Of heroes and almost heroes (I am neither)

AS USUAL around this time of year, when the ‘Emancipendence’ period is still buzzing and Heroes Day is around the corner, the topic of national awards comes up.

When I was a child, I liked to watch the Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards live from King’s House. I looked forward to Erica Allen reading the citations of the honourees as they walked up to the governor general to collect their medals and badges. It was especially fun to watch persons who I actually heard about, and even better, persons who I actually liked. A nuh every celebrity mi quick fi congratulate.

I always chuckled at the correct names of some of the recipients. So all who never want the public fi know say dem did name Aloysius, Theobalds or Bethilda, too bad for you. I also got some enjoyment from trying to guess which recipient, who, despite going to the rehearsals, was going to forget what they were supposed to do when they got to the platform. And I’ve always been slightly annoyed with the governor generals telling people to come closer, like fi dem foot cement inna di ground. And before you point out that’s it protocol, yes, I get it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

ACTUALLY HAPPEN

Sometimes I wondered if I would ever get one, but the older I get, the less I think that will actually happen. Not that I’m one for awards. If you’re doing something just to get rewarded, then maybe you need to re-evaluate why you’re doing it. Just saying. Anyway, like I said at the top, many people responded to a poll about who should be conferred with the distinction of being the next national hero. Bob Marley (duh) and Miss Lou (duh) were the people’s choice. Tacky was also in the mix, along with some sports stars.

Well, while I am nowhere close to being a national hero (not even a hero in my own mind much less), I’m kinda on the fence about Jamaica having any other heroes. On the one hand, we want to salute the people who make us proud to be Jamaicans. So, in a way, sports stars and cultural figures do that, just in a different way from freedom fighters like Sam Sharpe and Paul Bogle, or statesmen like ‘Busta’ and Michael

Manley. But, bringing the island out of slavery is one thing, putting the eyes of the world on our sports and culture feels like something else.

So that’s why I’m not sure if I’d support Bolt, Shelly-ann or any Olympian or other sports star being national heroes. Bob and Miss Lou? They are close, but I’m still not sure there either. Maybe we can give them a special honour, like a version of the national hero honour. Kinda like the honorary Order of Jamaica that Sheryl Lee Ralph will get. Still prestigious, but just with a tweak. Full hero status for persons who didn’t exactly help the country transition from one of the queen’s likkle islands to ‘Jamaica’?? Not for me. But what do I know? I’m no hero, either.