A Plundered Place

Celebrate Port Royal inna Jamrock style

Comments (0) By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik Thursday, Apr 19 2007

More About

Port Royal was once a mecca for pirates and a haven for debauchery. Then it collapsed into the sea, erasing an infamous part of Jamaica’s coast. Today the city’s remains are a tourist hotspot. “Right now, people go there to eat fish and bammy. Whenever I go, I really cry because it’s not developed as it should be. The buildings should all be restored to preserve the historic environment,” says Eddy Edwards of the cultural organization Jamaica Awareness. To draw attention to the ongoing exhibit of Port Royal artifacts at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Jamaica Awareness is co-hosting Port Royal Runnings, a celebration of Caribbean culture.

Today from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., there will be live music from the Wyle Fyah band, spoken-word poetry from Malachi Smith and Susan Davis, and dance by Jamaica’s Tivoli dancers and the Trinidadian Shiv Shakti dance troupe, both of whom are visiting for the Caribbean Dance Celebration series in Fort Lauderdale this week. And yes — there will also be fish and bammy, as well as other authentic Jamaican delicacies. Visit www.jamaware.org for info on Jamaican cultural events.
Thu., April 19, 6-8:30 p.m.