patriots and heroes

“Hero: A man of distinguished bravery; any illustrious person; a person reverenced and idealised; originally a man of superhuman powers, a demigod. Fem. Heroine.”

 

This year, 2016, is not only our 50th Anniversary of Independence, but the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare (of which more anon) and the 200th Anniversary of the 2016 rebellion, and death of our National Hero, the Right Excellent Bussa. It’s natural that this year’s celebration of National Heroes should focus on Bussa, but also important for us to think about our other heroes, patriots and role models, who  have shaped our nation, and whose lives should inspire us to make our own lives, those of others, our communities and Barbados a far, far better place.

 

I confess to being strongly in favour of heroes.  Most of us have grown up with great admiration for people we knew as children, who made a huge impact on us, and who stood out from everyone else. We admired and idealised them.  It may have been our parents, or a favourite aunt or neighbour, but often a teacher. My first “hero” as a schoolboy was the Honourable Val McComie, later Ambassador to the OAS, who taught us French in my second year at school, with flair, imagination and unmatched enthusiasm.

 

The usual definition of a hero is an illustrious, idealised person, and originally, in classical Greece, a demigod such as Achilles.  Heroism in battle and other types of courage were key. Richard the Lion heart, Joan of Arc, William Tell, George Washington and Nelson come to mind, as the great heroes of their respective countries.  Indeed, George Washington, who as General won America Independence, came as close to the status of God in his countrymen’s eyes as possible. His victory, of course, was key, but his commanding height and noble image contributed hugely, and his virtual canonisation after death reinforced his image of super hero.

 

Of course there are many heroes among us, and we now recognise and award “Unsung Heroes”, whose acts of conscience, commitment or courage in the community are so splendid.

 

But the naming of official National Heroes has been a significant step, taken first, I believe, by Jamaica, at Independence in 1962, but followed by other countries, recognising outstanding patriots who fought for freedom and fairness at great personal sacrifice, as a source of national inspiration. While Jamaica has seven National Heroes, ranging from slave leaders to giant political figures (Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley) of the mid-20th century, Barbados has 10, named in 1998, and again ranging from slave leader Bussa to our Fathers of Democracy and Independence, and seven other champions of freedom, democracy and development of Barbados. Inevitably the issue of “Heroes omitted” and “Heroes unsung” is a continuing part of our national discussion.

 

Having served on the NCF Heritage and Heroes Committee in the ‘80s, and the Nigel Barrow Committee of the ‘90s, I’ve been very much a part of the discussion.  And even before we recommended names, our NCF Committee recommended renaming Queen’s Park National Heroes Park, so that statues could be placed in this ideal space – the cultural heart and lungs of Bridgetown.  And it’s not too late to do so, while restoring the horribly neglected Queen’s Park House, as the Ministry of Culture has said is about to be  done.

 

When Sir Frank Worrell died, in March 1967, Sir Learie Constantine described him as “the first hero of the new nation Barbados”.  And while the “Cricketing Ws” have all been knighted, recognised in the three Ws Oval at Cave Hill and given their own roundabouts, some speak of the three “Heroic Ws”, not accorded National Hero status.  Sir Frank’s partners in this other trilogy, of course, are Clennell Wickham and “TT” LeWis.  

 

Wickham (1895 – 1938) was the radical journalist who edited The Herald newspaper and championed the cause of the working class against the oligarchy in the last years of what I call “The Dark Century” after emancipation. Serving the West Indies Regiment in the First World War gave him a profound sense of the desperate need for social justice.  He wrote in 1921 of the attitudes in the House of Assembly: "There is no sense of duty to the individual of the island as a whole. There is no sense of responsibility for broad and reasonable treatment. There is merely a sense of class." His sharp criticisms in the Herald and the Outlook magazine played a major part in sensitising people to the social injustices and preparing them for the agitation that triggered the Riots of 1937. He also lampooned the oligarchy in his brilliant Pen and Ink Sketches by a Gentleman with a Fountain Pen. But he paid great personal sacrifice, because he was sued for libel, lost the case and his newspaper, and was exiled in 1930, to Grenada, and died at the young age of 43.

 

But the visionary who sacrificed more than anyone except Bussa, who lost his life, was “TT”Lewis (1905 – 1959).  Here was a self-educated politician, with not even a full primary school education, whose election to Parliament in the 1940s gave him the platform to plead for free education and fair wages.  Wickham shaped a lot of the political thinking of Lewis., and held him in high regard. Once Lewis took up a copy of Wickham's magazine Outlook, from which he read an article by Clennell and proffered high praise. Lewis boasted that he had every one of his magazines. 

 

But “TT”’s passion for the people – forming a trade union and joining the Barbados Labour Party -  lost him his job, his wife and his life – the ultimate sacrifice. After being fired for his politics, he was forced to live virtually on the generosity of his friends, but in poor health, and he too died young, at the age of 54, on the morning of his daughter’s wedding.  But the march of Grantley Adams and TT Lewis through Bridgetown with many thousands of workers in his support was a mind-bending event.  His remarkable story and sacrifice are chronicled in the book “TT Lewis – White Rebel” by historian Gary Lewis (UWI Press), where his praises are sung by Sir James Tudor, Sir Hugh Springer and every great patriot who knew him.

 

I live in hope that we are mature enough as a society to add Worrell, Wickham and Lewis to our pantheon of National Heroes, and make it a “Baker’s Dozen”.

 

Bouquet: To the organisers, led by Harold Codrington, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, and Fran Wickham, Manager of Frank Collymore Hall (and granddaughter of our hero the great Clennell Wickham) for the magnificent opening of the Exchange on Friday evening. The entertainment before, between and after was superb – the Freemasons’ Vocal Quartet and Concord Brass Quintet, the Harrison College Steel Orchestra, steel pannist Jamal Greene, Anthony Gabby Carter and the St. Paul’s Primary School Choir, RukATuk International (Poonka and Friends), and the brilliant Tony Thompson, John Walcott, Movelle Jordan and Dy Browne in Ayesha Gibson-Gill’s skit The School Room Grocery Bar. But the Gold Medal must go to Mighty Gabby and St. Paul’s forty brilliant performers, especially for the magnificent “Transforming Education”. Congratulations, Gabby.

 

Professor Fraser is past Dean of Medical Sciences, UWI and Professor Emeritus of Medicine. Website:  profhenryfraser.com