Paula-Mae: TT can learn from Shouter Baptists

The people of TT can take example and learn from Spiritual Shouter Baptists who stood for their beliefs through decades of persecution until they prevailed.

In her message to the nation on the occasion of Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day, President Paula-Mae Weekes said, “The tenacity and resolve of the Spiritual Shouter Baptists in their struggle for freedom and recognition hold valuable lessons for the rest of the national community. Through sustained but peaceful agitation, determination and persistence, they carved for themselves an equal place in the religious and cultural landscape of TT. The Spiritual Baptists never yielded nor altered their beliefs to reflect the demands of the wider society but fought to maintain their traditions and heritage.”

Weekes noted the many difficulties of the religion including the 1917 Shouters Prohibition Ordinance which, for 34 years until it was repealed, banned members from worshipping and congregating freely. During that time they were forced underground, and faced public contempt, scorn and harassment.

However, she said they stayed their course and refused to bow to ideals of colonial propriety, which showed cultural pride and the value of celebrating links to the past. Because of this refusal, they now wore their garbs, bore their flags, rang their bells, and built their churches.

“We salute those local heroes of resilience who withstood ridicule, persecution and imprisonment for the sake of their faith.”