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Feb .28 2013 Vol 3 Issue 2 Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc.on-line Magazine Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine MASHRAMANI 2013 CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE AN EXPLOSION OF COLOR, SPECTACULAR COSTUMES, CREATIVE USE OF LOCAL MATERIAL

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Page 1: CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE · 2/3/2013  · Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine 2 Greetings! Welcome to the February issue of the Guyana Cultural Association

Feb .282013Vol 3Issue 2

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc.on-line Magazine

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

MASHRAMANI 2013

CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADEAN EXPLOSION OF COLOR, SPECTACULAR COSTUMES, CREATIVE USE OF LOCAL MATERIAL

Page 2: CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE · 2/3/2013  · Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine 2 Greetings! Welcome to the February issue of the Guyana Cultural Association

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

2 Greetings! Welcome to the February issueof the Guyana CulturalAssociation Online Magazine.We have as much to celebrateas the need to accomplishthrough hard work, commitmentand continued collaboration.The month of February is par-ticularly unique as a time andspace to observe milestones ofimportant historical and socio-cultural events. As transnation-als in the Diaspora, we are in aposition to celebrate suchevents with “feet in twoworlds.” We are in a field ofrelationships, practices andnorms that include both placeof origin and place of destina-tion. Consequently, the hybridtheme for the month ofFebruary is: Mashramani andBlack History.

In both observances, we paytribute to our ancestors as theystruggled and sacrificed toestablish a foundation for us.This month marks the anniversaryof the Berbice Slave Rebellion,the largest revolt of enslavedAfricans in British Guiana,which erupted on February 27,1763 continuing for more thana year until it was cruelly sup-pressed and the leaders executed.Mashramani or “MASH”, theGuyanese festival marking theattainment of Republic status in1970, seeks to promote aninter-ethnic cultural eventwhich emphasizes collectiveeffort and “a job well done”.Black History month, initiatedin 1915 in the US, focuses onthe achievements of AfricanAmericans and the vitality ofBlack culture. Notably,Caribbean immigrants havebenefited from the Civil RightsMovement.

The Board of Directors at arecently held meeting in NewYork unanimously endorsed thetheme for 2013: “Sacrifice, Hope

and Togetherness.” This year sev-eral significant anniversarieswill be commemorated, namely,the 250th anniversary of the1763 Berbice Slave Uprising ,190th anniversary of theDemerara Rebellion, 175thanniversary of the arrivals ofIndians in Guyana, 175thanniversary of the abolition ofslavery, and the 160th anniversaryof the arrival of the Chinese.The confluence of these cele-brations is noteworthy, andshould be used as the foundationsthat enable us to foster agreater understanding of ourhistory and appreciation forone another. Many sacrificeswere made on our behalf. Wehope to achieve much more bysharing resources, cultivating alasting unity, making Guyana apeaceful, efficient and prosperoussociety in which we can fullyrealize the gallant call of ourmotto: One People, One Nation,One Destiny. Challenges areinevitable, but we have theskills, talents, artifacts and tech-nology to accomplish our col-lective goals, informed by guidingprinciples: “Sacrifice, Hope andTogetherness.”

In this issue the articles reflecta potpourri of subjects on thedual theme. They include therecognition of Valentine’s Day;Young inventors; a rivetingpoem about the slave rebellionin Guiana; the efforts to concealfacts about Black history; thestory of Pageants; pictures ofthe colorful pageantry andparades of this year’s Mash cele-bration; the immigration reformproposal and CaribbeanImmigrants; Linden celebrates100 years; the Godfrey ChinPrize and much more.

Website: www.guyfolkfest.org

Walk Good!

Lear MatthewsFebruary Editor.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORIN THIS ISSUEPAGE 4: Sharing the DreamPAGE 6: Celebrating Black History & Black InventorsPAGE 8: Rudolph DunbarPAGE11: From Rebellion to RepublicanismPAGE 13-16: 250th anniversary of 1763 Berbice uprisingPAGE 17: All AHweePAGE 18: 20: Linden, 100 years a mining communityPAGE 21: Saint ValentinesPAGE 22-24 Melissa PhillipsPAGE 25-26: Dr. Persis Oneeka WilliamsPAGE 27-28: From Sambura to Cali-MariPAGE 29: Mentoring & the Multicultural ArtsPAGE 30-31: Saddiq KhanPAGE 32-33: Godfrey Chin Prize for Heritage JournalismPAGE 34: Proposed Immigration ReformPage 35: Becoming an educator

Lear MatthewsJanuary Editor

Cover Design - Claire GoringCopy Editors-

Edgar Henry & Lear Matthews

Layout and Design by Claire A. Goring & Ashton Franklin

Contributors:Edgar Henry, Rohan Sagar

Carl Hazlewood, Vibert Cambridge

Muriel Glasgow, Nazim HussainAllan A. Fenty, Lear Matthews

Enid Joaquin, Kaieteur NewsKeith Cadogan, Hubert Williams,

Ted Eric Matthews

PhotographsDemerara Waves, Nazim HussainAllison Skeete, Carl HazlewoodRollingout.com, Rohan Sagar

AcknowlegementSherwood Lowe & David Granger -

Emancipation FoundationKaieteur News; , Guyana TimesAfrican American RegistryAfro Guyanese Forum

Guyanese Museum of Art & Ethnology

GCA Media TeamAve Brewster-Haynes (Chairperson), Juliet Emanuel, Edgar Henry,Lear Matthews, Claire A. Goring,Muriel Glasgow, Ashton Franklin,

Margaret Lawrence, Francis Quamina Farrier.

Please join our Facebook group, Website: www.guyfolkfest.org

GCA Secretariat1368 E.89 Street, Suite 2, Brooklyn, NY 11236

Tel: 718 209 5207

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

3

‘Reflecting Creativity,Embracing Diversity’.

MASHRAMANI 2013 IN PICTURES

PHOTOGRAPHS COMPLIMENTS OF DEMERARA WAVES & NAZIM HUSSAIN

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

MASHRAMANI 2013

4

It was truly a colourful display of Mashramani, withcreativity and talent, which showcased the Children’sMashramani Parade which wended its way through

the streets of Georgetown and concluded at the NationalPark on February 18, 2013. Thousands of persons bravedthe hot sun to enjoy the spectacle and celebrate theParade in true Guyanese style.

With fifty schools competing in three categories, toppedup by participation from the Departments of Educationof Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10, a truly unforgettableMashramani Children’s Parade was staged.

Proceedings commenced at the Parade Ground atCarmichael & Middle Streets in Georgetown and was ledby the Minister of Education, Ms. Priya Manickchand. Theparade of young revelers, wended its way into CampStreet, then into Lamaha Street, then into Albert Street,before entering the National Park, where the costumeswere finally judged.

Participating schools in the nursery category includedthe South Road, Alexander Village, Head Start, SelmanFraser, and Secret Hearts nursery; whilst the primaryschool participants were drawn from South Ruimveldt, St.Stephens, Winfer Gardens, and North GeorgetownPrimary schools.

Some schools displayed traditional costumes designed incarnival-like styles, with glitter and paint all made fromlocal materials. Others depicted historic monuments ofGuyana which have relevance to Mashramani.

Local and Caribbean music pulsated as the children,teachers, parents and onlookers enjoyed themselves,dancing to the music.

Among those witnessing this event were Minister ofCulture, Youth & Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony; officials of thesponsor, GT&T; and Mashramani Committee membersand coordinators. Ministry of Education personnel andofficials from the respective regional education depart-

ments were very much in evidence.

Region 6 Department of Education captured the hearts ofthose present portraying the services of the telecommu-nication company GT&T with a song and costumesdepicting the network and the significant technologicalimprovements it has brought to the Guyanese nation.

Other creative costumes were worn by students of thePresident’s College, and by the Department of Educationof Region 8, in the male and female categories.

CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADEAN EXPLOSION OF COLOR, CREATIVE USE OF LOCAL

MATERIALS, EXCITING COSTUMES

Nazim Hussain

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

MASHRAMANI 2013

Children’s Costume Parade: ...a glimpse at the future of Mashramani

Page 6: CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE · 2/3/2013  · Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine 2 Greetings! Welcome to the February issue of the Guyana Cultural Association

Origin of Black History MonthBlack history month gives us anopportunity to highlight signifi-cant, but often under reportedaspects of Black history and cul-ture. The son of a slave, Carter G.Woodson (1875-1950), was thefounder of Negro History Weekfrom which originated the selec-tion of February as Black HistoryMonth in 1926, a month notablefor the birth dates of both Freder-ick Douglass (black abolitionist)and President Abraham Lincoln.

Armed with aspiration, perspira-tion, perseverance (APP), Mr.Woodson obtained a PhD in1912, despite having entered highschool at the age of 20. He wasinstrumental in using the entitieshe founded as repositories for col-lecting, preserving and publishingdocuments on black history andculture to educate all peopleabout the contributions of BlackMen and Women throughout his-tory. Despite the efforts of Mr.Woodson to inform about thecontribution of black people andtheir inventions, some of themwere still “concealed by history”

Great African American inventorsconcealed by Historyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?fea-ture=player_embedded&v=aDi-vYNKCD6g#!

Elijah McCoy (1843–1929) -an oil-dripping cup for trains.Attempts by many to copy andimprove on the invention proved

futile -with customers always asking for“the real McCoy” hence the expres-sion.

Lewis Latimer (1848–1928)- the carbon filament, essential to thefunctioning of the light bulb. Latimerworked in the laboratories of bothThomas Edison and Alexander Gra-ham Bell.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger(1852–1889) - a shoemakingmachine that increased shoemakingspeed by 900%! In 1992, the U.S.made a postage stamp in honor ofMatzeliger.

Granville T. Woods(1856–1910) - a train-to-stationcommunication system; after leavingschool at age 10 to work and supporthis family.

George Washington Carver(1860–1943) - peanut butter and400 plant products! Born a slave, hestarted college at 30. Inducted in theNational Inventors Hall of Fame

Madam C. J. Walker(1867–1919) - a hair-growinglotion - She grew up poor, butbecame the first female African-American millionaire.

Garrett Morgan(1877–1963) - the gas mask; andthe first traffic signal.

Otis Boykin (1920–1982) -electronic control devices for guidedmissiles, IBM computers, and thepacemaker; as well as 28 differentelectronic devices.

Lonnie G. Johnson (1949–)- the world-famous water gun, theSuper soaker; and recently a Nerf balltoy gun.

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY & BLACK INVENTORS

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The Museum of African Art andEthnology was founded in the year1985 with the purchase of the collec-tions of African Art of Mr. Hubert HNicholson and Mrs. Desiree Malik.These collections were annotated andaccessioned through UNESCO by Dr.William Seligman Curator of Africanand Oceanic Art, Brooklyn Museumwas declared open in 1992. Since thendonations from the local communityhave continued include art and craftbrought from African Community herein Guyana. The Museum has collectedpieces from the Burrowes School ofart and other day-to-day artifactsfrom local community.

In 2001, the Museum was renamed theMuseum of African Heritage in orderto open their doors to a wider audi-ence and begin to fully address theAfrican experience in Guyana. Thisnew mandate or Mission Statement willallow the Museum to explore researchand solicit donations from the wholeof the community with to share, aswell as to begin to provide program-mer that will educate visitors to theactivities in our lives that come fromthese origin.

The African Museum of Heritage is thefirst of its kind in the Caribbean.

BLACK HISTORY:ORIGIN, PERSONALITIESAND SIGNIFICANCE

Muriel Glasgow

THE GUYANA MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART & ETHNOLOGY

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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY & BLACK INVENTORS

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

7Emmett W. Chappelle - recipient of 14 U.S.patents; recognized as one of the 100 most distin-guished African American scientists and engineers ofthe 20th Century. Supported NASA's manned spaceflight initiatives since 1966; pioneered the developmentof the ingredients ubiquitous in all cellular material;developed techniques to detect bacteria in urine,blood, spinal fluids, drinking water and foods. In 1977,began research efforts toward the remote sensing ofvegetation health through laser-induced fluorescence(LIF); with other research scientists he advanced thedevelopment of LIF as a sensitive means of detectingplant stress. Chappelle continues to mentor talentedminority high school and college students in his labora-tories.

NATIONAL INVENTORS HALL OF FAMEAn impressive number of African Americanswere inducted to the National Inventors Hallof Fame. In an effort to continue this impor-tant tradition, the Patent and TrademarkOffice has been working with the NationalInventors Hall of Fame Foundation to honorthe true story of Black History.

The five inductees are: Dr. Patricia E. Bath(eye surgery method); George WashingtonCarver (peanut butter and 400 plant prod-ucts – born a slave); Mark Dean (with co-inventor Dennis Moeller developed improve-ments in Computer architecture); PercyJulian (breakthrough treatment of glauco-ma); James West (Sound recording and voicecommunication).

The important contribution of these icons tothe history and development of the UnitedStates and the world must not be forgotten.We encourage our readers, including ouryouth to continue the research so as toinvolve them in increasing our understand-ing the foundations of Black history.

Source: About.com; inventors/about.cominventors/about.comabout.com/inventors

Lonnie G. Johnson with the world-famouswater gun, the Super Soaker

Jan Ernst Matzeliger and the shoemakingmachine that increased shoemaking speed.

Garrett Morgan and the first traffic signal

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8CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Rudolph DunbarA talented Guyanese andinternational clarinetist and conductor with many “firsts”“At a concert this week in Berlin, Berlin's famed 65-year-old PhilharmonicOrchestra was led by a U.S. war correspon-dent in battledress. Besides being a warcorrespondent, the guest conductor was aNegro, born in British Guiana. The 2,000Berliners and the 500 Allied soldiers inthe audience found it quite an experi-ence. They applauded warmly when theconductor led the orchestra throughWeber's familiar Oberon andTchaikovsky's Pathétique. They broke intocheers, and called him back five times,when he gave them Berlin's first hearing of fellow-Negro William Grant Still's boisterous, bluesy Afro-American Symphony”

First published in , The Times, 1945

First published in African American Registry

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

9CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

“Slender, serious Rudolph Dunbar is no musicalfreshman. He studied at Manhattan's JulliardSchool, has several times conducted theLondon Philharmonic. He was in Berlin ascorrespondent for the Associated Negro Pressof Chicago. Shortly before the BerlinPhilharmonic's Conductor Leo Borchard wasaccidentally killed by U.S. sentries, he hadinvited Dunbar to guest-conduct. U.S. occupationauthorities were all for it, though their interestwas more in teaching the Germans a lesson inracial tolerance than in Dunbar's musicianship.”

The news story above was published in Time onSeptember 10, 1945 when the career of RudolphDunbar was at its peak. Dunbar lived for another

forty-three years, but what happened in those years to thefirst Black musician to conduct the Berlin and LondonPhilharmonic Orchestras is a mystery. The story starts atthe turn of the last century in British Guiana (nowGuyana). The date of Dunbar’s birth is variously given as1902 or 1907, and classical music was an unlikely careerfor a Black Guyanese boy at that time. But the youngDunbar’s interest was sparked by hearing transcriptionsof Wagner and Elgar played in Georgetown by the BritishGuiana Militia Band. He joined the Militia Band as anapprentice clarinettist at the age of 14, and stayed withthem for five years.

His talent was such that he left the band when he was 19to study at the Institute of Musical Art (now the Juilliard)in New York, and lived in the city until he graduated in1925. His subjects at the Juilliard were composition, clar-inet and piano, but he was also active in the Harlem jazzscene, and was clarinet soloist on recordings by ThePlantation Orchestra (photo above). While in New Yorkhe became a friend and champion of the African-American composer William Grant Still, and their corre-spondence is held today at the University of Arkansas.

In 1925 Dunbar moved to Paris as a post-graduate, study-ing conducting with Philippe Gaubert (below), and com-position with Paul Vidal and clarinet with Louis Cahuzac.He also spent time with Felix Weingartner in Vienna.Dunbar’s reputation as a clarinettist grew, and reached

the widow of Claude Debussy who invited him to give aprivate recital in her apartment in 1930 for members ofthe Paris Conservatoire.

Dunbar moved to London in 1931 to work as a music crit-ic, and he also started the first ever clarinet school, whichattracted students from around the world. His reputationwas such that in 1939 he was commissioned to write atextbook on the clarinet, and his Treatise on the Clarinet(Boehm System) became the standard reference work forthe instrument. It remained in print though ten editions,and today commands high prices as a collectors item.

Dunbar remained active as a jazz musician, and in the1930s in Britain he led two jazz groups, the All BritishColoured Band (also known as the Rumba ColouredOrchestra), and Rudolph Dunbar and his AfricanPolyphony, and made pioneering recordings of WestIndian music with both these groups. He also composed,and his 1938 ballet score Dance of the Twenty-FirstCentury (described by Dunbar as ‘ultra modern’), whichwas written for the famous Cambridge UniversityFootlights Club, was broadcast nationally by NBC withthe composer conducting.

The outbreak of war in Europe opened up conductingopportunities for Dunbar, and in 1942 he led the LondonPhilharmonic in the Royal Albert Hall in a concert thatwas described at the time as a fund-raiser for “Britain’scoloured allies”. He wrote for the Associated Negro Pressof Chicago, and this gave him credentials as a war corre-spondent in Europe. He took part in the NormandyLandings with a Black regiment, and was the first foreign-er to conduct a symphony orchestra in Paris after it wasliberated, and then went on to conduct in Berlin.

In 1945 Dunbar presented a Festival of American Music inthe Théatre des Champs Elysees, Paris with theConservatoire Orchestra and pianist Jeanne-Marie Darré.The programme included the premiere of In Memoriam:The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy byWilliam Grant Still (right), as well as Still's Afro-AmericanSymphony. The following year Dunbar made his US con-ducting debut with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony in aprogramme that again included Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony. In other concerts he programmedthe music of the Afro-British composer Samuel ColeridgeTaylor.

Rudolph DunbarBerlin and London Philharmonic Orchestras' first Black conductor

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

10 Rudolph Dunbarfrom page 9

Dunbar was a pioneering activist against racism. Whenasked at his US debut if he would settle in the countryhe replied: “I think I will make my home in Paris where,if you are good, they will applaud you whether you arepink, white or black, and if you are bad they will whistleat you.” But he was also supportive of the US, and object-ed to the British Government promoting his career forpolitical ends, saying “It is not the British who have doneit for me, it is the Americans.”

At the end of the war the promise was immense. Dunbarwas established as a leading performer and authority onthe clarinet, his conducting career was in the ascendantas concert life restarted, and he was seen as a role-modelfor West Indians. But the promise wasn’t fulfilled.Dunbar is documented as being the first black conduc-tor of a symphony orchestra in Poland (1959), andRussia (1964), both concerts were in Soviet bloc coun-tries at the peak of the Cold War. He promoted concertsfor the Jamaican Hurricane Relief Fund in 1951, andtoured British Guiana in the 1950s conducting the coun-try’s Militia Band, Philharmonic Orchestra and a youthchoir. Rudolph Dunbar died in London in June 1988.

Were Dunbar's conducting talents simply eclipsed by de-Nazified conductors returning to the podium after thewar, or were there other reasons why the promise was-n't fulfilled? Exactly what happened remains a mystery,but there are some tantalising clues. Dunbar's brief obituaryin the Musical Times says: 'He gradually withdrew frompublic life, and devoted himself to fighting racism andtrying to increase black involvement in Western art music.

But there seems to be more to it than a gradual with-drawal from public life. It is known that Dunbar con-ducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra. One of the leadingauthorities on music in Guyana is Dr Vibert C.Cambridge at Ohio University, and in an article for theStabroek News in Guyana in August 2004 Dr Cambridgequotes from an interview Rudolph Dunbar gave sixmonths before his death in 1988:

“Dunbar spoke about the particular vindictiveness ofa producer/director of music at the BBC who derailedhis musical career in Europe. Dunbar described thatdirector of music as “despicable and vile” and the BBC“as stubborn as mules and ruthless as rattlesnakes”.

Today Rudolph Dunbar (left) is remembered as a one ofa pioneering group of West Indians who fought racismin the UK. The musician who was the first Black conduc-tor of the Berlin Philharmonic, and who wrote a stan-dard reference work on the clarinet, does not warrant asingle mention in the current or earlier editions of theGrove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, or other majormusic reference books. Why remains a mystery.

from On an Overgrown Path

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Dunbar was born in Nabacalis, British Guiana.He began his musical career playing clarinetwith the British Guiana militia band at the ageof 14, before moving to New York at the age of20. He studied at the Institute of Musical Art(now Juilliard), and while in New York wasalso involved with the Harlem jazz scene.Between 1927 and 1929 Dunbar attended theSorbonne in Paris, where he studied conductingwith Philippe Gaubert, composition with PaulVidal, and the clarinet with Louis Cahuzac. Hishopes of a degree were ended by the death ofhis father.By 1931, Dunbar had settled in London, wherehe founded the Rudolph Dunbar School ofClarinet Playing. He published Treatise on theClarinet (Boehm System) in 1939, whichbecame a standard text about the instrument.He had appearances on the BBC in 1940 and1941, and became the first black man to conductthe London Philharmonic in 1942 at a concertin the Royal Albert Hall, London, before anaudience of 7,000. In September 1945 he con-ducted the Berlin Philharmonic at the invitationof music director Leo Borchard, performingWilliam Grant Still's Afro-American Symphonybefore Allied servicemen. Dunbar also conductedorchestras in Russia and Poland, and in 1948at the Hollywood Bowl.He championed the music of other black com-posers, particularly Still. Dunbar had playedalongside Still in the Harlem Orchestra around1924, and the autograph of Still's FestiveOverture of 1944 is dedicated "To my dearfriend, Rudolph Dunbar".

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

NOTES FROM ALLAN FENTY IN GUYANA

This is but a brief, Brief on Guyana’s forty-thirdRepublican Anniversary celebrations now conclud-ing in the country as you read this.

Frequently described as “MASHRAMANI”, the Republic’sAnniversary is celebrated mainly by a month-long festivalof cultural displays and competition now complementedby debates, lectures, exhibitions, historical dramas andother more cerebral events.

First, readers must be made aware or be reminded aboutwhy February 23rd was chosen to be the Republic’s Dayforty-three years ago. Between February 23 and 27, twohundred and fifty years ago (1763) the African slaves,severely abused by the Dutch plantocracy in the thenDutch colony of Berbice, the now easternmost part of theRepublic of Guyana, unleashed a nearly year-long uprisingagainst both planters and military . The oppressed thusstaged what was the colonized Western hemisphere mostsignificant revolt, bordering on revolution, twenty-eightyears before Haiti’s own successful rebellion and take-over against the French!

So since the first blow of 1763 was struck on February23, at Magdalenenburg on the Canje, Forbes Burnhamchose that to launch his Guyana Republic in 1970. Twobits of important trivia to note: (1.) Forbes did NOTchoose it because of his February 20 birthdate and (2.)Cheddi Jagan had no objection to the date. (After all, onePPP ideological College was named after ACCABREH oneof the 1763 Rebel Slaves).

Briefly, I must also let readers know the significance ofthe East Coast Slave Rebellion of 1823. That revolt fea-tured an African Slave Deacon of a church who befriend-ed the Reverend John Smith, a European pastor from theLondon Missionary Society. After the failed rebellion andthe wanton slaughter of the East Coast rebels and theirfollowers, the British, both in Parliament and amongst thenow moralistic public, began to seriously consider theabolition of slavery by Britain’s commercial/industrialinterests. Their conscience and the death of the con-demned British Priest Smith, eventually contributed tothe abolition of slavery in 1834. Such was the impor-tance of 1823 in Demerara!

What could we write, say, of Guyana’s Republicanism?Yes, there was consensus to end constitutional and psy-chological links to Britain Our local President replacedthe British Monarch as Head of our Independent State.Other Republican symbols abound. But what is the sub-stance today? Why are more Guyanese now living in theUSA, UK, Canada, the Caribbean and in neighbouringStates, than in the Green Land itself?

Let’s leave that for another time and essay.

FROM REBELLION TOREPUBLICANISM

A. A. Fenty

11

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

FEBRUARY 23, THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1763 BERBICE UPRISING

The most famous slave uprising, was the Berbice Slave Uprising,which began in February 1763. On two plantations on theCanje River in Berbice, African slaves rebelled, taking control of

the region. As plantation after plantation fell to the slaves, theEuropean population fled; eventually only half of the Caucasians whohad lived in the colony remained.

Led by Coffy (now the national hero of Guyana) an Akan man fromWest Africa, the African freedom fighters came to number about 3,000and threatened European control over the Guiana’s. The rebellion,which orginally began on privately owned estates, soon attracted theslaves on plantations owned by the Berbice Association. The rebelsburned buildings and cane fields and attacked and killed a number ofcaucasian men and women. Soon they reached plantations on theBerbice River, and among the plantations attacked were Juliana,

February 23 was the 250th anniversary of the 1763

FEBRUARY 2013,THE 250THANNIVERSARYOF THE 1763 BERBICEUPRISINGFirst published in Afro Guyanese Forum

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

Berbice Uprising

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13

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Mon Repos, Essendam, Lilienburg, Bearestyn, Elizabeth andAlexandria, Hollandia, and Zeelandia. Slaves from these andother plantations joined the rebel forces which movedsteadily towards the capital of Berbice, Fort Nassau, located56 miles up the Berbice River on its right bank. When theyattacked the plantations, they seized gunpowder and gunsbelonging to the owners.

Meanwhile, those among the Caucasian population whomanaged to escape sought refuge on the five ships in theBerbice River, at Fort Nassau, Fort St. Andries at the mouthof the Berbice River, and in a brick house at PlantationPeerboom, about 70 miles upriver on the left bank. Someothers, in panic, fled through the forest to Demerara. Thefeeling of hopelessness was compounded by an epidemicof dysentery which affected the Caucasians.

On the 3 March, a rebel group, numbering over 500, andled by Cosala, then launched an attack on the brick houseat Peerboom which was heavily fortified by the caucasiandefenders. The rebels threw balls of burning cotton on theroof which began to burn, but the defenders were able toput out the fire. During a period of inaction, the manager ofPlantation Bearestyn demanded to know why the Africanswere attacking "Christians". Cosala shouted back that theywould no longer tolerate the presence of caucasians orChristians in Berbice since they (the African rebels) werenow in control of all the plantations.

After a period of negotiations, the rebels agreed to allowthe Caucasians to leave the brick house unharmed anddepart for their boats in the river. But as the caucasianswere leaving, the rebels opened fire killing many of themand taking many prisoners. Among the prisoners was thewife of the manager of Plantation Bearestyn whom Coffykept as his wife.

Coffy, accepted by all the rebels as the leader of the rebellion,then declared himself Governor of Berbice, and set up hisadministration at Hollandia and Zeelandia. He selectedAkara as his deputy, and set about drilling his troops andestablishing discipline. Two other leaders who emerged

were Atta and Accabre, the latter being very dis-ciplined and military-conscious. Other militaryleaders included Cossala and Goussari.

Work groups among the Africans were also orgnized to farm the estate lands to produce food-supplies to sustain the population. But from thebeginning, Coffy encountered difficulties withhis forces since some sections felt that by defeat-ing the Caucasians meant that they could nowact as they pleased. Small groups roamed acrossthe countryside plundering abandoned estates,while some others spent most of their timedrinking rum and dressing up in European cloth-ing plundered from the plantations.

The Dutch Governor, Van Hoogenheim andother Caucasians at Fort Nassau, were undecid-

ed on what they should do. Van Hoogenheim had wantedto defend the colony but the Court of Policy Voted againstdefending the colony.

On the 8 March 1763 Fort Nassau was abandoned after thebuildings were burned and the cannons spiked. The cau-casians travelled by boats to Fort St. Andries which weresoon found to be of no use, for neither housing or defence.Although this was quite evident, it was voted that theCaucasians should stay there.when an English ship with100 soldiers arrived from Suriname. Van Hoogenheimimmediately withdrew his decision to abandon the colonyand began to re-organise its defence. He dispatched 25 sol-diers to Plantation Fredricksburg up the Canje and left asmall group with two ships to guard the mouth of theBerbice River. With the remaining larger group, he alongwith volunteers among the Caucasians sailed up with threearmed ships to Dageraad. There Van Hoogenheim fortifiedthe previously abandoned buildings and arranged the threeships so that their guns would defend this new defenceposition.

The rebels, led by Akara, immediately launched three suc-cessive attacks on the Caucasians but they were drivenback. Coffy, who did not approve these attacks, immediate-ly after, on the 2 April 1763, wrote to Van Hoogenheim say-ing that he did not want a war with the Caucasians. He alsoproposed the partition of Berbice between the Caucasiansand Africans with the Caucasians occupying the coastalarea, and the Africans occupying the interior.

Meanwhile the Governor sent a group of two loyal slavesand two Amerindians to Suriname for assistance. Help wasalso sought from Essequibo-Demerara. Stalling for time andhoping for reinforcements to arrive from the other Dutchcolonies, he wrote back to Coffy saying that he had sentthe partition proposal to Holland and was waiting for aresponse. There upon began an exchange of lettersbetween Coffy and Van Hoogenheim in which the formerinsisted that he held the latter in great respect and meanthim no harm.

14FEBRUARY 23, THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1763 BERBICE UPRISING

1763 BerbiceUprisingCoffy, accepted by all the rebels as the leader of therebellion, then declared himself Governor of Berbice,and set up his administration at Hollandia andZeelandia. He selected Akara as his deputy, and setabout drilling his troops and establishing discipline.Two other leaders who emerged were Atta andAccabre, the latter being very disciplined and military-conscious.

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

FEBRUARY 23, THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1763 BERBICE UPRISING

"in no casewill we beslaves again."...

Coffy

15

However, he did list the names of the planters who were excessivelycruel to their slaves, saying that their cruelty caused them to rebel. Hewas probably using this tactic to divide the Caucasians and hoping thatthe Governor would surrender them to the rebels. Coffy also proposeda face-to-face meeting Maintaining his delaying tactics, the Governor continued to insist in hisreplies to Coffy that he was still waiting to hear from Holland. By theend of March, the Director General of Essequibo-Demerara LaurensStorm Van Gravesande had received information about the rebellion,and he instructed the Commander of Demerara, to request assistancefrom Caribs, Arawaks, and Akawaios to mount an attack on the Berbicerebels, from the south.Gravesande also wrote to the Zeeland Chamber and the Directors ofthe Berbice Association in Holland, and the Governor of St. Eustatiusseeking military assistance for the Caucasians in Berbice. Eventually,two well-armed ships with 158 soldiers arrived in Berbice. By this time, Coffy lost his patience with Van Hoggenhiem, and on the13 May 1763 he agreed to an attack on Dageraad. His forces numberedabout 2,000 while the Caucasians had about 150 armed men. The threeships in the river maintained a steady firing of their heavy guns on theattackers and by mid- afternoon, they were forced to withdraw aftersuffering a loss of 58 dead. Eight caucasians died during this battle. After this defeat, Coffy wrote to Van Hoogenheim again offering hispartition proposal which he hoped would bring peace with honour. Ina very firm statement, he insisted that "in no case will we be slavesagain." But the defeat of the Blacks helped to open up divisions in their ranks.Those who had been field-slaves began to express disapproval of Coffy,who was a house-slave. Atta was the leader of this "field-slave" faction.Tribal contentions also emerged and fights broke out between mem-bers of different tribes. Creole people also at times attacked those whorecently arrived from Africa. These divisions seriously undermined themilitary strength of the rebels and helped to encourage the Caucasiansto regroup their forces. Interestingly, soon after their arrival, a group of Dutch soldiers, includ-ing Jene Renaud and Sergeant de Niesse who had mutinied and desert-ed the post on the Corentyne, were captured and employed by therebels to train the troops and make weapons.

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

FEBRUARY 23, THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1763 BERBICE UPRISING

Coffy used them for training his forces, and someeven led small bands of the rebels in guerrilla attackson plantations controlled by the Caucasians.Meanwhile the differences between Coffy and Attacontinued to grow and eventually Atta challengedhim for the leadership. The opposing supportersfought each other and after Atta's faction won, andCoffy an his allies were killed.Atta, now the new leader, appointed Accabre as hismilitary commander, and three other leaders,Quacco, Baube and Goussari rose up among theranks. But by this time reinforcements were arriving

to support the Caucasians.A combined Amerindian force was already movingthrough the forest from the south, and from the 19December 1763 soldiers who had arrived fromHolland were moving up the Canje and BerbiceRivers and taking back control of the plantations.Large numbers of Africans surrendered while othersfled into the forest. But some mounted resistance,but they were quickly suppressed by the Dutch sol-diers. However, in two battles, including one at WikkiCreek, the African forces were able to score victories. Atta and Akara were soon after taken prisoner, butAccabre with a disciplined band resisted the Dutchforces by using innovative military strategy. In theend he himself was betrayed by Akara and Goussari,by then prisoners of the Dutch, and was over-whelmed by the superior number of the Dutch sol-diers and was captured. When he was broughtbefore Van Hoogenheim, he proudly admitted hisrole as a leader of the rebellion. Accabre, Atta, Akara, Quacco, Baube and Goussari, aswell as many other rebels were executed. BetweenMarch and April 1764, 40 of them were hanged, 24broken at the wheel and 24 burned to death. Otherswho were rounded up were re-enslaved and put backto work on the plantations,now back under control oftheir Caucasian owners.

The Berbice Slave Rebellion,which lasted for 10 months,marked the first large scaleattempt by a large group ofenslaved people to win theirfreedom in Guyana.Significantly, it was also thefirst organised attempt towin freedom in the entireAmerican continent.

THE 1763BERBICE

UPRISING

first published in the Afro Guyanese Forum

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

For All Ahweeby Ted Eric Matthews

Remember 1762! Remember plantations Goedland and Goed Fortuin,Up the Berbice River.What a brave and heroic thirty six they were.They struck a blow for liberty, for us ... the audacity!Then persued, hunted, killed, severely punished! Remember 1763! (was before Haiti)Remember Magdalenenburg, Providence, Hollandia, Lillianburg,Up the Canje River.Break the chains! Break out! Burn! Chop!Free ourselves! Free yourselves!Run massa, run! Run missy, run! Massa day done!

Remember Kofi, and Atta, and Akara, and Accabre!Accabre, the obeahman.Accabre who said “Kill de whites! Drive dem to de sea!”

Kofi dictated letters, negotiated, procrastinated, his government, his army,waited, hesitated; dissention in the ranks.Former house slaves, former field slaves –We massa was a good massa! spare missy, she was good to we!Van Hoogenheim, governor of Berbice colony was crafty, played for time,Waited for reinforcement, divide and rule,... then pursued, hunted, killed, scatteration, severely punished!... then, the hangings, incinerations, brandings, floggings, chopped off ears.Forget the blood shed?! Forget the crushed bones?! Forget the burnt flesh?!Never! Never! Never! The spark never died! It must never die!Remember 1763 – in Berbice colony... four months free.Remember 1763 ...was before Haiti..was for all ahwee!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ted Eric Matthewsa Guyanese, is a retired New YorkCity Board of Education teachernow residing in Fairburn,Georgia."a

SUBMIT YOUR POEMS FOR CONSIDERATION TO:

[email protected]

POETS & POETRY

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Noitgdacht, Spieghtland, Wismar, Determa, Mora,Greenheart, Potaro, Crabwood, Purpleheart, Pine,Wallaba,Yuraballi, Cedar and Silverballi are exotic

sounding names of communities and streets in Linden,which is a town of equally exotic and colorfulhistory.�The aforementioned names reflect of course, theDutch and German influence, and our beautiful andenduring woods, that contributed significantly to theearly economic ventures of the community, through thelogging industry.�This year, the community that we loveto call the “mining town” celebrates its hundredth year ofexistence- not as a town, but for want of better terminolo-gy, a mining community.�Linden as we know it today, is afar cry from its humble beginnings, with its genesis atChristianburg.�The establishment of this communitydates back to the days of Dutch occupancy.�But theDutch did not initially settle at Christiansburg, but lowerdown the river, about one mile away, at a settlement theynamed Arague. Christian Finnette, who was at the timethe Governor, however lived with his wife atChristianburg, which was then known as Stabroek.�It wasFinnette who later changed the name of the communityfrom Stabroek to Christianburg, a combination of his andhis wife’s name (Burg).�The main occupations of theseearly settlers were sugar cane farming and rubber ‘bleed-ing’.�Later in the year 1803, a Scottish Engineer by thename of John Patterson, came to Guyana at the invitationof the English, to establish living quarters for Governmentofficials.The Christianburg waterwheel, a famous Linden landmarkPatterson would engage slaves, Dutch settlers andAmerindians to work at his logging operations, which heestablished to provide the lumber for the buildings.�Thispotpourri of laborers, with romantic sounding names likeCouchman, De Clou, D’Anjou, Allicock and Adams,became the backbone of permanent settlers, in the com-munity.�As could be expected, harvesting and transport-ing logs in those early days involved the most primitivemethods.�The logs were tied together to form rafts andthen tied to a punt, in which Patterson and his wife thenlived. In this fashion, the logs were transported toGeorgetown, using slaves with paddles and oars to manthe rafts.�These river trips sometimes lasted more than aweek, and quite a few of the slaves succumbed to a

watery grave.�Patterson would later establish a sawmill atChristianburg.�The sawmill was powered by a waterwheel which was established in the year 1855, and har-nessed power from the Katapulli creek.�Apart from pow-ering the sawmill, the waterwheel also provided electrici-ty for the nearby cabins of the workers, who lived inclose proximity, for security purposes.�Patterson in themeantime had built a huge house (mansion) nearby, closeto the river.�That house, which became an importantlandmark, would later serve as the ChristianburgMagistrate’s Court. However, unfortunately, this notewor-thy part of our history was destroyed by fire over a yearago. But the waterwheel still stands to this day, andremains a prominent landmark.�But Christianburg beforeall of that, was originally a sugar plantation, and wasreportedly one of the largest in the region.WISMAR�The area we now know as Wismar was formerlyknown as Shingles landing, because of the shingles thatwere manufactured there. There are reports that this areahad also earlier been a sugar plantation.The old Christianburg Courthouse, which was destroyedby fireWismar later became the headquarters for SprostonsLimited, which operated the steamer service fromGeorgetown, and was also involved in logging. Thus it wasthat the community naturally became the official gatewayto the interior, as prospectors from Georgetown and thecoastland would journey to the area by boat, then contin-ued overland to Rockstone and Essequibo, in search ofthe much touted gold and diamond fields.�A railway wasestablished from Wismar to Rockstone in 1986 and thisoperated until about the year 1918. The trains of coursemade the arduous journey much easier.�After the railwaywas scrapped, many of the porknockers, who had suf-fered their fair share of hard knocks in the gold fields andwith not much to show for their travails, decided to settleat Wismar.�Christianburg and Wismar therefore becamethe forerunner communities, but later the area would begiven a much needed economic boost with the com-mencement of bauxite mining, that would see the estab-lishment of another community on the opposite side ofthe river.

LINDEN:CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AS A

MINING COMMUNITYEnid Joaquin, Kaieteur News

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

19This was realized with the intervention ofMr. George Bain Mackenzie, who enteredthe scheme of things in the year 1913, withhis eyes set on the Bauxitesector.�Mackenzie, who had been commis-sioned to purchase bauxite lands, would beresponsible for establishing another settle-ment on the other side of the DemeraraRiver, which became known as Mackenzie.But the name “Mackenzie”, would soon beused to refer to the entire communities ofChristianburg, Wismar and Mackenzie.�Thedetermining factor in choosing the particu-lar location (Mackenzie) was to facilitateeasy access for ocean goingvessels.�Another determinant was the readi-ly available labor force that was already liv-ing at Wismar and Christianburg.�But beforebauxite was discovered, it wasChristianburg that was considered the seatof Government, as the district emissary, dis-penser and police headquarters could allbe found there.�The advent of bauxite inthe area saw an influx of persons flockingthe community. With more employment available, personsjourneyed from areas on the coast andother communities, to work at the newlyestablished bauxite company, whichbecame known as the Demerara BauxiteCompany (DEMBA)�Migrants also camefrom islands such as Barbados, Grenada,Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and St Luciaand settled here, adding to the diverse cul-tures of people who had already settled inthe area.�Many of these islanders formedrelationships with the locals and even hadchildren and got married.�This saw the pop-ulation increasing, with Mackenzie’s popu-lation growing to 2,840 by 1946 whileWismar and Christianburg together totaled1,666.�But there were other communitieswhich had sprung up elsewhere, likeCoomacka, Three Friends Mines and MariaElizabeth.�The latter communities satalmost in the midst of where all the bauxitemining was taking place. So it wasn’t sur-prising when people would simply refer tothem as the “mines”.

BEFORE BAUXITE WAS DISCOVERED, CHRISTIANBURG WASCONSIDERED THE SEAT OFGOVERNMENT

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

However, the first mine to be actually established wasAkyma, which was across the river at Hope about six-teen miles up the Demerara River. Those early days sawmen with pick axes shovels and wheel barrows, labori-ously digging for the precious ore, which was loadedunto pontoons and transported down river, toMackenzie.�It was this mine that necessitated thebuilding of the first bridge to span the Demerara River.The bridge, which was known as the Hope Bridge, wasfitted with railway tracks, to accommodate the locomo-tives and ore cars that would transport the bauxiteacross the river, and down to the wharf at Mackenziefor shipment overseas.�The Hope Bridge was yearslater dismantled after mining operations ceased atAkyma, and parts of it used in the erection of the pre-sent day Mackenzie/ Wismar bridge.�It is interesting to

note, that the latter bridge was also built to transportbauxite to the bauxite plant at Mackenzie from theWest Bank, among other things.�After mining ceased atAkyma, mining activities began at Maria Elizabeth,Three Friends, Montgomery and Yararibo, not necessar-ily in that order.�Three friends of course, which haspresently retrogressed to an almost obscure place, gotits name from three friends that were the first to settlethere.�People also settled at the other locations such asMaria Elizabeth and Yararibo.�The largest of the settle-ments was however at Coomacka, which sat on theperiphery of the Montgomery Mines. Residents ofthese communities became known to the general pop-ulace at Mackenzie as “Mines people”. This term wasquite often used derogatorily.�But it was the mining ofbauxite, at the aforementioned locations, and othersthat would be established later, including Arrowcane,Dorabecee, Kara Kara and Lucky Spot, that wouldplace the area, well known as Mackenzie on thethreshold of prosperity, which would continue foryears to come.

With more employment available,persons journeyed from areason the coast and other communities, to work at thenewly established bauxitecompany, which becameknown as the DemeraraBauxite Company(DEMBA)�Migrants also camefrom islands such as Barbados,Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago,St Vincent and St Lucia andsettled here, adding to thediverse cultures of peoplewho had already settled in thearea.�Many of these islandersformed relationships with thelocals and even had childrenand got married.

Linden:100 years a mining community

Enid Joaquin, Kaieteur News

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

21COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS

Cultural diversity makes a country richer by ensur-ing an interesting and dynamic social environment.As we celebrate Black History month this February,

there is that moment of love and affection expressed onValentine’s Day nationwide and in many other cultures.Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day,or the Feast of Saint Valentine is celebrated around theworld, and remains a working day in most countries.A brief exploration of the history and characteristics ofthis special day reveals an interesting combination of religiousreverence, reciprocal human quality and commercial capi-talization. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasiusdeclared February 14th St. Valentine's Day. Since thattime, the United States and other countries around theworld, have engaged in the practice of exchanging greetingsamong loved ones. These greetings typically include thecommon symbols of Valentine’s Day. They include cupidwith arrow and bow, hearts, roses, teddy bears, chocolates,heart-shaped boxes of candy, flowers , plants, jewelry andall types of gestures, engraved with words of adoration,which personifies love at the highest level all in the nameof St. Valentine. We do know that February has long beencelebrated as a month of romance, and that the rituals ofSt. Valentine's Day, are informed by vestiges of bothChristian and ancient Roman traditions.Even though the origin of Valentine’s Day is unclear, it hasbecome one of the most popular holidays among loversand from a business perspective, and sales escalations,florist wear gratifying smiles all day long. Childrenexchange valentine cards decorated with comic and cartoonicons. Adults have continued this tradition of card givingwhich makes this day, except for Christmas, the secondlargest card-sending holiday of the year. Additionally, it wascommonly believed in France and England that February14th, was the beginning of birds' mating season, whichadded to the idea that Valentine's Day should be recognizedas a day for romance. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from? The truth behind the Valentine legends is murky; the stories all emphasize a sympathetic, heroic and most importantly, a puzzling romantic figure. The history of Valentine's Day and the story of its patron Saint are shrouded in mystery. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. It is believed that Valentine may have been

killed for attempting to help Christians escape harshRoman prisons. According to one legend, an imprisonedValentine actually sent the first "Valentine" greeting himselfafter he fell in love with a young girl, - possibly his jailor'sdaughter-who visited him during his confinement. Onelegend contends that Valentine was a priest who servedduring the third century in Rome. When EmperorClaudius II decided that single men made better soldiersthan those with wives and families, he outlawed marriagefor young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of thedecree, defied Claudius and continued to perform mar-riages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actionswere discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put todeath.Apart from the United States, Valentine's Day is celebratedin Canada, Mexico the United Kingdom, France andAustralia. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day became popular-ly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle ofthe 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of allsocial classes to exchange small tokens of affection orhandwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began toreplace written letters due to improvements in printingtechnology. Ready-made cards were an easy inexpensiveway for people to express their emotions in a time whendirect expression of one's feelings was discouraged.Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase inthe popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millenniumis creating new traditions. Every year millions of peopleuse digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Daygreeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons, cartooncharacterization or printable greeting cards. An estimated15 million e-valentines were sent in 2012. Valentine's Dayis considered by some to be a commercialized field-day inthe United States.It is estimated that approximately 150 million Valentine'sDay cards are exchanged annually. The manner in whichthis particular custom has progressed, it behooves theobserver to question its lasting authenticity, whether thegestures represent committed love or if it is simply a routineexercise lacking authentic application and significance.

Whether this is fact or fiction, we certainly hope

that you experienced a splendid Valentine’s

Day on February 14th 2013, as we all

wish to be desired and to be loved at

some point of our lives.

CELEBRATING SAINTVALENTINE’S DAY

Edgar Henry

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

MelissaPhillips

Currently attending NYU,working towards a Master of Arts in Educational Theatre and EnglishEducation, Melissa hopes to charter an urban arts institution to address the needs of students in low income schools by fusing literacy and arts education with the focus of embracing diversity and multi-ethnic education. She also hopes to formulate aCaribbean-DiasporicDance company, as well as perform throughout her lifetime.

GRADUATE IN COMMUNICATION AND ENGLISH, DANCER,INTERNED ON TELEVISION SHOWS WITH VH1, MTV & CMT,TEACHER: INTENSIVE READING & WRITING CLASSES,MISS METROPOLITAN PAGEANT WINNER

YOUTH MAKING THEIR MARK

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YOUTH MAKING THEIR MARK

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

23

Melissa PhillipsUnderstanding family traditionsof honest work, principles of education and the necessity toremember humble beginnings, she works to succeed in life.

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

Melissa Phillips is making her mark in thepageant world, and New York City as sheworks towards her life goals. The 23 year old

was born to Guyanese parents, in Brooklyn, NewYork. The conditions of her environment shapedher perspective on the past and future.Understanding family traditions of honest work,principles of education and the necessity to remem-ber humble beginnings, she worked to succeed inlife.

She attended St. Augustine’s Episcopal school, andworked to attending a performing arts institution forher intermediate years. After being accepted to I.S.96 magnet, Melissa honed her vocal and dance abili-ty. This led her to the John Dewey Dance Ensemblein high school, an experience that gave way to travel,performance, and work will renowned choreogra-phers and dancers. In lieu of a family decision, thefamily moved to Kissimmee, Florida during Melissa’sfinal years of high school.

In 2006, Melissa graduated from Florida StateUniversity with a dual degree in Communicationsand English. During her time at Florida State sheserved as the vice president of the CaribbeanStudents Association, director of Student BroadcastCenter, Continuity Writer for V89 Radio Station, amember of ONYX Dance Company, the Leaf TheatreEnsemble and won the titles of Miss Black & Gold,and Miss Florida Caribbean Student. She worked forthe Walt Disney Company, and interned on televisionshows for VH1, MTV and CMT.

Deciding to shift career focus, Melissa joined theTeach for America and was placed in Miami, Floridaat Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Sheworked in her placement with Intensive Readingand Writing students. Considering this her most valu-able life experience, this career path became perma-nent, and fostered a desire to return to Brooklyn andwork within her home community. She currentlyattends NYU, working towards a Masters of Arts inEducational Theatre and English Education.

Melissa hopes to charter an urban arts institution toaddress the needs of students in lowincome schoolsby fusing literacy and arts education with the focusof embracing diversity and multi-ethnic education.

She also hopesto formulate aCaribbean-DiasporicDance compa-ny, as well asperformthroughout herlifetime. As aresult of heracademic andprofessionalendeavors,Melissa haslived abroad,traveling toLondon,

Edinburgh, Paris, and most recently Puerto Rico.

Recounting these many blessings, Melissa under-stands the weight of her responsibility to her familyand community. Her journey in the Miss Americaorganization began in Florida and will conclude inNew York as she finishes her last year in the system.

Her focus during her year of service as MissMetropolitan will be to break the cycle of intergen-erational incarceration while partnering with theBrooklyn based foundation Children of Promise.

“My family is my glow, theyhave truly made every sacrificeto develop my dreams, mygrandmothers, parents, aunts,uncles, and cousins have helpedto raise me, pitching in any waypossible. That is our culture andheritage, one of love and support.I’m proud to be Guyanese-American, andI’m lucky as well.”

Melissa PhillipsYOUTH MAKING THEIR MARK

MISS METROPOLITAN

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

A FATHER’S REFLECTIONS

DR. PERSISONEEKAWILLIAMSRENOWN UROLOGIC SURGEON,PROFESSOR,AUTHOR OF NEW BOOK“Dr Dee Dee Dynamo’s Mission to Pluto”

The sky was never the limit for Dr. Persis OneekaYasmin Williams… just a convenient starting pointfrom which she sought to attain higher heights. As a

child, she always strove to do better, which, of course,made her a doughty competitor. She lives in Newton, MA,with husband Dr. Charles Leon Anderson, Jr., aNeonatologist, hospital management specialist and corpo-rate executive, and their 6-year-old son Mark.

Oneeka was born intensely motivated and it was clearfrom very early that her destiny was being a medical doc-tor. As a small child, she somehow considered death anintrusion, and would cry during such announcements onthe radio, necessitating her parents to turn the set off.

Born at the Georgetown Hospital in Guyana, SouthAmerica, with twin brother Hubert Jr., Oneeka’s remark-able memory was first evidenced at the St. Gabriel’sKindergarten School. She was just a tot when thenGeorgetown Mayor Claude Merriman gave the featureaddress at the school’s Speech Day. She sat there, took itin, and afterwards recited the whole speech.

Having excelled at the Common Entrance Examination,St. Rose’s High School, was her preference, as she was fas-

cinated with the grace, knowledge, teaching and interper-sonal skills of the Roman Catholic Headmistress, SisterHazel Campayne.

Oneeka relocated with parents and two brothers toBarbados just as she was about to enter the Second Form.She was admitted to the Foundation Girls School. She con-tinued to excel in all spheres.

She made history at Foundation. She was determined thatshe wished to become a physician but the Girls Schoolcurriculum did not include physics, which was essentialfor a student medicine-bound. She thus became the firstever girl to be admitted to upper school of FoundationBoys School. She and her brother also made history as thefirst twin Head Girl and Head Boy of the school. Theytopped the country at their GCE examinations and pro-ceeded to Harrison’s College to prepare for the “A” levelexaminations.

From Barbados, she proceeded to John’s Hopkins where,again, she was said to have made history by becoming thefirst Black woman to have earned a degree in biophysicsin the long history of that great institution.

25

Hubert Williams

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26

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

A FATHER’S REFLECTION

“Dr Dee DeeDynamo’s Missionto Pluto”NEW BOOK BY GUYANESE SURGEON ONEEKA WILLIAMS

From Hopkins, to Harvard Medical School, earning both theMedical Doctor and a Masters in Public Health degrees, thento the Massachusetts General Hospital and The Lahey Clinic,among the world’s highest-regarded training institutions inurologic surgery. She conducts a very busy practice at StElizabeth Medical Center in Boston, MA and is an AssistantClinical Professor of Urology at Tufts University School ofMedicine. Her peers now rate her among the top urologicsurgeons in the United States and her patients speak of hercompassion and skill.

But still, her involvement is not limited to academics organi-zations and medicine. She is passionate about communityhealth and community service. She is a frequent speakerabout Prostate Cancer and Cardiovascular Health, an organiz-er of community health fairs and screenings, and is Co-Chairperson of the Health Ministry of the historic MyrtleBaptist Church in Newton, Massachusetts. She has leadershiproles in the local chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, theLinks Inc, and Jack and Jill of America. She has been commit-ted to serving and advising young girls for many yearsthrough the Science Club for Girls, the sorority and thechurch and has most recently been part of the leadershipteam of the Boston Links that has established and are execut-ing a Health and Wellness program for an inner city elemen-tary school that garnered the group a invitation to the WhiteHouse in September 2012.

It seems as if Oneeka has been writing forever: every familyevent produces a poem; but it would be best to hear fromher speak this passion for writing, as she tells it in the pro-motion of her wonderfully engaging new book: Dr Dee DeeDynamo’s Mission to Pluto.

Indeed, she is my Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo! When I suffered amassive heart attack in Barbados in July 2009, and lay in theQueen Elizabeth Hospital experiencing worsening heart fail-ure, it was she that swooped down to Barbados. With thesupport of family and friends, she chartered a Leer jet andwith the assistance of a nurse and respiratory technician,whisked me back to Boston for care in less than 48 hours.She describes it as the most stressful thing that she has everdone as she did not know if I would survive the journey. Ithank God that her mother and I invested in her education.

“I’m Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo,Super Surgeon ON THE GO!My hands were made to heal,I cut, I sew, I tie with zeal;No problem is too big or small,Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo can tackle them all!

DETAILS:

Hardcover

Publisher: Mascot Books (March 5, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1620861852

ISBN-13: 978-1620861851

Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches

Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces

Price: $14.95

Hubert Williams

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

27OUR MUSICAL CULTURE

FromSambura toCali-Mari

His contribution to the musical heritage ofGuyana is manifold – he brings his ownethnic and cultural heritage and fuses thesewith an exogenous art form weavingdiverse ideas into a complex nationalwhole.

Rohan Sagar

Fused his native Mari-Mari with Calypso, hence, CALI-MARI.

NEVILLE CALISTRO

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

Neville Calistro was born on the island of Hoboin Moruca River. He was the son of JenioCalistro who incidentally was the first

Toushaou of that sub-region. Calistro’s grand-parentsfled Venezuela in 1817 following the military successof Simon Bolivar. His grand-mother was Akawaio andArawak mixed; his grand-father the son of an Arawakwoman and an African male.

Following his grand-father’s passing in MorawhannaCalistro’s father relocated to the Pomeroon River andsettled in Kabakaburi, an Arawak community. It washere that Calistro encountered his first world ofsounds – Violins, Guitars, Banjos, Sambura andMaracas – the orchestral foundation of the modifiedMari-Mari. Calistro fell in love with the latter two forwhen his father created their band Calistro was theofficial Sambura and Maracas player. Their circuit wasthe Pomeroon River playing in homes for occasionssuch as birthdays, weddings and festive holidays suchas Christmas.

Their ‘exposure’ or existence soon became known tothe ‘powers that be’ and the band was invited to per-form on the Essequibo Coast and Essequibo Islands.The band also performed in 1972 at the first everCARIFESTA. After Calistro became Toushaou ofKabakaburi he attended a training workshop atMadewini on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. Calistrowas a favorite during breakfast where he told hisArawak stories; one morning as he was telling his sto-ries none other than the then Prime Minister L. F. S.Burnham and his wife Viola turned up. After listeningto Calistro Mrs. Burnham informed him howimpressed she was and forewarned him to be pre-pared for further expose in the national realm.

When a surprised Calistro received his invitation (inKabakaburi) he immediately accepted membership inthe People’s Culture Corps, the cultural arm of theGuyana National Service. Calistro graduated as anexponent of calypso, an art form he had fallen in lovewith in the Pomeroon. In the 1977 Calypso

Championship as the Mighty Chief he placed third(his composition Gie She Captain Gie She was aboutthe benefits of becoming a member of the GNS) andlater he was invited as part of a contingent to tourCuba and Trinidad & Tobago. During this time he alsovisited London and Amsterdam (Holland) as part of aneffort to expose Arawak culture to a European audi-ence.

According to Mighty Chief Amerindian cultures tell anice story, and in one of his moments of introspec-tion a new genre was born. Its rhythms are infectiousand lyrics nuanced with the sensual but this genreembodied the fundamental moral, ethical and socialconstructs of his people. As if not to depart from hisPan-Caribbean worldview Calistro fused his nativeMari-Mari with Calypso, hence, CALI-MARI. TodayCalistro and his children who comprise the CALIBROBand perform all genres but it is in the Cali-Mari thatCalistro confesses may be his most vital contributionto the Guyana musical tapestry.

28OUR MUSICAL CULTURE

NEVILLE CALISTROHis contribution to the musical heritage of Guyana is manifold – he

brings his own ethnic and cultural heritage and fuses these with an exogenous art form weaving diverse ideas

into a complex national whole.Rohan Sagar

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

Allison Skeete

29

Throughout my life there have been people Iadmired and looked up to. I realized the value andimpact of having mentors in my life when I spent a

summer working for a charitable group as a camp coun-selor for challenged teens. I learned as much from themas they did me and what I felt and shared that summerleft me with a lasting impression.

From that point forward, I decided that I’d have to sup-port and or mentor someone in the future. It has nowbeen more than 20 years that I’ve been a mentor in someway in many programs to young women and men withinthe communities where I’ve worked, played, and lived.Seven years ago, when I was asked to be a mentor in themulticultural summer program hosted by the Arts &Business Council of NY, I didn’t hesitate to respond ‘yes!’

I believe as a mentor I have an important role in assistingthe mentee to learn how to manage priorities and per-spectives. I firmly believe everyone has natural gift theycan share with others. To share knowledge, wisdom, and

understanding is a gift. Helping others to achieve theirgoals and dreams can impact not only the lives of thosewho are being mentored, but the lives of everyone theytouch. For me, helping others reach their potential is ful-filling in ways I can’t begin to explain.

The Multicultural Arts Management Internship program(sponsored by my employer) promotes diversity inadministrative staffing, introducing undergraduates tocareer options with a business focus in the arts. Eachyear, a select group of students vie for a spot in the pro-gram which places emphasis on students of African-American, Asian-American, and Latino backgrounds, whoare matched with New York City arts organizations tocomplete a summer-long, project-based internships in avariety of disciplines.

The program is a unique in that it focuses on the diversi-ty in administrative staffing and it introduces undergradu-ates to career options with a business focus in the arts.Each year hundreds of applications are filled out by stu-dents from across the nation as well as a few who areinternational students vying for a space in this summerlong internship program. ABC/NY has developed creativepartnerships between the arts and business communitiesthat enhance the business and creative skills by engagingvolunteers as mentors who care about and enjoy the arts.

continued on page 36

MENTORING & THE ARTS

Mentoring & theMulticultural ArtsManagementInternship Program (from The PARTnership Movement)

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

30GUYANA ART INTERNATIONAL

SiddiqKhanARTIST, SCULPTOR, TEACHER

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

31

Born in Guyana, artist Siddiq Khan’s family movedto Canada where he grew up. His artistic careerbegan at an early age when he convinced his

parents to buy him a paint-by-numbers kit. By 12 yearsof age he got a permit to sell his works at the NationalArts Centre in Ottawa in order to buy more kits.Before arriving in Santa Fe in the U.S. 12 years ago,Siddiq spent time in the interior of British Columbiaand Austin, TX.

In addition to mixed media works Siddiq is also asculptor and teaches a ceramics class at St. John’sCollege. He enjoys teaching because it allows him toobserve and become more aware of his own processby having to verbalize techniques. Initially he took aceramics class to get more physical with his work andto see how far he could push the medium. He utilizesceramics in order to create a combination of paintingand sculpture. The ceramic works are constructed ontheir sides so he never knows where their balancingpoints will be until they are completed. For him theprocess is much like drawing –but in clay. He has looseideas about what he will make but by moving linearound, the works come together organically, especiallybecause he completes them all in one day. They takeabout one month to dry and then he fires them three orfour times, adding colour and lines with each subsequentfire. It has taken him six to seven years to get to where hewants to be. He has moved from table top works to largerscale pieces made of wood. He uses the wood in thesame manner in which he uses slabs of clay.

Siddiq’s mixed media works are also explorations in line.He begins by attending a live model drawing class once aweek. Using charcoal, oil pastel and conté crayon, hedraws overlapping images and figures. These drawings inand of themselves are wonderful. But they are not studiesfor larger works, nor are they completed works them-selves. They become part of the fabric of Siddiq’s largerworks on canvas. He tears these drawings up, decon-structing the body into separate entities that are some-times barely discernable.

In his earlier works, he planned out a geometrical shapefor his canvas and then from there he instinctually addedetchings, drawings in oil stick, charcoal, elements of theripped up drawings to his work until multiple layers werecreated. The layers are placed on canvas which is thenaffixed to another canvas adding to the texture of thework. He explained that he puts the drawings on canvasto contain the spontaneity and energy of the life draw-

ings. His geometric planning has occurred less frequentlyand Siddiq lets the organic and instinctual process guidehis work.

Though he does not have a regular routine for working,he estimates that he works in 2-3 hour stints with period-ic breaks every day. It is a way of life and he loves theorganic process and the chance elements that occur as aresult. For him the most important thing is to keep doingthe work. He is not trying to create something in order tosell it. He has been successful and had a market for hisworks because he is a wonderful person and is very inter-esting to talk to. He loves meeting people, and if they aregallerists or collectors – that is great, but building rela-tionships with people is really what is important to Siddiq.

The artist will exhibit his recent artworks next month atthe ‘Timehri Transitions: Expanding Concepts in GuyanaArt’. Curated by Carl E. Hazlewood, it is currently atWilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba House in the U.S.through March 9. The exhibition also includes elevenother international artists of Guyanese heritage.

Siddiq's art is owned by the Oklahoma City Museum ofArt, Oklahoma City, OK; the De Young Museum, SanFrancisco, CA; and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco,CA, among other public and private collections.

(Source: accessibleartny.com,guyanatimesinternational.com & c. e. hazlewood)

GUYANA ART INTERNATIONAL

Guyanese artistSiddiq Khan

Carl Hazlewood

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32

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

The annual Godfrey Chin Prize forHeritage Journalism, administered by theGuyana Cultural Association of New York,Inc. was established in 2011 and isinspired by Godfrey Chin’s indefatigableefforts to preserve, promote, and propa-gate Guyana’s rich cultural heritage andcreativity.

The prize has been established to encourageand reward writers whose publishedworks promote an understanding andappreciation of the diverse strands ofGuyanese heritage and contributes to celebration of the common histories thatunite the people of Guyana.

The prize (a total of US$1000.) will bedivided between First, Second and Thirdplaced authors — and it will be awarded tothe entry that best embodies the spirit,intellect and wit of Godfrey Chin.

Submissions are invited from Guyanesemedia professionals working in Guyana orin the Guyanese diaspora.

ENTRY GUIDELINES:• All submissions must have been published in aGuyanese newspaper or magazine or on thenewspaper or magazine’s Web site during the2012 calendar year. Web-based news organiza-tions that follow a strict code of journalisticethics and publish original reporting on a regularbasis may also submit entries. No broadcast-onlyentries are allowed.

• Entries may include a single story, a relatedseries of stories, or up to three unrelated stories.Columns and editorials are eligible. Individualsare encouraged to submit their own entries.

• In case of a series, at least half the individualstories must have been published during thecontest year (2012).

• Entries should be submitted in five copies,each with a completed entry form.

SEND ENTRIES TO:The Godfrey Chin Prize forHeritage Journalismc/o Guyana Cultural Association

of New York, Inc

1368 East 89th Street, Suite 2

Brooklyn, NY 11236

USA

The date appearing on the newspaper or maga-zine will determine the entry's eligibility in thecontest year.

The judges shall have discretion as to whetherthere shall be honorable mentions in addition tothe winner(s).

The judges' selection of the winner will be finaland not subject to review by the Board ofTrustees of the Fund.

Winners in any one year will be eligible forfuture awards without restriction.

All applications for the 2013 Godfrey ChinHeritage Journalism Prize must be post-marked by May 30, 2013.

THE GODFREY CHIN PRIZE FOR HERITAGE JOURNALISM

SUBMISSION DEADLINEMAY 30, 2013

Vibert Cambridge

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33THE GODFREY CHIN PRIZE FOR HERITAGE JOURNALISM

ENTRY FORMReporter’s name:____________________________________________________________

Reporter’s e-mail address:_____________________________________________________

Publication:_________________________________________________________________

Work address:_______________________________________________________________

Work phone:_________________________________________________________________

Home address:________________________________________________________________

Home phone:_________________________________________________________________

Title and short description of article/articles submitted. (Description should be concise.)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PublicationDate/dates:_______________________________________________________________________

Description of the reporting effort involved including any special obstacles in overcome in obtaininginformation as well as the impact of the articles on the public interest (such as public actions). Limit to300 words if possible. If needed, attach a separate sheet.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail five completed entry forms with five copies of the submission to:

The Godfrey Chin Prize for Heritage Journalismc/o Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc.

1368 East 89th Street, Suite 2Brooklyn, NY 11236, USA

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34IMMIGRATION REFORM AND THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

THE PROPOSED IMMIGRATION REFORMConsidering a Caribbean Imm igrant Perspective

In the aftermath of the president of the United States’

unveiling of a plan to take legislative action to instituteimmigration reform, the reaction, though mostly favorable

has been welcomedwith some ambivalence. I would arguethat the immigration debate is fueled by politics, economicsand cultural ideals. We need to examine the impact of the pro-posed legislation on Guyanese and Caribbean immigrants andexplore whether it is likely to improve the condition of theundocumented among this population. But as we await thefinal version, let us refrain from drawing hasty conclusions.

The plan gives hope to millions of illegal immigrants. Theimmediate intent is to accommodate undocumented immi-grants at the same time tightening border security. However,to attach “improving border security” as a condition for exe-cuting other parts of the proposed bill seems incomprehensi-ble and starkly political. Under the current administration, thenet migration (at least south of the border) is less than 1%.Attempts to cross the border have dropped tremendously.Connected to this trend is that allocation of resources for bor-der patrol through Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) is at its highest level in the history of the country. Thecontroversial “Safe Communities Program” whereby localauthorities have been given the mandate to detain undocu-mented immigrants is partly responsible for the decrease, buthas affected the lives of Caribbean immigrants. Designed tofocus on those undocumented with criminal violations, manywithout such a record are detained, impacting negatively onfamilies. The Department of Homeland Security promised torevamp that system. Unbeknownst to many, privately ownedDetention Centers across the US are thriving businesses.

As the literature suggests, in tough economic times, ‘voluntaryre-migration’ and deportations (factors in the experience ofCaribbean immigrants) are higher than normal. During theGreat depression and the period before, even English speak-ing Caribbean nationals re-migrated. Today, as jobs becomescarce and detention awaits, many potential immigrantsdecide to stay with their families in the home country. Underthe Obama administration, an unprecedented number ofundocumented immigrants, including significant numbersfrom the Caribbean, have been deported. Overall, 395, 000 in2011 and more than 400,000 in 2012. Allegedly, thePresident’s move to institute an elevated deportation programwas to demonstrate that the democrats are “tough on immi-gration.” He masterfully played the deportation card andendorsed the DREAM Act (Development Relief for Education of

Alien Minors) as a preemptive strike against the Republicansand the Border States such as Arizona, Colorado, andCalifornia. However, Latinos and other immigrants who voteden masse for the president are now demanding their ‘poundof flesh’.

Within the framework of the proposed immigration reform,both Democrats and Republicans seem to want only the edu-cated (even if born in the US to undocumented immigrants)to be granted legal status. Unfortunately, businesses will stillhave a substantive pool of illegal immigrants to exploit. Thethreatened penalties against employers are already the lawbut were, and are likely not to be enforced in the near future. Inaddition, immigration lawyers would be at the ready to cele-brate soon after the bill is passed. On the other hand, the pref-erence for the well-educated and skilled may favor Caribbeanimmigrants. There is a significant number of tertiary educatedGuyanese and others from the Caribbean who may qualifyfor consideration if the correct combination of age, place ofbirth, family reunification criteria or “needed skills” can be pre-sented. The irony is that immigrants are needed in both highskilled professions and low skilled, menial jobs.

One of the criteria outlined in this vision for a 21st centuryimmigration policy is “learning English”. Perhaps this meansthat those from the English-speaking Caribbean would beone notch closer to the path toward legal permanent residen-cy and citizenship because of their English language profi-ciency. The majority of undocumented Caribbean immigrantsentered the US legally, but overstayed their Visas. Under thepending Reform, it would be interesting to see whether thiscategory of violation is treated the same as illegal entrants. Theevaluation process of legalization for undocumentedCaribbeans poses a curious situation. In this regard, a col-league posited: “This legislation seems hardly likely toimprove the conditions of the type of illegal immigrants wemight have.” Despite the large number of Caribbean immi-grants, they have not been in the forefront of the immigrationreform conversation which is usually framed as “a Mexicanborder issue.”

Finally, known for their emphasis on formal education andtraining, Caribbean and other immigrants in New York Statemay soon benefit from the state’s DREAM Act, which wouldmake state tuition assistance and scholarship funding avail-able for undocumented residents.

Lear Matthews

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

35EDUCATION VIEWPOINT

As we celebrate Black History, I thought about that bestway to approach this topic. I pose three questions,namely: Who prompted you to become an educator?

When did you know that you wanted to become an educa-tor? What are some of the personal rewards of being an edu-cator? What advice would you provide parents?

Some context: My first foray into teaching began as a doc-toral student in England. An important responsibility wasbecoming a ‘Tutorial’ leader, which required assisting studentswith assignments and explaining technical parts of lectures. Imust have been doing fairly well to receive reassuring sugges-tions from my Head of Department that teaching was a careerthat I should seriously consider. My aunt, Ms. Edna Cadogan, aprominent educator in Guyana, was another influence.Indeed mentors and circumstances played critical roles in myevolution to becoming an educator.

After immigrating to the USA in 1992 and about four weeksas the intrepid tourist in Orlando, Florida, my first job inter-view was for a part time economics university lecturer. It’sinteresting that I was even called for that interview as I hadno access to a computer and my hand writing is admittedlyterrible. I was doubly lucky, as the head of that satellite cam-pus that interviewed me was a British citizen who wasdelighted to have a British-trained interviewee. After chattingabout England, she offered me the job. It didn’t bother herthat I would have been the only black lecturer in the depart-ment and only the second black on faculty at that institution.After four years, I migrating to New York City much to herchagrin. One of the last things she told me was that if thingsdid not work out in New York, I can have my job back! Ireceived job offers at NYU and several colleges within CUNY.After my second semester in Florida, I realized that teaching ingeneral and education in particular were my calling.

The benefits from being an educator cannot be quantified. Itis generally understood that one does not join the professionto become rich financially. Teachers are driven by the call toservice – idealists who sacrifice much for their students. It’sdifficult to ascribe a monetary value to being greeted andsaluted by former students, sometimes in the most unlikelyplaces e.g. Bar-B-Qs, weddings, supermarkets and on the busor subway. The personal rewards from the education profes-sion are less material than esoteric.

ADVICE FOR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS:

GET CHILDREN READING FROM AN EARLY AGE. GET CHILDREN INTERESTED IN AND TALKINGVERY EARLY ABOUT CAREERS AND PROFESSIONS.IT IS CRITICAL THAT CHILDREN’S HOMEWORKAND ASSIGNMENTS ARE REVIEWED BY PARENTSFirstly, get children interested READING from an early age. Welive in a competitive world and New York and similar bigcities demand superior skills and abilities in a variety of occu-pations. Those skill-sets often come from understanding sim-ple and complex data that is directly correlated to READING.Get children interested in and talking very early about careersand professions. Try to relate those interests to selected men-tors in the media. It’s critical that children’s homework andassignments are reviewed by parents. A major cause of con-cern is the fact that each successive college freshmen intakefrom High School seems progressively deficient. An importantcomponent is inadequate high school preparation, whichoften can be traced to deficiencies of home and class prepara-tion. High school teachers should not be blamed. It’s not suf-ficient to simply attend class and expect to do well at exams.That lack of preparation from high school explains why thetransition from HS to college is often “a wakeup call”.

Education is a life altering, rewarding ride for students. Thevalue of a college degree is going to be very important interms of its financial cost in relation to the intensity of compe-tition among likely job seekers, as well as its ability to usher indiploma holders to the middle class. The cost of living in NewYork is expected to increase substantially. This will requirefinancial resources that typically tend to accrue to skilledoccupations. Those skills are directly linked to acquiring asound and increasingly a post graduate education. Will minori-ties including West Indians be educationally ready to competein that environment, or are they resigned to complain as theyoften do, about the lack of jobs and opportunities?

BECOMING AN EDUCATOR

Keith Cadogan

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36

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

MENTORING & THE ARTS

Mentoring & theMulticultural ArtsManagement InternshipProgram

I’ve had several great interns to mentor, but the one thatstands out for me is from the class of 2010—KeilahJohnson. I have maintained contact with most of theyoung ladies I’ve met in this program, but Ms. Johnson hasmade me feel the most rewarded as she has progressedand is now a business owner and accomplished collegegraduate who changed her entire perspective and careerpath as a result of her experience in the ABC/NY summerinternship.

I met an introverted young woman whose aunt accompa-nied her to the opening breakfast and who was unsure ofwhy she was in this internship program, but that it feltlike it was something she must do.

We began spending time together as I took Keilah to anumber of events at which my husband and I volunteeredor that he wanted to attend in order to take photos of(one of his hobbies). This turned out to be a great arrange-ment for establishing our relationship. It became like on-the-job training for her and she blossomed with her exu-berance and curiosity.

I truly enjoyed how she sought my input and assured herthat an idea wasn’t silly or when she got an idea I sharedshe hadn’t thought of. She developed her ideas, adaptedthem, and used what she learned to become an integralpart of special projects at WNYC radio where she helpedto develop their social networking identity.

Keilah went back to her hometown university after thisinternship and started her own business. I could not havebeen more proud to think I had helped her achieve a goalshe didn’t even know she’d bring to life when she appliedfor the ABC/NY program.

But, the point of greatest humility and thanks I experi-enced being her mentor was when her family invited usto meet them at her sister’s birthday party and her motherexpressed thanks for helping her as I did.

Mrs. Johnson said that Keilah is the child who picked acareer path that none of the rest of her family had anyinkling of a way in which to help and guide her to suc-ceed. She said ‘thank you’ and ‘I appreciate you’ becausenow they had a clearer understanding about her ideas anddrive. She said they could not have done so on her ownand the family was glad she had me as a mentor to help.

Because of experiences like this, I will continue to be apart of this program as long as I can. It is a most rewardinglearning and teaching experience for me.

Allison Skeete - from pg 29

CHUCKLESCORNER

An elderly Guyanese man was stopped by thepolice around 2 A.M. and was asked where hewas going at that time of night. The man replied, "I'm on my way to a lectureabout alcohol abuse and the effects it has on thehuman body, as well as smoking and staying outlate." The officer then asked, "Really? Who's giving thatlecture at this time of night?" The man replied, "That would be my wife."The officer told him to drive safely home.

A Pork Knocker finds out that his bookkeeper of20 years, Balgobin has cheated him out of $10million worth of Guyanese gold and diamonds.Balgobin is deaf which is why he got the job inthe first place. The Pork Knocker assumed thatsince Balgobin could not hear anything, he couldnever testify in court.When the Pork Knocker went to confrontBalgobin about his missing $10 million, he takesalong his personal lawyer because he knew signlanguage. The Pork Knocker tells the lawyer, "Askhim where the money is!"The lawyer, using sign language, asks Balgobin,"Where's the money?"Balgobin signs back, "I don't know what you aretalking about." The lawyer tells the Pork Knocker,"He says he doesn't know what you are talkingabout."The Pork Knocker pulls out a pistol, puts it toBalgobin’s head and says, "Ask him again or I'llkill him if he doesn’t comply!"The lawyer signs to Balgobin, "He'll kill you if youdon't tell him." Balgobin trembles and signs back, "Ok! You win!The gold and diamonds are in a brown briefcase,buried behind the shed at my Cousin Bruno'shouse at Victoria."The Pork Knocker asks the lawyer, "What did hesay?" The lawyer replies, "He said you don't have theGUTS to pull the trigger."

Page 37: CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE · 2/3/2013  · Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine 2 Greetings! Welcome to the February issue of the Guyana Cultural Association

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

37ST. JOSEPH’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONTea ConcertSaturday, April 20, 2013 5.00 p.m.

St. Gabriel’s Church Hall331 Hawthorne Street,(Between Nostrand-New York) Brooklyn, NYFeaturing:- Chronicle Atlantic Symphony Steel Orchestra- Saxophone & Gospel Classics- Folk & Patriotic Songs by Hilton Hemerding- Poetry, Dance & More- Delicious Treats, Homemade Drinks & Ice Cream

ADULTS: $30.00 CHILDREN: $20.00For Information: 718 342 4136

PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS ASSOCIATION21st Annual Celebration ofWomen Celebrating WomenAward Ceremony in recognition ofWomen’s History MonthTropical Paradise Banquet Hall1367 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, NY(between Farragut & Foster Aves.)Sunday, March 24th, 2013 5.00 P.M.Honorees:Ms. Kay Smith Alleyne, Community LeaderMs. Gloria Askew, Community LeaderMs. Faith Bernal, EntrepreneurMs. Barbara Brown, Community LeaderHon. Sandra Chapman, Deputy Borough PresidentMs. Carolina Daniel-Garvey, EntrepreneurDr. Monique Davidson-Tucker, EntrepreneurMs. Laverne Figeroux EntrepreneurMs. Joanne Garcia, EntrepreneurDr. Norma Goodwin, EntrepreneurMs. Naomi Greene, Community LeaderMs. Lee A. Johnson, EntrepreneurMs. Patricia Julien, Community LeaderDr. Ada Okika, Women’s Rights ActivistMs. Madafi Pierre, EntrepreneurMs. Juliet Reid, Entrepreneur

Ms. Stephanie Trowers, Entrepreneur

$125 General Admission$250 Patron – honorable mention in our Journal$500 Silver Sponsor - one ticket & 1/2-page ad$1,000 Gold Sponsor - 3 tickets & full-page ad

LINDEN FUND Annual Spring DanceSaturday, March 16, 2013 10.00 p.m.

Woodbine Social Club2281 Church AVenue, Brooklyn, NYMusic:DE UNTOUCHABLES & NY'S#1 DJ FLEXX

TICKETS: $25 IN ADVANCE $30 AT THE DOORFor Tickets: GT Paradise- 4208 Church Avenue781 856 1846

THE GUYANA BERBICE ASSOCIATIONWASHINGTON, D.C. CHAPTERAnnual Dinner & DanceSaturday, March 30, 2013La Fontaine Bleu7963 Annapolis Road, Lanham, MD 207068:00-9:00 p.m. • Cocktail Reception (Open Bar); • Welcome & Dinner ** Dinner served promptly - 9:00 p.m.** 10:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. • Dance**Please reserve by March 16, 2013**Anthony Burnett (202) 468-9201Michaela Godette (202) 726-2635Richard Hunter (301) 277-5245Neville Voglezon (301) 434-4259Joan Bryan (301) 445-2161Stella Clarke (301) 322-2651LaToya Godette (301) 437-0855Linden Telford (301) 572-5724Donation: $80.00 (Open Bar)Please make check payable to GBA

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