I had a big time Melt down when I saw......
By cynthiann
@cynthiann (18612)
Jamaica
September 10, 2009 2:40pm CST
Off the cost of Canada in St. Johns I saw a Celtic (Irish) cross on a small Island. There were 2500 Irish people buried on that Island,. They had come in the 'coffin' ships from Ireland to escape the Potato famine and had died through typhoid and other diseases.
I am of Irish blood and my GM had told me countless stories of families trying to save the life of at least one young person by sending them to the USA/Canada. So here were people of my ancestry in this Island cemetery.
I then went to Dartmouth by ferry from Halifax as I was interested in learning about the 600 Maroons from Jamaica that the British had never been able to conquer. They were told that they were going back to Africa but were sent to Dartmouth and settled here as free men. In fact they build the garrisons that defended the coastline from the French invasion. Since then, of course, they have assimilated into the community but have not forgotten their heritage.
Later some did go to Sierra Leone in Africa.
I spoke at length to the Curator of the Black Cultural Centre and was surprised at how much 'Jamaican' has been handed down from generation to generation since 1765 both in speech (dialect) and culture. We were both emotional in our farewell's and I took the ferry back to Halifax. So stood on the shore and thought, what a coincidence. On my left was my children's heritage (they are a mixture of Portuguese Jew, Black, Asian and Irish blood) and to my right was an Island that was a cemetery filled with Irish people - people of my blood. And I was standing in Canada. It was overwhelming and I could not stop the tears when I thought of Man's brutality to man. Believe it or not - I was crying until someone from the ship came up to me and asked if I was lost!! It was an incredible experience.
Has anything like this happened to you whereby you are faced with something about your ancestors?
I am of Irish blood and my GM had told me countless stories of families trying to save the life of at least one young person by sending them to the USA/Canada. So here were people of my ancestry in this Island cemetery.
I then went to Dartmouth by ferry from Halifax as I was interested in learning about the 600 Maroons from Jamaica that the British had never been able to conquer. They were told that they were going back to Africa but were sent to Dartmouth and settled here as free men. In fact they build the garrisons that defended the coastline from the French invasion. Since then, of course, they have assimilated into the community but have not forgotten their heritage. Later some did go to Sierra Leone in Africa.
I spoke at length to the Curator of the Black Cultural Centre and was surprised at how much 'Jamaican' has been handed down from generation to generation since 1765 both in speech (dialect) and culture. We were both emotional in our farewell's and I took the ferry back to Halifax. So stood on the shore and thought, what a coincidence. On my left was my children's heritage (they are a mixture of Portuguese Jew, Black, Asian and Irish blood) and to my right was an Island that was a cemetery filled with Irish people - people of my blood. And I was standing in Canada. It was overwhelming and I could not stop the tears when I thought of Man's brutality to man. Believe it or not - I was crying until someone from the ship came up to me and asked if I was lost!! It was an incredible experience.
Has anything like this happened to you whereby you are faced with something about your ancestors?4 people like this
10 responses
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
10 Sep 09
Well thank you for the interesting piece of history!
I often think about the fact that I have Jewish ancestry on my Father's side and German ancestry on my Mother's side and I shudder to think what they might have been doing to one another had both sides remained in the old country. I visited Dachau when I was living in Germany and it was very sobering to be in a place like that and see the museum and realize what had gone on there.
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
We have to always remember that it is not all the citizens in a country that are evil - mostly just some of their dictator like rulers. The citizens usually lived in fear. I was very emotional, and so was he when he asked me to day good bye in dialect and then he wrote in down phonetically. I will always treasure this experience. Here's to freedom, says Cynthie as she raises her glass. The Maroons live today all over the world and are proud of th fact that they are maroons. They have their own laws and elect a Colonel to be in charge. I inrend to visit their community at thir next celebration.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
forgot to add that many people in the world think that the concentration camps did not exist. As a teenager my dentist's wife had survived a concentration camp and had the numbers still tattooed on her wrist. She refused to have it removed as she said that wherever she wanted people would ask her about it and then she would tell them about what had happened. Oh Lord, I am so behind in my work that I will have toi take it home to finish! Bye bye
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
10 Sep 09
Not with my relations.....but my father was a disabled veteran from the second world war....when I stood on the Arizona in Hawaii....all I could do was cry thinking of all the soldiers that had lost their lives...it was such an emotional thing.....my son was about 14 at the time......and he stood and cried too.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Sep 09
Let that be a humbling lesson to anyone who thinks they're better than others due to their intelligence!! In that era it made no difference.
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
Can you imagine how they suffered that first winter without adequate clothing or housing? It really must have been a nightmare. What many people do not understand is that many of the slaves who came were architects, master builders and doctors etc.A high portion were highly intelligent and educated people. I have seen a hospital on the Island that was built by slaves and the walls are
'true' to the last centimetre. There were many professionals and they came with a wealth of knowledge.The history is amazing.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
11 Sep 09
What an adventure your little vacation must have been.
I really do not know specifics about my ancestry although I do have a few family members who have done a bit of research. I have a lot of Irish in my blood along with Cherokee Indian. A bunch of other stuff mixed in as well.
I did learn recently that some of my ancestors were responsible for kidnapping St. Patrick when he was a teenager.
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
11 Sep 09
Oh, that is so funny! Kidnapping St. Patrick! I know that I have one ancestor that was a highwayman and some were coastguards - probably in the smuggling business with France. It really was wonderful to find out all this information. I did not describe it well. Blessings
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
13 Sep 09
I am sure that was a very powerful and emotionally profound moment for you. Standing looking back at what you've learned, and even maybe FEELING the pain, the heartbreak, the disaster that came with freedom for the Irish men and women. I am of Scottish blood, but not a significant amount.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
14 Sep 09
It is sad though to hear of it... and I am sure those that did not die were very weakened after the journey. I've read books that featured boat rides. One of them was about the titanic. The book was By Danielle Steel but I've read several so I can't remember which one it was!
I know so little about Ireland and Scotland.
Don't even know my fiance's heritage.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Sep 09
What a great and amazing story. I love learning about history and all of that would have been so interesting to see. I love that stuff.
I don't really know my ancestry. I'm just a huge jumble of many different heritages, and I don't think there's any 1 particular nationality that sticks out among the rest in my blood. I've asked my mother over and over and she calls me "Heinz 57" which just means a bunch of different nationalities. I wish I did have just one, or at least one more dominant. I'd love to be able to claim a nationality. Guess I'm just American in every sense of the word!
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Sep 09
Oh... I have a question... could you explain what a "maroon" is?
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
Thanks Kat. Yes, you are American just as my kids are Jamaican - a complete melting pot. and there is nothing wrong about that at all. But your ancestors must have come from somewhere and you could start a research in your spare time . don't throw that book at me Kat. I'm only joking! 
I know that you don't have spare time but maybe your eldest son could get started on your side - beginning with your mother;s name and her parents name. It s very interesting to read about the skeletons and what they did etc. He may find it interesting to do. Blessings
I know that you don't have spare time but maybe your eldest son could get started on your side - beginning with your mother;s name and her parents name. It s very interesting to read about the skeletons and what they did etc. He may find it interesting to do. Blessings1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
Maroons were Africans who were brought by the British to Jamaica as slaves but they refused to be slaves and run into the hills and forests to hide. They established camps and really were the first guerilla fighters as they camouflaged their bodied with leaves etc and killed the British Soldiers who were hunting them down. The British were easy to spot as they still wore red coats at that time!They have many heroes and established camps in different areas of the Island. Eventually a treaty was reached with the British who said that they would send them back to Africa but instead they sent them to Canada. They managed to survive the dreadful winter weather in cabins and coal firs and refused to be slaves. They worked in the coal mines and helped build the forts to keep out Napoleon Bonaparte of France.
They started trading with Jamaica and sent as our salted cod fish. To this day, cod fish is till salted and sent to Jamaica and it is part of our National dish served with ackees (another Jamaican fruit)Many of them have qualified as doctors and professors all over the world but they return and visit and help their fellow Maroons. If they own businesses then they pay taxes but they have their own laws and leader too. Basically they still do a lot of farming and animal husbandry and keep to many of their old ways. They are a proud people still.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Sep 09
Bless your heart, how emotional that had to be for you. I know very little about my ancestors which is too bad.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Sep 09
I hope u meant that as a compliment, lol. I know u did just teasing w/you.
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
11 Sep 09
No I really meant it as a compliment. Americans are wondeful people - they are also resiliant and strong and will survive anything
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
10 Sep 09
Yes, it is good to know where your ancestor's came from but you are 100% AMERICAN.2 people like this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
11 Sep 09
It was AmbiePam, a very emotional moment and also enlightening.
1 person likes this
@tjades (3590)
• Jamaica
22 Nov 09
That must have been some moment. Great snippets of history there on both groups of people you mentioned (the Maroons and Irish). Superiority by practice does breed cruelty.
It is really great that such rich history on people of different races can be found in various countries so far from where they originated. History is fasinating.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
22 Nov 09
Hi sweetie pie - you must have been so busy and i see that y9ou have ANSWERED ALL MY DISCUSSIONS AND i THANK YOU FOR THIS. this WAS ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE THINGS IN MY LIFE. i WILL NEVER FORGET IT. Very hard to describe what I ws feeling. touched me to my soul.
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
11 Sep 09
Hi cynthiann! I'm just so glad you had such a good time on your trip.
This is very interesting. You did a good job of remembering it all. I bet it was very emotional.
As far as I can remember, I never have been faced with anything about my ancestors. I've been saying for a long time that I'm going to do a genealogy on my family one of these days. It takes a lot of time. That's one reason why I still haven't gotten around to it. I started to do one several years ago but I never did finish it. My last name is "Jones" and I know a lot of my ancestors are from Wales. Some of my ancestors are from France on my daddy's mother's side. I've been told that there is a lot of American Indian in us. I think that's on both my mother and daddy's sides. People tell me I look Indian all the time. Kathy.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
11 Sep 09
Yes, Jones is a very Welsh name and the Welsh people were dark haired too. I think that they originally came from somewhere on the coast of France - I have forgotten so much history that I will have to look it up. I also have done some, but not a lot, of research on my husband's name. They were Portuguese Jews who left Portugal during the Spanish Inquisition and came to Jamaica.
We should both make an effort to start for our children's sake. It is good for children to know their background and if our children are not interested then there are always the grandchildren as they may want the information. We develop in them a sense of pride of their heritage. Many thanks
1 person likes this
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
12 Sep 09
Whoever it was who did a genealogy on mother's side of the family years ago said that there was definitely some Cherokee Indian in us. When I was a child, people told me I didn't look too much like an Indian to them and that would upset me because I was always so proud of it. Now, they tell me I do look Indian. I've been told that your facial features change the older you get so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. I like to wear a lot of Indian stuff and I guess that makes me look more Indian, too.
I don't have any children, myself, but I would still like to do a genealogy to learn more about my ancestors someday, anyway.
I've been told that on my mother's side, it goes back to Thomas Jefferson! Kathy.
1 person likes this
Kathy.
@anniefannie (1737)
• United States
15 Sep 09
i am of Irish blood and American indian.check out the trail of tears and you can see what they done to the Indians.they do all these awful things for money.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
15 Sep 09
I know exactly what you mean. You used a beautiful expression a 'trail of tears'. That so describes man;s injustice against man, for what you rightly said, is all about money. Many thanks for your input dear friend.
