Category Archives: West Indian Panamanians

The Silver People Law – Join Us to Defend Our National Patrimony

Posted on January 20, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Image: One of the helpful functionaries at Participación Ciudadana explaining to me the series of steps our Proyecto de Ley would go through.

Our Bill or Proyecto de Ley #348 will be up for a very important debate next week and we are calling for people to support us with their presence.

This past Tuesday morning I was cited by the Asamblea Nacional de Panamá Permanent Commission to appear on next Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 10 A.M at the Budget Commission (Comisión de Presupuesto) to make a presentation defending our projected Law# 348 (Proyecto de Ley #348) Declaring Patrimonio Histórico the 3 cemeteries on the Banks of the Panama Canal and Black Canal Zone, Corozal (Silver), Gatún, Mount Hope (Monte Esperanza) in Colon. Continue reading →

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Posted in Intangible Cultural Heritage, West Indian Panamanians

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“On Who’s Backs”

Posted on January 3, 2012 by | 3 Comments

The following article was written by Fred Brooks, a member of our Facebook group Afro-Heritage of Panama.  We loved it as it embodies the same sense of urgency we feel about recognizing the contributions of our Silver People of Panama.  We thank Mr. Brooks for permitting us to reprint his essay here on our Chronicle.  Please read it and share with as many people as possible. Continue reading →

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Posted in Panama Canal, West Indian Panamanians

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Introducing Our New Site

Posted on November 20, 2011 by | Leave a comment
Check out Silverpeople.biz here.

Last week was an eventful one here in Panama particularly since we were once again visited by the group of returning Silver People and their friends who take the annual cruise with the Sociedad Panameña de Port Charlotte. Continue reading →

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Posted in Silver People of Panama, West Indian Panamanians

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The Mental Revolution Against Assimilation

Posted on October 29, 2011 by | Leave a comment

My first image gallery of the syncretic response to assimilation by Black Hispanic people like me.

 

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“assimilate: a. to take in and utilize as nourishment: absorb into the system.  b. to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend.  c. to absorb into the culture and mores of a population or group.” Merriam Webster Continue reading →

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Posted in Racism in Panama, West Indian Panamanians

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Dengue Rears its Ugly Head Again

Posted on August 26, 2011 by | Leave a comment

This is a classic archive photo from 1912 of a West Indian fumigator and one of the Mosquito Killers in the Canal Zone.

Today's typical Health Department official fumigating a house in Panama. Photo: La Estrella.

In case you are unaware, Panama is in the middle of a crisis situation over Dengue.  As in the case of Panama over 108 years ago when the Silvermen, the Black Silver Roll workers from the West Indies who were recruited to clean up Panama before any serious construction could be continued on the Panama canal, it looks like Panama is returning to this alarming state of affairs in Public Health. Continue reading →

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Posted in Panama Canal, West Indian Panamanians

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The Reid Clan on Display

Posted on August 21, 2011 by | Leave a comment

The National Institute of Panama would have another Westindian Panamanian, another son of the Silver People from Calidonia, to display in the upcoming November patriotic festivities. For the adolescent that all the neighbors referred to as Juni, this would be a special event in which to collect the due admiration I thought I deserved. Continue reading →

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Posted in Calidonia, Instituto Nacional de Panamá, West Indian Panamanians

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