The Silver People Chronicle

What Have We Got to be Proud of?

Roberto Reid — Sat, 26 May 2012 11:07:22 +0000

Image thanks to SITC USA Not long ago a reader left a brief but cutting comment, a question really, “Black Ethnicity, what have we got so much to celebrate? I hate black.” Normally we dump these hateful reminders of people … Continue reading →

How Numerous Are the Blacks of Panama?

Roberto Reid — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:46:22 +0000

Rio Abajo, one of the most populous districts of Panama City with a high concentration of Black residents, just celebrated their Black Ethnicity Day Celebration parade – Desfile de la Etnia Negra- with resounding success. Many enjoyed the warm weather, … Continue reading →

Black Ethnicity Celebration in Panama

CobraLady — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:38:55 +0000

Panama’s Black community promises to offer some new and exciting events for the month of May in its Celebration of Black Ethnicity. Panama is preparing to welcome representatives from African countries and their descendants in the first Afro Festival 2012 … Continue reading →

Panama is a ‘Sancocho’

Roberto Reid — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:28:33 +0000

Armando Fortune’s idea of Panama as a “sancocho“-a mixture of elements rather than a welding together- in contradistinction to the old oligarchy’s notion of Panama as a Crisol de las Razas – or a melting pot of races, seems somehow … Continue reading →

Armando Fortune- ‘Without the Black Race, Panama Would Not be Panama’

Roberto Reid — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:27:26 +0000

Image thanks to the Biblioteca Nacional Were it not for the intellectual and literary legacy of Professor Armando Fortune (1921-1979) we of the Afro Panamanian ethnic group of Panama – especially the West Indian Panamanian group- would not be celebrating … Continue reading →

The Winner Receives…A Gold Buckle!

CobraLady — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:50:33 +0000

Far from rosy, the economic picture for many Westindian Panamanians during the early 1950’s was often precarious and always overshadowed by the possibility of losing their jobs on the Zone. Either through Reduction of Force notifications, through being accused of … Continue reading →

Micha Bread and Operas

CobraLady — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:40:01 +0000

Image thanks to elpollo.com.pa The days of my early childhood and adolescence in Panama were my days of exposure to popular culture where, from time to time and at government expense, we were offered opportunities to stay after school protected … Continue reading →

Cultural Indoctrination

CobraLady — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:26:44 +0000

Little did I know that my marching band debut of 1952 would mark the end of our government’s role in providing “totally free” cultural presentations, really memorable events, to the people of Panama. Amongst them were imported productions made for … Continue reading →

The Problem of Culture in Panama

CobraLady — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:11:53 +0000

Right now I am involved in workshops at the National Assembly’s Commission on Education, Culture and Sports to hammer out a law (Proyecto de Ley #416) that would transform our beleaguered and under-funded INAC (Instituto Nacional de Cultura) into a … Continue reading →

Our Encounter at Corozal Cemetery

Roberto Reid — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:11:12 +0000

On Friday March 23, 2012 I decided to take my cousins on a promised visit to one of the cemeteries where the bones of their ancestors rest and which, by the way, now belongs to the three cemeteries protected by … Continue reading →