TULLOCH CASTLE, St James – A festive atmosphere prevailed throughout the entertainment segment of the annual staging of the Flames of Freedom celebrations, which attracted a massive gathering at the Tulloch Castle venue in Kensington, St James, Saturday evening.

The patrons were firstly treated to the pulsating sound of Intoxicated sound system, which maintained the festive vibes with a combination of retro and current music.

The Fab Five Band turned up the tempo with energetic performances, during which they delivered a mix of crowd favourites.

Local dub poet, Noel Chung, had the massive gathering on the edge of their seats with his original piece entitled, ‘Flames of Freedom’; so too did the Kingston Drummers and the Hatfield Cultural Group, who strutted their stuff with a slew of folk songs.

Earlier in the day, the celebration commenced with a torch run from Catadupa to Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, and then to the Kensington historical site.

The Flames of Freedom is an annual celebration to mark the December 27, 1831 Christmas Rebellion, spearheaded by National Hero, Deacon Sam Sharpe. It is documented that the burning of a trash house of Tulloch Castle Estate and the subsequent burning of Kensington Great House signalled the start of the rebellion.

Historians say the fire was set by a female slave, in full view of the British military. Prior to igniting the blaze, she is reported to have shouted: “I know I will die for it, but my children shall be free.”

The flames and smoke were visible for miles and sparked responses from slaves on other estates. The rebellion involved some 50,000 slaves throughout Jamaica. It was brutally suppressed by the British military.

Approximately 500 slaves were executed, including Sam Sharpe, a well-known Baptist deacon in his day. But the rebellion helped influence the push for full emancipation of slaves, which came on August 1, 1838.