Monthly Archives: September 2008

Silver Weddings

Posted on September 30, 2008 by | Leave a comment

A West Indian wedding party in Panama, circ 1915.

Silver Weddings of the 30′s and 40′s
Images thanks to Mr. George W. Westerman


The year 1935 was a year of firsts on the American home front. The first broadcast of “Fibber McGee and Molly” occurred on April 16, and the pop icon Elvis Presley was also born that year. It was also the year that the U.S. Congress accepted FDR’s “New Deal” package.

In Panama, 1935 was the year my parents decided to formalize their romance and get married. It turned out to be quite a shindig, one that many friends and family members would remember for years to come since my father, Cobert did not stint in so far as paying for the best of preparations, attire, food and vehicle transport and church arrangements. In fact, the “Silver” weddings of the 30’s and 40’s were usually elaborate- one might say ostentatious- affairs. Continue reading →

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The Political Aggressions of the 30’s

Posted on September 25, 2008 by | 4 Comments

La Boca Ferry circ. 1947. Image thanks to CZimages.com

Image thanks to czimages.com

During the trying years in which my Uncle Eric was struggling to get ahead in school, epithets once never known nor used in the neighborhoods of the new urbanized cities to depict Black Westindians such as Chombo, Yumaco, Meco and other denigrating terms would suddenly appear in local editorials in the news media. Continue reading →

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To Be Young, Gifted and… Westindian

Posted on September 21, 2008 by | 2 Comments
Joe Louis, World Heavyweight Champion
image thanks to www.boxrec.com


The National Institute or Instituto Nacional de Panamá represented for my Uncle Eric Reid, as well as many other intellectually gifted Panamanian Westindian youth, a great challenge in their careful but determined ascent up the ladder of success. He, along with a few other hardy souls, would brave the volatile and hostile political climate to even consider entering government sponsored secondary education and plan ahead to university education. Continue reading →

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Eric’s Spirit Followed Closely

Posted on September 16, 2008 by | 3 Comments
Image is of Magnolia Building,
where my Uncle Eric grew up and
died. Our apartment was the one
on the top floor in the middle of the
three apartments in the upper left hand side-
the one with the open door.

The habit of hanging around the school for lunch and evening study group with his classmates would be something that my Uncle Eric would get into the habit of doing since his mother was never home to see that he was well taken care of due to her always being at work. School then became for him (as it did for me years later) a more important place than our home. I can’t speak for Eric but with me, in particular, school became a place where I sought the nurturing I never received at home. Continue reading →

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Posted in Calidonia, West Indian Panamanians

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My Uncle Eric Before Me

Posted on September 9, 2008 by | Leave a comment
Entrance to The National Institute of Panama
Image thanks to Maria over at Flickr


In my attempt at reliving the times of my people I’ve provided you with a bird’s eye view of what it was like to be a Westindian in a country such as Panama. From the piers of the Atlantic coastal town of a place called Aspinwall, as the United States banker was taking over in this backwater country, to the diggers who came and started to dig the French controlled waterway. Continue reading →

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Carlos Belizaire Bussette- The Trainer of Champions

Posted on September 3, 2008 by | 6 Comments
Lloyd LaBeach walking with his coach and friend,
Carlos Belizaire Bussette 1951
Image thanks to Mr. Anthony McLean
A recent photo of Carlos Belizaire Bussette
Image of Panama’s greatest athletes with
the Trainer of Champions, Carlos Belizaire Bussette.
Image thanks to Oswald Baptiste

 

When I received word of Professor Carlos Belizaire’s death last night through an email I thought of dedicating a post to this extraordinary teacher who I happened to meet up with several times as a kid on my treks down to the Olympic stadium here in Curundu. He was an enigmatic figure to me at the time (I was just approaching adolescence) with a rather worried countenance.

But, he was often there welcoming us kids and ready to take on and mentor any promising track and field athlete. Whenever a group of us kids would arrive to see what was going on amongst the aspiring boxers, sprinters, jumpers and baseball and basketball players, he was there to meet anyone of us who yearned to compete with the best. Of course, we didn’t know we were in the presence of one of the best athletic trainers Panama would ever produce. Continue reading →

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Posted in Silver People of Panama, West Indian Athletes of Panama

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