Page 33 - 10th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival Magazine

Charles Town Maroon International Conference Magazine June 2018

limited resources to bring that vision to life. His
“break” began when he learned to blow the Abeng and
became the “only Abeng blower with a Digicel”. Soon
in demand, he began to meet Ministers and Prime
Ministers, heads of donor agencies, diplomats and
academics, creating an impressive list of contacts. He
constantly negotiated for opportunities and assistance for
Charles Town and for other Maroon communities as well.

Under his guidance and with the help of stalwart
members of the Charles Town Maroon Council
(notably Mr. Kenneth Douglas) a very long list of Col Frank Lumsden on tour to Canada with Charles Town
accomplishments at Charles Town grew. Wherever he Drummers & Dancers
went in the world, exercising his role as Colonel of
Charles Town or in his role as the Public Relations
Officer for the combined Maroon Secretariat, be it
Canada, USA, Europe, Suriname, or Jamaica, Colonel
Lumsden promoted the significance of Maroon
heritage and history and the defense of Maroon rights.
He leaves in place a solid leadership team and admin-
istrative and management structure in the Charles
Town Maroon Council and a technical team
committed to continuing the projects and devel-
opments he initiated.

Michael Lumsden also talked about how heartening
and touching it was to see the devotion and care from
the broader Charles Town family attending the cele- Col Frank Lumsden with Marcus Goffe (left) and a
Surinamese Rasta.
bration of the Colonel’s life. He said: “Watching the
young children of Charles Town over the weekend,
enjoying the proceedings calmly, respectfully…
joining naturally in the drumming and dancing,
playing happily on the wrestling mat…I saw clearly
the how the seed planted many years ago…and
carefully nurtured and fiercely protected…was bearing
fruit…a new generation of Jamaican Maroons…going
Michael Lumsden is a principal of Belcour Preserves Ltd., a
back to go forward...his legacy lives on…” gourmet food company located in the foothills of the Blue
Mountains. He is a former President of the Jamaica Exporters’
Walk good. Association and a former Export Manager for Desnoes and
Geddes Ltd. He has served as an advisor to the CTMC since
2003.

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