MUSIC ‘royalty’ Queen Ifrica and dub poet Mutabaruka were among scores of protesters converging in proximity to the British High Commission on Trafalgar Road in St Andrew demanding apologies and reparation for slavery from the British g overnment and monarchy on Tuesday.

The protest, led by newly formed lobby group Advocates Network, coincided with the three-day visit of Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, to mark Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence and the 70th anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) of the coronation of Prince William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Ifrica said it was very important for her to have taken to the streets in protest.

“I’m jus’ here to remind the Queen of England that she ‘romp’ wid some serious people hundreds of years ago when dem turn up on dis island; before colonialism, the people that was here was living in love and unity ‘mongst demselves. I stand here on behalf of dat Jamaica deh weh neva know slavery until the slave ship dem pull up ’bout yah,” Queen Ifrica told the Jamaica Observer.

“So mi waan remind her [Queen Elizabeth] say the 1738 [Maroon] treaty (with Britain) never do nuthin good fi wi as black people and wi still a suffer under it. So she need to abolish the treaty and ‘low (leave) wi out,” she continued.

The Maroon Treaty of 1738 states, in part, that the Maroons and their descendants shall live a perfect state of freedom and liberty; and that they shall enjoy and posses, for themselves and posterity for ever, all the lands situate and lying between Trelawney Town and the Cockpits, to the amount of 1,5oo acres, bearing northwest from the said Trelawney Town. They were at liberty to farm these lands.

The reggae singer said she hopes Jamaicans wake up and realise their rich history.

“The British fight wid us as black Jamaican people fi 80-odd years. We were supposed to be an island of slaves, but it took 83 years for a British army to come to an agreement fi leave wi alone — not a victory; they had to draw for an agreement in the form of a treaty. So I’m hoping that Jamaica people, once and for all, realise the dynamics we have as a culture and stand up in dat truth of one nation realising say wi have been robbed of everything,” Queen Ifrica said.

Mutabaruka, meanwhile, reiterated his call for Jamaica to rid itself of its colonial past.

“The mace [in Parliament] represents the presence of Queen Elizabeth and her friend dem, and that is symbolism. Black people nuh understand how symbol play a part inna di psychological effect of the people dem,” he said.

“Why do you think dem have so much statue all ova di place and di naming of the road dem, and di naming of the parish dem? Because when dem don’t deh yah, there is something embedded in the mind of the people dem say is dem run di ting,” he continued.

Mutabaruka (given name: Allan Hope) came to prominence for his 1983 debut album Check It! Produced by guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith, it contains the pieces including Witeman Country, Every Time A Ear De Sound, De System and Butta Pan Kulcha. He also hosts a programme, The Cutting Edge, on radio station Irie FM.

Queen Ifrica (given name: Ventrice Morgan) is known for her hard-hitting songs, including Below the Waist, Daddy, and Predator’s Paradise. Her sophomore album Climb, released in March 2017, topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.