Manchester Libraries’ Local Image Collection is a unique collection of over 80 000 images illustrating the history of the city. A new website is being developed (the current site being an interim one but still an up-date on the previous site which began back in 2004) and hopes to launch soon. What is more the new site will have around 10 000 new images, scanned by volunteers, from what is known as the Town Hall Photographers Collection.
Whilst many of our images are fascinating in themselves it is often the stories behind them that help bring them to life. This is the aim of our new Behind the Image Blog. The blogs are written by members of library staff and not only do they give information about the image but often highlight why the image appeals to that person.
This picture titled “People dancing in Albert Square, during Puerto Cabezas Friendship Day” is a wonderful snapshot, not only of late eighties dress but of folk literally dancing in the street. I particularly like this picture as the couples dancing appear so very stately and refined, it is redolent of Latin American outdoor celebrations which is very appropriate – it could have been taken anywhere in the world. The woman on the right of the couple in the foreground has an expression that suggests that she was an onlooker up until a few moments before the photo was taken, having fun but slightly self-conscious at the same time.
This was the third carnival held in honour and to aid the city of Puerto Cabezas. Puerto Cabezas, also known as Bilwi, is the largest city in Nicaragua’s poorest region. Like Manchester, it has a diverse culture. Situated in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua it has a prominent Caribbean influence and is a centre of the Native Central American Miskito Nation. It is extremely remote and has a monsoon climate with a short dry season – also similar to Manchester.
The Puerto Cabezas Friendship Day event on 16th July 1988 was held in part to celebrate the music and culture of Nicaragua and to raise much needed funds. The carnival in 1986 had raised £5,000 to buy essential water pumps for the area and £6,000 was raised in 1987 to pay for healthcare projects. Other fundraising events held in the city over that period and beyond included an annual masked ball which was, by all accounts, very popular.
Manchester signed a Friendship Agreement with Puerto Cabezas in February 1985 designating it as one of our international Sister Cities. The construct of Sister Cities is very similar to being ‘Twinned’ with another city or town, the difference being that Twin towns or cities are generally European. Sister Cities can also be known as ‘Partner Cities’. Manchester is currently in a Friendship Agreement with Wuhan, China.
Sources
Brittanica, (2024), Miskito. Available at: https//www.brittanica.com/topic/Miskito (accessed 27 November 2024).
Panter, S., 17 July 1988, ‘Latin Beats Hit The Streets’ Manchester Evening News p.17.
Manchester Evening News, 9 February 1996, p45
Click on this link to view the image on the website.