This event is slated to take place in Nassau Bahamas on Sunday August 6th 2023 and continue into the night and finish Monday August 7th which is Emancipation Day a Holiday celebrated every first Monday in August. (Emancipation Day is observed in many former European colonies in the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people of African descent. It is also observed in other areas in regard to the abolition of serfdom or other forms of involuntary servitude.}
This race is intended to highlight the two oldest slave communities and settled settlements on the island of New Providence. Not only this night half marathon is geared at becoming a premier event in the Bahamas but to bring connectivity to these two communities around this historic time.
The race will begin on the water side in Gambier village and willl travel a inland scenice route across New Providence. Once the race starts the runners will rush to complete the course and enjoy the sound of junkanoo ( Junkanoo is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes of Akan origin in many islands across the Bahamas every Boxing Day and New Year's Day, the same as "Kakamotobi" or the Fancy Dress Festival. ) in Fox hill and begin the Emancipation Day Celebration
With proper security and safety measures in place, registration begins at 8 pm. and start-time is 8:45 pm. Start-point will be near Dino’s Conch Stand, Gambier, traveling east on West Bay Street, onto Blake Road, J. F. K. Drive, Tonique Darling Highway, Independence Highway onto Marathon Road, Wulff Road to Bernard Road, ending at Fox Hill Parade Grounds; just in time for the sensational sights and pulsating sounds of Junkanoo.
NEW PROVIDENCE
Island Information
Lat.: N25 04’ 00”
Long.: W 77 21’ 00”
Size: 80 Sq. mlsIsland Crest
Nassau is the political capital and the commercial hub of The Bahamas. It is located on the island of New Providence. It has grown from a quiet port with 8,000 inhabitants in 1844 to a bustling city, and is home to over half of the country’s population today.
Nassau was originally known as Charlestown. It was laid out and renamed Nassau in 1695 by Nicholas Trott, the most successful Proprietor Governor, in honour of the Prince of Orange-Nassau who became William III of England. Because of its harbour,
New Providence was singled out as the most suitable seat of government.
The three branches of government – the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary are all headquartered in Nassau. The Cabinet Office, where members of the Cabinet meet, is located in the Churchill Building on Bay Street. Parliament – the Senate and the House of Assembly – is located on Bay Street, opposite Rawson Square. The Supreme Court is located on Bank Lane and Parliament Street off Bay Street, just behind the Senate Building. The Court of Appeal is situated on Shirley and Charlotte Streets.
New Providence, as the main commercial hub, also is home to over 400 banks and trust companies; its hotels and port account for more than two thirds of the four million-plus tourists who visit The Bahamas annually. Other settlements on New Providence include Grants Town, Bain Town, Fox Hill, Adelaide, Yamacraw, South Beach, Coral Harbour, Lyford Cay, Paradise Island, Sea Breeze, Centreville, The Grove (South) and The Grove (West Bay), Cable Beach, Delaporte, Gambier and Love Beach.
Information courtesy of Bahamas Information Services and Department of Archives.
Fox Hill Village
Bahamas
Info
Fox Hill is one of the oldest Bahamian villages in The Bahamas and its residents are called "Fox Hillians." The township's name is derived from Samuel Fox, an Enslaved African who was freed and granted 23.5 acres of land at Creek Village in 1801. The original settlement had concentrations of residents or small pockets of people of African origin scattered over a large portion of the area. They were originally from the Yoruba, Nango, Congo and Ebo Tribes of Africa.
Several heritage sites in the area reflect the culture of the entire Bahamas. The Fox Hill Parade Grounds, historically a burial ground, was later converted to a site where the villagers held celebrations. It is archived as the place where Enslaved Africans gathered after they heard about Emancipation. Black Beard's Tower is known to be one of the stations belonging to the notorious pirate Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach. Congo Town is where the last captured ship with Enslaved Africans discharged its load of Congoes in New Providence on July 28, 1860.
Fox Hill, more than any other village in The Bahamas, has held on to its rich African heritage and culture. Every year Fox Hillians celebrate the 1838 emancipation of their ancestors from slavery by the British on "Fox Hill Day" (second Tuesday in August) with church services, Bahamian food and drinks, singing, and dancing. A Fox Hill Heritage Tour includes visits to all the related heritage sites.
Gambier Village
Bahamas
Info
Gambier is one of the oldest villages in New Providence, dating back to the early 1800s. It is located nine miles west of Nassau and was established by liberated Africans after the abolition of the slave trade in all British Territories in 1807. Some of those Africans left an indelible stamp on the village's unique and intriguing history. Most notable was Elijah Morris who lead the largest slave revolt in the United States history in 1841.
A group of 135 enslaved Africans was being transported from Virginia on a ship, 'The Creole', to be sold in the slave market of New Orleans. After ten days at sea, 19 of the captives, led by Morris, overpowered their guards and took control of the ship. They had planned to sail to Liberia, but with insufficient supplies, Nassau was chosen as the final destination. All the Africans who were not directly involved in the mutiny were liberated and allowed to stay in The Bahamas as free men and women. The 19 involved in the mutiny were initially held, and when Elijah Morris was declared a free man some months later, he settled in Gambier Village.
His descendants still reside here and are important members of the local community. They, like their forefathers, are making significant contributions to the lives of the villagers. Today, the approximately 740 inhabitants of Gambier Village are Bahamian-born persons of African descent. Because of its largely youthful population, external cultural influences have impacted the traditional culture of Gambier and caused it to lose its distinctive African origin. However, the UNESCO youth-path Project for The Bahamas was established in 2004 to help preserve its African Heritage and evolving culture among the village's youth.
Highlights of a visit to Gambier include: St. Peter's Native Baptist Church established in 1856, The Community Well, Gambier Village School, the Rock Oven and Thatched Roof Huts, the descendants of Elijah Morris, Bush Medicine and Folk Talk.
