A section of the Puerto Beach, St Ann was the scene of an uplifting and fun function on Easter Monday, April 21, when Hortense Jenkins launched her book ‘It Happened Under the Naesberry Tree’. This is her third book, following the earlier ‘Spriit of the living God’ and ‘Meet Me Under the Naesberry Tree’. Copies of the three titles were available at the launch at Joyce Quest Aerobics and Friends Club, Discovery Bay. It was attended by several members of Mrs Jenkins’ family and friends. Mrs Jenkins who now lives in the United States was born and grew up in Clarksonville, in south St Ann and says the Naesberry tree was a great symbol, growing among the rocks and was an important meeting place for members of her extended family and the community. “We didn’t have a lot of things but we had a lot of love,” she said referring to the family and community. Mrs Jenkins said the book is to help people appreciate their children and how important it is to take care of them and teach them values and their history. “A child now has grown up even before he has learnt how to be a child,” Mrs Jenkins said, stating that the family was losing its influence on children. “We have a responsibility for our children,” she said. She said part of the problem facing children now is that they are left to their own devices. “We have allowed the technology to take them over.” Mrs Jenkins said parental supervision used to be the norm but people had moved away from their responsibility for their children. “God didn’t put them in our womb to become murderers and thieves,” she said. Mrs Jenkins stressed the need for the elders in the community to have their children understand the history of their peoples and the great things that happened in the past. She said the book launch was a celebration and demonstrated that “If I can do it, teach your child to do it.”
Dr Frank Lawrence, historian and writer who brought greetings said the book by Mrs Jenkins was intended to generate thought. He congratulated her on her research and on writing the books. Guest speaker at the launch was principal of Sturge Town Primary School ?Campbell. She briefly explored the history of Jamaica and spoke about free villages like Clarsonville which were established by enslaved persons who had been freed chose self determination over continued dependence on the enslavers. Other such villages were Sturge Town, Buxton and Philadelphia. She said those people “had absolutely nothing but distances themselves from oppression.” She said they accepted and appreciated the Biblical principle of work and of a village raising a child.” Mrs Campbell stressed self appreciation and said if Jamaica was to be great the people would have to “unleash the talents in ourselves.” She said the book, ‘It Happened Under the Naesberry Tree’ would assist our “future and present generations to connect with our past.” Webster Grant introduced the guest speaker and Jevaugh Lawrence did a poem.
