| Prince, Bessie, Ann, Marshall, and Lena 1942 |
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| in Carriacou, Grenada |
| Shem Jerome and Roy Jerome (from Canada) |
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| at the first Jerome-Cummings Family Reunion 2003 |
| The Jerome girlsand Fimba's daughter 2006 |
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| with Malcolm Jerome on Hillsborough Beach |
| The Great Grandaughters of Elizabeth "Comsie" Pope |
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| Amadee, Carlisa, and Tamara are scholars and Prince Cummings' grand nieces who live in Aruba |
Click on picture above for information about Aruba and the National Anthem.
| Victoria "Tantie Vic" Jerome 1972 |
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| Sitting on the tomestone of her mother, "Ahsay" |
| Cousin Leo's niece and nephew: Judith and Anslem |
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| children of the Ulita (Jerome) Alexander of Trinidad and NY |
| Our ancestors helped to build the Panama Canal |
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| Some still live in Panama and others reside in Cuba and Jamaica |
| Caribbean Kids Kicking it Up on Eastern Parkway |
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| for the Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn, New York2006 |
| Theo and Val (Blaize) Jerome, Uncle Shem and the |
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| children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren |
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| Most the Prince Whitfield Cummings family in 1957 |
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| at 742 MacDonogh Street, Brooklyn, New York |
| The Cummings Clan in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1970 |
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| missing: Nestor, at Howard University's graduate school |
THE AFRICAN ROOTS OF PEOPLE FROM CARRIACOU
The ancestry of the people of Carriacou include members from the Ibo (also called Igbo), Chamba, Moko, Temne,
Mandinka, Bambara, Cromanti, Ashanti, Congo, and other African nations.
Much of the cultural heritage as expressed in food, language, dance, and customs have been handed down from one
generation to the next through the mechanisms of the Big Drum and the Nation Dance.
In past times, people were named according to the tribe they were from (Check the 1750 census), and they would
have to be able to "dance their nation." It is in this manner that the Africanism we observe so strongly in Carriacou have
been maintained and passed on. Some of the better known dances are the Kalenda, Juba, Belair, Granbelair, Hallecud (Haul the
cord), and the Bongo.
| Big Drum Dancers on Hillsborough Beach CLICK PAGE |
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| Can you dance your nation? |
Many relatives return to Carriacou's cemetaries for their final resting place. The one thing that
the family shares regardless of where they are living now, everyone has roots in Carriacou. They are all specifically related
to Africans of the nine original tribes transported there from Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Dahomey, Benin, Cameroun, Gabon, and
the Congo by the French, and, eventually, the British after France ceded Greneda, Petite Martinique, and Carriacou to England
through the Treaty of Paris (1763).
The phenomenon of traveling to work in other countries between Emancipation in 1833 and the present
has caused many of our brethren to work on plantations or offices in Grenada; to sail all over the world on merchant ships;
to travel to Panama to build the Panama Canal in the late 19th and early 20th century; to cut and process sugar cane in Camaguay
and Baragua , Cuba, from 1905 on; to build Piarco Airport, in Trinidad and Tobago, and dig pitch and fight for labor rights
with Uriah "Buzz" Butler</a> (who was born in Grenada); to drill for oil in Maracaibo, Venezuela,
in the 1930's; to refine oil in the two refineries of Aruba; and, migrate to Holland, England, Canada, and the
United States, among other places.
An important aspect of this diaspora of workers from Carriacou was that hard-earned money was always
continuously sent "back home" to support the family and send their children to boarding schools, such as Grenada Boys Secondary
School (GBSS) or the "mother" country.
Many returned home as "Tycoons" having saved enough capital to buy land, establish businesses, and
open guest houses and hotels, which survive to today.Some never returned to their homeland making their adopted country their
new home. Others returned briefly then made other countries their home. One such person was "Doctor" Cummings who went back
to Carriacou in the 1920's, then he went back to Jamaica where he had established a family.
Today, we are rediscovering our "roots" by going back to "where we come from:" a beautiful land surrounded
pristine waters that is full of rich culture and traditions, Carriacou.
| Louisa "Bessie" (Jerome) Cummings 2006 |
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| ALWAYS LOVING and GENEROUS WITH LOVE TO ALL |
THE WHITFIELD "PRINCE" CUMMINGS AND LOUISA "BESSIE" JEROME FAMILY TREE (Info will be added as received)
PRINCE FATHER: Aaron "Son" Cummings (Six Roads)
PRINCE MOTHER: Emilina "Tatin" Baker
From Belmont, Carriacou, and she spoke only French Creole
PRINCE"S SIBLINGS:
Pittett: Stabbed to death in Trinidad.
Chrissie: Moved to Trinidad--no children?
Mahailia (Mayla) Nelson--no children
Elizabeth "Comsie" POPE ---Children: Richard (Shirley; Freddie; Laurel: Joan; Debbie; Arthur; Norma; Louise [England];
Ruth Yanje [Holland]; Linda Hutcherson; Patsy Hutcherson; and Kenneth Hutcherson).
Anela Pope Griffith (England); Lucina
Pope (England); O'Neil "Zani" Pope; Solomon (England).
BESSIE'S FATHER: Eldan Jerome (Tief and Brunswick)
BESSIE'S MOTHER: HENNERITTA CUMMINGS-JEROME (Top Hill).
BESSIE'S SIBLINGS
Clifford "Appa" --Dennis (TWO DAUGHTERS); Beryl (Dean; brother).
BR>
Mamma --Nela (TWO DAUGHTERS).
Ulita -- Judith; Anslem [Michael].
Job -- Fortune; Beauty [daughter], etc.
Henry "Shem" --Theodulf [Marcus; Malcolm; Allegra]; Patricia; Yvette [Shanna; Porsche; Gregory]; Dennie [Hakeem; Denicia;
Naiela]; Norma ; Susan.
BR>
Samuel "Japhet" -- Joan; Patsy; Jefferson; Essie; Debbie; brother; sister; Samuel;.
Toya -- Sonny Baptiste.
Lassie --Roy (grandaughter [great grandson]).
Emmanual "Brother" -- Two brothers; sister.
Veronica "Tantie Vic" -- Walter.
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| PRINCE, BESSIE, AND ZEPH CUMMINGS |
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| in San Nicholas, Aruba 1946 |
| Theo Jerome and his sister, Norma Noel |
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| Saga Alexis-Cummings on Jerome land, Brunswick |
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| Click picture for information about Carriacou agriculture |
The people of Carriacou have always lived off the land. Almost everyone grows fruit. Many grow a
wide variety of vegetables. Seafood is obtained from the surrounding sea, and as one cousin summarized it: "You can't live
in Carriacou and not mind beasts."
| Walter Joseph and Roy Jerome w/family in Canada |
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| Walter in Tanti Vic's son - Click for Blacks in Canada |
| Wedding of Edna and Samuel "Japhet" Jerome 1959 |
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| in Brooklyn, New York |
Play a game!
| Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler |
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| Click on picture for historical details and pictures |
| Panama Canal workers 1890's to 1905 |
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| Click for more pictures and info about West Indians travelling to work around the world |
| Grenada Boys Secondary School many years ago |
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| Click for report on the role GBSS has played |
| A parang violinist at Christmas |
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| Click on picture for information about Parang 2006 |
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