Hundreds are expected to gather at Africville Park this weekend for the annual Africville Reunion, a celebration of community, culture, and resistance that carries deeper meaning this year. It’s the first full reunion since a broad daylight shooting last summer left five young people injured, including Crishiya Carvery, a teenager who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. A GoFundMe has been set up to help Carvery, who is also known as Tutu. Organizers say the incident shook the community but did not break it. “This event is about showing that the resistance is still alive,” said Irvine Carvery, President of the Africville Genealogy Society. “The people of Africville have never, ever given up their land. That’s why we’re here.” The reunion brings together former residents, their descendants and allies from across the country. It’s been held for decades on the land where Halifax’s historic Black community once lived before being razed in the 1960s. This year, the society says it worked for months to make sure the reunion is safer and more secure but still open and welcoming to all. After last year’s violence, the group partnered with Halifax Regional Police to conduct a full safety audit of the park, followed by months of community consultations to identify what changes needed to be made. In response, organizers have implemented several new measures: only one vehicle is allowed per campsite, and passes are now required at the gate to reduce traffic in the park. Lighting has been added throughout the area to ensure visibility at night, and the number of security personnel is increased. Security costs have ballooned to $7,000, a steep increase for the non-profit society, which doesn’t charge attendees for any activities. “We’re responsible for raising every dollar,” Carvery said. “Everything you see here, from the kids’ barbecue to the tents and chairs, is covered by the society.” Key support has come from long-time partners, including the Halifax Regional Municipality, African Nova Scotian Affairs, the Port of Halifax and the Canadian Armed Forces, which has provided tables, chairs, and transport for over 40 years. Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean said there is no place for violence at community events in a statement that marked the anniversary of the shooting. “Over the last year, investigators have worked tirelessly to bring justice to the victims and the Africville community,” MacLean said.“We have completed over 100 judicial authorizations, allowing us to conduct searches, seizures and gather any evidence we can related to this crime. We have also spoken to over 200 people. “Unfortunately, each piece of evidence and each conversation has fallen short of what we need to successfully make an arrest and get a conviction.” In April, Nova Scotia’s Department of Justice added the shooting to the Major Unsolved Crimes Program. The program is usually reserved for homicides and missing persons cases and offers a $150,000 reward. Officers will be patrolling the surrounding area at this year’s reunion, said MacLean. Despite the trauma of last year’s shooting, early signs suggest the community’s commitment to Africville remains strong. When the gates opened at 6 a.m. on Thursday, trailers and campers were already lined up to get in. “I was worried that people wouldn’t come back. But I knew in my heart the Africville people would be here,” said Carvery. “And they are.” Fifty-two campsites have been registered so far. The total turnout is expected to reach about 1,000 — on par with previous years. Part of the injured girl’s family is present at this year’s event but organizers declined to speak further out of respect for their privacy. The focus this weekend is not on the past, they say, but on reclaiming space, preserving memory, and honouring those who came before. “We are focused on the future,” Carvery said. “This is about celebrating the rich heritage of the community of Africville and doing it in honour of our ancestors who suffered so much to be here, in this place we call home.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
