An Okra-based soup native to the island of Aruba. Check out the details below…
Giambo Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. salted beef
- 2 quarts fresh water
- 1 ham hock
- 1 or 2 onions
- A few sprigs of parsley
- 1 or 2 carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 lb. red snapper fillets
- 2 lbs. okra, washed and sliced
- A few sprigs crushed yerba di hole, or fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 lb. cooked shrimp
I had a dinner conversation yesterday with a family friend about the revolutionary movements that took place in the Caribbean during the late 70’s. We talked about the likes of Fidel Castro, Walter Rodney and Maurice Bishop. While I should have posted this yesterday since it was Bishop’s birthday on May 29th, I feel its still appropriate to drop something on the slain revolutionary.
In 1979 Bishop’s party staged a revolution and deposed Gairy, who was out of the country addressing the United Nations at the time. Bishop subsequently suspended the constitution and declared himself Prime Minister of Grenada. All political parties except for the NJM were banned, and no elections were held during Bishop’s rule. Without a constitution in place, the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) simply issued laws by decree. The country was governed in theory by a cabinet of ministers with Bishop as Prime Minister, but in reality power in the country was exercised by the central committee of the party.Bishop began to build a close relationship with Cuba after he took power. He initiated a number of projects, most significantly, the building of a new international airport on the island‘s southern tip which was later renamed in his honour and memory in May 2009. Financing and labor for the construction of the airport came from Cuba, although most of the airport’s infrastructure was designed by European and North American consultants. American President Ronald Reagan accused Grenada of intending to use the new airport’s long “airstrip” as a waypoint for Soviet military aircraft.
In 1983 disputes at the top level of the party leadership occurred. A group within the party attempted to get Bishop to either step down or agree to a power-sharing agreement with Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard. Bishop rejected these proposals and was eventually deposed and placed under house arrest during the first week of October 1983 by Coard. Large public demonstrations demanding the restoration of Bishop afterward occurred in various parts of the island. In the course of one of these demonstrations Bishop was freed from house arrest by the crowd. In unclear circumstances, Bishop made his way to the army headquarters at Fort Rupert (known today as Fort George). After he arrived, a military force was dispatched from another location to Fort Rupert. Fighting broke out later at Fort Rupert with many civilians being killed. Bishop and seven others including cabinet ministers were captured. Later in the day they were executed by an army firing squad.
