I am still dumbfounded and amazed by the living reality – not a nightmare – that a place, where I once went for family holidays and spent years of my education, my mother’s birth place; an island I considered home, Montserrat -“Alioguana”, “The Rock”, “Strat”- has been taken over by one of the most infamous and dangerous volcanos in the world. If I hadn’t revisited and witnessed the devastation, I would have said in typical Stratian dialect: “you too lie”; but I can’t.
The Leeward Island chain story of Montserrat is real not fiction – its unique tale has left many in awe, knowing never again in their possible lifetime, will they see a live volcano – nature happening at its best!
A tropical scientific hotspot, dubbed as a new ‘Natural Wonder of the World’, it all erupted 20 years ago when the dormant Soufrière Hills woke up, changing the lives of Montserratians forever; not only its inhabitants but, also affecting the diaspora. Making global headlines, the world watched a nation being incinerated by natural disaster, which was only thought possible through Hollywood’s imaginary flicks.
The process of rebuilding Montserrat’s economy and identity is still ongoing, picking up old pieces to preserve its tradition and culture.
Before ‘Volcano life’, Montserrat was considered one of the developing and booming British territories in the
Caribbean with a thriving agricultural sector, strong residential-tourism market, off-shore medical education and more famously, the ‘AIR Studios owned by legendary Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin. Musical giants from McCartney, John, Clapton, Sting, Earth, Wind & Fire and the late “MJ” all came to record. Not forgetting Strat’s home-grown superstar the late Alfonse “Arrow” Cassell.
One eerie afternoon on July 18th 1995, this once dormant volcano rumbled and vented to life. Revealed was a steep-sided lava dome silently growing, which destroyed the southern and eastern portion of the island, enduring a timeline of volcanic eruptions up to 2010. Historical places like the capital, Plymouth along with landmark buildings, were obliterated by volcanic mud slides. The memories of 19 people who perished, still burn in the minds of Stratians worldwide. Volcanologist Barry Voight from Penn State University, who observed the volcano since 1996, said “the island experienced a very long-lived eruption, making it the fifth-longest-living dome-building volcano in the world. An estimation of 260 million cubic yards of rocks, ash, and pumice was dumped across Montserrat in July 2003. That’s 200 million refrigerator-sized units flying around.”
“People have to learn to move on in life. Let go. Montserratians have to get used to living with the volcano. We don’t know when it’s really going to stop.
We have to embrace change and walk with God.”
To continue reading , purchase Vol. 8 #1 2015 issue
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I am still dumbfounded and amazed by the living reality – not a nightmare – that a place, where I once went for family holidays and spent years of my education, my mother’s birth place; an island I considered home, Montserrat -“Alioguana”, “The Rock”, “Strat”- has been taken over by one of the most infamous and dangerous volcanos in the world. If I hadn’t revisited and witnessed the devastation, I would have said in typical Stratian dialect: “you too lie”; but I can’t.
The Leeward Island chain story of Montserrat is real not fiction – its unique tale has left many in awe, knowing never again in their possible lifetime, will they see a live volcano – nature happening at its best!
A tropical scientific hotspot, dubbed as a new ‘Natural Wonder of the World’, it all erupted 20 years ago when the dormant Soufrière Hills woke up, changing the lives of Montserratians forever; not only its inhabitants but, also affecting the diaspora. Making global headlines, the world watched a nation being incinerated by natural disaster, which was only thought possible through Hollywood’s imaginary flicks.
The process of rebuilding Montserrat’s economy and identity is still ongoing, picking up old pieces to preserve its tradition and culture.
Before ‘Volcano life’, Montserrat was considered one of the developing and booming British territories in the
Caribbean with a thriving agricultural sector, strong residential-tourism market, off-shore medical education and more famously, the ‘AIR Studios owned by legendary Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin. Musical giants from McCartney, John, Clapton, Sting, Earth, Wind & Fire and the late “MJ” all came to record. Not forgetting Strat’s home-grown superstar the late Alfonse “Arrow” Cassell.
One eerie afternoon on July 18th 1995, this once dormant volcano rumbled and vented to life. Revealed was a steep-sided lava dome silently growing, which destroyed the southern and eastern portion of the island, enduring a timeline of volcanic eruptions up to 2010. Historical places like the capital, Plymouth along with landmark buildings, were obliterated by volcanic mud slides. The memories of 19 people who perished, still burn in the minds of Stratians worldwide. Volcanologist Barry Voight from Penn State University, who observed the volcano since 1996, said “the island experienced a very long-lived eruption, making it the fifth-longest-living dome-building volcano in the world. An estimation of 260 million cubic yards of rocks, ash, and pumice was dumped across Montserrat in July 2003. That’s 200 million refrigerator-sized units flying around.”
“People have to learn to move on in life. Let go. Montserratians have to get used to living with the volcano. We don’t know when it’s really going to stop.
We have to embrace change and walk with God.”
To continue reading , purchase Vol. 8 #1 2015 issue
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