Remembering the ancestors: Through a lens

The Santa Rosa First Peoples hosted a remembrance ceremony at the Red House on October 16 as part of ongoing events during First People’s Heritage Week.

In 2019, 60 First Peoples were reburied after their remains were exhumed during the 2013 Red House restoration. A monument honouring these ancestors was mounted outside the Red House to mark the burial site.

Newsday photographer Jeff K Mayors attended the ceremony and captured these images.

This woman, a Surinamese shaman, makes an offering at The Santa Rosa First Peoples ceremony which took place at the Red House on October 16. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Mark Lassoe of the Kalinya tribe in Suriname partakes in the ceremony of The Santa Rosa First Peoples at the Red House in Port of Spain on October 16 to honour their ancestors. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Chief of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Ricardo Bharath during the “Remembering the Ancestors” ceremony at the Red House in Port of Spain. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers A smoke ritual is performed by the Santa Rosa First Peoples in a ceremony honouring ancestors the Red House on October 16. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers The Santa Rosa First Peoples performed their traditional rituals at the Red House on October 16 to honour their ancestors. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Members of the Trio tribe from Suriname participate in the “Remembering the Ancestors” ceremony at the Red House, celebrating ancestral connections during the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Heritage Week 2024. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Leader Remi Koepoeroe of the Trio group from Suriname performs during the “Remembering the Ancestors” ceremony at the Red House in Port of Spain. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers The “Remembering the Ancestors” ceremony took place at the Red House in Port of Spain on October 16 as part of ongoing events celebrating the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Heritage Week 2024. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles spoke at the “Remembering the Ancestors” ceremony at the Red House in Port of Spain. The event is part of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Heritage Week 2024. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers Mario Bharath (far right), the son of the chief of the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Ricardo Bharath, partakes in the ceremony to honour their ancestors at the Red House in Port of Spain on October 16. The ceremony was part of the ongoing events for the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community Heritage Week 2024. – Photo by Jeff K. Mayers

 

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