DESPITE passage of the Emancipation Act in 1833, the newfound freedom that the ex-slaves had once craved was no paradise.

There were more battles to be fought and the liberated Africans found themselves spearheading protest after protest to ensure that their civil rights were not trampled on.

Soon after slavery was officially abolished in 1838, the ex-slaves began what is known today as the Village Movement; they pooled their resources and purchased plantations where they settled and started to build new lives for themselves.

Villages were established, communities were built, and co-operative societies and village councils were developed.

Today, many of these structures remain an integral part of Guyana’s local government body.

One of these villages was Buxton-Friendship located on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), once called plantation Orange Nassau. The village became known for having the largest local authority in what was then the colony of Demerara.

As the first village to be established in an organised manner, this local authority took a leadership role in dealing with the plantation owners and the central government, which really was one and the same.

As far as the British were concerned, the liberated Africans were a threat, having had “too much independence.”

Seeing their successes and how they were smoothly running their own affairs, a major scheme was “cooked up” by the British to suppress the villages which had begun to thrive.

In attempts to undermine them, the legislature enacted a law in 1856 granting powers to the government to levy “improvement taxes” on the properties of villagers.

This, however, did not sit well with the Africans, especially the Buxtonians.

Consequently, a group of proprietors of Friendship, led by James Jupiter, Blucher Dorsett and Hector John was the most active and determined of the ex-slaves.

They headed a list of 88 proprietors from Buxton who sent a petition to the governor of the colony, asking him to reconsider the tax levy.

Turning a blind eye to their plea, the governor refused to listen to the men. Instead, he branded the men as ringleaders and accused them of organising unrest.

In response to the villagers, the government confiscated the properties of James Jupiter, Blucher Dorsett, Hector John, Webster Ogle, Chance Bacchus, and James Rodney Sr.

To enforce his decree, the governor dispatched a contingent of policemen and a detachment of the 21st Regiment of Fusiliers. They took possession of the houses, throwing the occupants and their belongings into the streets.

The villagers made several attempts to meet with the governor to discuss their complaints, but he again refused to meet with them. They then turned to the Honourable Clementson, a member of the Court of Policy (legislature) for help, but this too failed.

To this end, the Africans felt they had no recourse but to initiate protests and unrest. This meant that those persons who had bought the confiscated houses were unable to occupy them and live their lives in peace.

In one instance, James Rodney mobilised a huge mob and forcibly took possession of his former property from the new owner.

Attempts were also made to contact the Queen of England herself to express their disapproval; unsurprisingly, that too was in vain.

WOMEN ASSEMBLE
As a final straw, the Africans learnt that the governor was expected to travel by train through the village to inspect the newly extended railway farther up the coast.

Deciding to confront him face to face, a group of women mobilised a delegation and forced the governor to listen to them and resolve the problem once and for all.

Standing their ground, these militant women cornered the governor on the train tracks; they blocked the vehicle from going any farther and locked the wheels of the train with large chains and padlocks.

This course of action left the governor no choice but to listen to the women. The men joined in moments later and eventually, the governor listened and with immediate effect, all taxes were removed from properties in Buxton.

While the train tracks have been covered by new infrastructure over the years, the footprints of these women are still embedded in the soils of the village and are a constant reminder that the women of Buxton are descendants of bravery and resilience. (Story by Naomi Parris)