Dear Editor,
Iin addition to what Abu Bakr wrote about Banwaree bearing his chafe, I spoke to the son of an indentured immigrant who is over eighty and he informed me that Banwaree was one of the first immigrants from India and lived in what is now Albouystown.
Mr Banwaree Lall was a three Card player and Trickster, probably the first in Guyana.
As I understand it when someone got wise to his tricks and moved on he would tell his associates ‘one pakoo escape plenty mo deh’.
When things were real bad and nothing was coming and his associates wailed how things were hard he would advise: You must be like Banwaree and bear you chafe.
Yours faithfully,
WP George
Ignorance, ignorance everywhere and not a pandit to think.
This name Banawaree is not strange amongst people of Indian descent. Modern man has gotten their surnames from a variety of sources. Some have gotten their names from the trade their ancestors were into, some from the status of their ancestors in society, some from their masters, villages and so on.
However, Mr George, it seems as if Banwaree, the three card player, was speaking of “Banwaree” in third person when he said “Banwaree seh bear yuh chafe”. Our Banwaree never said “Banwaree seh bear yuh chafe”. He used to speak in first person, and would say, “Bai, bear yuh chafe, ah commin”, and sometimes he would take very long to continue the barbering.
I also agree that all religion teaches mankind to bear their “chafe” in times of hardship. However, no God or Saint ever said,” MY FOLLOWERS, PEOPLE AND BELIEVERS, BEAR YUH CHAFE”.
What we are questioning here is the origin of the common Guyanese vernacular, “Banwaree seh bear yuh chafe”.
I think that I have said enough on this subject. There are a lot of other Guyanese vernaculars that have become widespread in Guyana, some parts of the Caribbean, and within the diaspora. Think of another one and lets see if we can shed some light into it.
Red Lion