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At 105, cultural icon Aunt Julia continues to shine Julia Almeria Hydes, the oldest living Caymanian, will be celebrating her 105th birthday this Saturday, 25 January. Aunt Julia, as she is affectionately known, was born the youngest of 12 children on 25 January 1909 in West Bay, Grand Cayman. In an interview with The Cayman Reporter, Aunt Julia’s son, Lewie Ceato Hydes echoed one of his mother’s truisms. “Mama always says age is just a number and hard work doesn’t kill anyone.” She was formally educated until age 15 at Ada Cato’s and Teacher Redley’s all-age schools in West Bay. After leaving school, she assisted her mother and other relatives in “cutting tops” along the coast between West Bay and South Sound. She recalled that, although the journeys were long and it was
hard work to cut tops, plait thatch baskets and make thatch rope, it was a time of fun, laughter and the discovery of music. Aunt Julia is an intuitive musician. She remembered the time she was encouraged to play a home-made drum by her cousin, master fiddler, Leighton “Duxie” Ebanks. “When I held the sticks, made of the local guava wood," she said, “I felt a great sense of joy. My love for music has continued ever since. I never had any lessons. I just watched, paid attention and made up my own style of drumming.” She was soon touring the districts of Cayman with fiddlers and musicians, Duxie, Boyd Hydes, Radley Gourzong, Cleveland Ebanks and others, playing Cayman’s folk music, mainly for kitchen dances, weddings and Christmas celebrations, and
enjoying a twirl or two whenever she could get someone to take her place on the drum. These sessions popularised Cayman’s folk music and helped Aunt Julia discover a second talent – composing her own songs about everyday events and people. From early childhood she attended the Wesleyan Holiness Church, formerly known as the Pilgrim Holiness Church, in West Bay.Shestatedthatformanyofher adultyearsshebecamea“wayward” personbutinhermid-70sshewas“reclaimed”andagainbegantoattend churchregularly.Sheenjoyedsinging gospel music, especially ‘choruses’, playing the drum, tambourine, making rhythms using a grater or just clapping her hands. She has received many awards for her contributions to music and culture in the Cayman Islands,
Aunt Julia playing at the Harqual Theatre.
including the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) Award for pioneering work in cultural heritage as well as the
Certificate and Badge of Honour in 1996. Aunt Julia’s family members are planning to celebrate her birthday
at the Harquail Theatre from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The public is invited to wish the centenarian a happy 105th.
Aunt Julia teaches a youngster to play the drum as Randy Chollette (left) and Henry Muttoo (right) look on.
Aunt Julia with Ellen Peguero.
Heroes Day celebrations honour cultural pioneers National Heroes Day celebrations will honour the achievements, traditions and people of the Cayman Islands at Heroes Square in the heart of George Town on Monday, 27 January 2014, a public holiday. “On this day, we come together annually to mark the accomplishmentsandcontributions ofdeservingCaymaniansfromall walksoflifetotheCaymanIslands community,” Minister of Health, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon Osbourne Bodden, said. “This year,wepayaspecialtributetoour cultural heritage pioneers and we honour persons who have made significantcontributionstotheongoingdevelopmentoftheCayman Islands,” he added. The cultural heritage honourees were chosen from nominations sent in by their peers in response to an open nomination process, Chief Officer Ms Jennifer Ahearn, explained. These honours will be made under the categories of Early Pioneer, Pioneer, Emerging Pioneer, Memorial Scroll and Long Service Award.
Differentiating between the terms culture and cultural heritage, she noted that cultural heritage is defined in dictionaries as relating to the culture, arts and intellectual achievements to the Cayman Islands community. Cayman Islands’ culture refers to the arts, crafts and all other manifestations of intellectual achievements of its people viewed collectively as well as the customs, ideas and social behaviour of the people, she said. Additionally this year, citations for bravery will be presented to five individuals for their “exceptional courage in keeping the Cayman Islands community safe for all citizens,” Protocol Coordinator Meloney Syms outlined. AlsoCaymanIslands’National Heroes will be recognised, reminding the people about the multi-faceted contributions of the eight stalwarts: Hon James (Jim) Manoah Bodden; Hon Sybil Ione McLaughlin, MBE, JP; Hon. Thomas William Farrington, CBE, JP; Hon Sybil Joyce Hylton, MBE; Hon Ormond L. Panton, OBE, Hon Desmond V. Watler, CBE; Hon Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon. and Hon William
Warren Connolly, OBE, JP. Laying of wreaths and a moment’s silence will be observed to commemorate deceased heroes and the country’s nation builders. Highpoints of this year’s celebrations include a walkpast by school children waving flags, songs by a youth choir and Cayman Folk Singers, a performance by Mrs Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette as well as a parade comprising the RCIPS band and detachments of RCIPS, Fire Service, Prison Service, Cadet Corps, Girls Brigade, Scouts, Cub Scouts and Seventh Day Adventists Pathfinders. Afterthecelebrations,cultural heritage displays in the Town Hall, live entertainment and free refreshmentsintheGeorgeTown PublicLibrarycarparkfollow,Ms Syms concluded. The event at Heroes Square starts at 9:00 a.m., with all invited guests asked to be seatedby8.30a.m.Intheeventof rain,thecelebrationsmovetoFirst Baptist Church on Crewe Road (oppositetheLionsCentre)starting at10:00a.m.,withallinviteestobe seatedby9.30a.m.Thedresscode is business attire.
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