The British Virgin Islands is known for its peaceful solitude and relaxed atmosphere, but once per year on the first Monday in August the island of Tortola come alive in one big celebration to commemorate emancipation day.

August 1, 1834, was the day when slavery was abolished in the BVI and most of the other Caribbean islands.

That day was the beginning of unity in diversification.

It was the beginning of an era when according to Martin Luther King Junior, blacks would not be judged by the color of their skin.

It was the beginning of freedom for the black nation.

The black race is free to participate in education, economy, politics, religion and socially. However, many people have not disentangled themselves from the shackles of mental slavery.

Above all many people regardless of their skin color are not free from the bondage of sin.

True freedom can only be realized in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the meantime once per year, the islanders celebrate emancipation day in a style that is unique to their culture and African heritage.

Hundreds of people lined the streets of Tortola to watch the parade of dazzling troupes as they danced to the lively beat of soca monarch, calypso, fungi, and reggae.

The air was pungent with excitement which spread to everyone who was present.

It was a day where skimpy attire was accepted whether you were part of the parade or not.

The march commenced with the Grand Marshall of the parade followed by the young and old prince, princesses and queens.

Prince and Princess BVI

Miss BVI

Mrs. BVI

Ms. Senior BVI

This year there were a variety of beauty pageants from the tiny tots to the grandmother. Every age group was represented.

The highlights of the day were the different troupes in their colorful costumes (from children to adults) gyrating to the heavy beat of the soca music.

Each group of dancers was preceded by their bands on the back of trucks decorated in colorful accessories.

It was a slow procession of happy and exciting dancers. Most people enjoyed the day while other persons went above the limit. Overall the day was a success.

The above pictures and videos were taken with my cell phone.

After the parade, hundreds of people rushed into the village to enjoy the food, trinkets games, and carousel rides.

If you want to see more highlights of the day’s activities, visit the BVI Platinum News Online.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed seeing some of our Caribbean cultures.

Published by Beverley

Beverley has been serving the Lord since she was a child. At an early age, she recognized that God had a special plan for her life, but it was not until in her adulthood that she surrendered her total life to God and accepted the mandate that God placed on her life. The Lord called her into His Kingdom to be an encourager, intercessor, teacher, scribe, priest, and to proclaim the Word of God. Since then, Beverly has established a blog to teach us to become the oil and wine. The oil and wine are purified and mature products, which is the advanced level that the Lord expected of us. In 2017, Beverley published her first book, Harm Not The Oil And Wine. In it, she described her trials and how God helped her to overcome them, and to live more victoriously. The book also exposed the enemy of our souls with detailed information about his past defeats and future extinction. Wright spents most of her time studying the Bible to know the truth of God’s Word. She believes that only God’s truth can expose the deception of the enemy, and uproot and tear down spiritual strongholds. You can learn more about Beverley’s life and testimony on her website becomingtheoilandwine.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Google+ under the name of her blog, and on Twitter as @Theoilandwine. View all posts by Beverley