Great Huts resort observes Black History Month
GREAT HUTS Paradise on the Edge is an Afrocentric, eco-friendly resort located in Boston, Portland. The units, called huts, are designed and accented to look like some structures in an African village.
But apart from the physical manifestations and aesthetics, the resort promotes and hosts events that speak to the importance of embracing and preserving the arts and culture of Jamaica in particular, and the African diaspora in general. There is a cultural show every Saturday night in which guests are asked to participate.
This year, the telling of the black story went up a notch with the hosting of two events to observe Black History Month. The evening of Saturday, February 10, was billed ‘Pamoja (oneness): Exploring links between Africa and Jamaica in the 21st Century’. It started with a discussion on ‘reversing the slave triangle’ and ‘issues of reparation and repatriation’.
An African fashion show and dance party climaxed the evening. The African clothes on show were provided by Aya Wear, while Dub Traffickers filled the Safari Deck with a selection of eclectic music.
The panel discussion for the second evening, Saturday, February 17, was themed, ‘Dem a go tired fi si mi face, celebrating Jamaica’s global icon Robert Nesta Marley’, in which a panel and some guests at the resort discussed the global reach and impact of Bob Marley’s music.
Later in the evening, spoken word performer Ras Rod of Dub Traffickers, in a very interesting outfit he designed, reeled off some of his ‘poemtry’, before spinning the music of the reggae icon, and others, in a session called ‘Marley Magic’.
In speaking about the purpose of the events, Director of Cultural Programmes, Events and Public Relations Vivene Levison told Hospitality Jamaica, “The essence of Great Huts is a respect for mother nature and a celebration of Motherland Africa. Our Black History Month events are a very important aspect of our educational mission and cultural events programme.
“These experiences have been meaningful to our local educators, community members, and our international guests, who learned, but were also entertained during Pamoja and our tribute to the great Robert
Nesta Marley,” Levison further said.