Well known Guyanese-British literary critic, linguist, poet and anthropologist, Dr Ivan van Sertima, died recently, according to a release from the Guyana Cultural Association New York Inc/Guyana Folk Festival which expressed condolences to his family.
Ivan van Sertima
According to the release Dr van Sertima was born in January 1935 in Kitty when the country was still a British colony and remained a British citizen. After completing his primary and secondary schooling in Guyana, he travelled to London and went to university. In addition to producing an array of creative writing, van Sertima also completed undergraduate studies in African languages and literature and during his studies he became fluent in Swahili and Hungarian. He also worked for several years in Great Britain as a journalist, doing weekly broadcasts to the Caribbean and Africa.
He later immigrated to the US where he entered the University of Rutgers in New Brunswick, New Jersey for graduate work and he has had over 30 years of teaching at the university where he also completed his Master’s degree.
He was an associate professor of African Studies in the Department of African Studies.
My condolences goes out to his family, he will be missed, i’m glad i had a chance to meet him at his many lectures he did at the dempsey center in harlem, and i still have his book they came before columbus, RIP.
The intellectual fire power of Guyana is somewhat dimmer today. Another achiever and scholar has left us and as we gaze towards the horizon we can only see a barren landscape and a people with new tormentors. Rest In Peace dear brother after a long and arduous battle fighting for the respect of the African through your anthropological studies and discoveries.
Borapork, I met Dr. Van Sertima while in Barbados and I would acknowledge he did some seminal resaerch. However , his basic argument –the possibility that Africans visited the region before Columbus–could be misconstrued and twisted. There are those who take his arguments and imply that the remarkable achievements of the native peoples (the “Amerindians”) in Central America were not their own but from the peoples from Africa or , as van Daniken , would argue in his false money making nonsense, by people from outer space. Let us not carried away here with accolades for the late , albeit respected, Dr.van Sertima…Peace.
There we go “REDDY IN BARBADOS”; re: “There are those who take his arguments and imply that the remarkable achievements of the native peoples (the “Amerindians”) in Central America were not their own but from the peoples from Africa or , as van Daniken , would argue in his false money making nonsense, by people from outer space. Let us not carried away here with accolades for the late , albeit respected, Dr.van Sertima…Peace…”
In as much as it appears that you could not have resisted to put your “spin” on the works of this late distinguished son of Guyana then any student of religion would not be so easily fall for your “as van Daniken , would argue in his false money making nonsense, by people from outer space. Let us not carried away here with accolades for the late…”
Look no further than the “Great Pyramids of Egypt” (the Bible….); and, the “metals age” which was mentioned (I believe) in Dr. Ivan Van Sertima’s book (They Came Before Columbus) to be informed about “facts” (and not about “van Daniken’s” arguments) about the early intelligence of the African.
However, it is believed that this is not the occasion to take you up on certain issues.
Have a good night.
what a great man one of guyana best writers he will be missed by readers seeking truth about african history r.i.p mr van sertima you are a credit to aficans around the world
Guyana has lost a true literary genius. R.I.P.
Deepest sympathies to the family of this great son of the soil!!
Is this all that Stabroek News can say about Dr. Ivan Van Sertima??
Come on – Please do some research and come up with more. I know US born people who know more about him than is written here. I was informed about him by a Jamaican National who urged me to read his book “They came before Columbus”. He was a professor at NY City College where my granddaughter’s grandmother was one of his students!
My sincere condolences to his family, friends, students and faculty. May he Rest In Peace.
My Brother I support you 100% on this one.I consider myself very fortunate to have attended a few lectures and presentations by Professor Van Sertima at U of T back in the days. We have lost indeed a Great Scholar.
This is understandable my friend “Ankoko”; fortunately, the “works” of folks like those of the late “Brother” Ivan Van Sertima when it comes to “African History in the Americas” (re: They Came Before Columbus)… is forever etched in the annals of history for those who are willing to enlighten their minds through research.
And, I could not agree with you more.
Peace!
Kaieteur Gold.
i second your motion ankoko.
I agree 100% also..I am Trinidadian living in the United States for 30 yrs..Also attended NY city college. I was introduced to Dr Van Sertima at the early age of 10 by my father who belived that his children were not going to be miseducated and mis lead by false documentation of our black history..I grew up listening to cassett tapes of the Dr’s lectures. I now pass on those teachings to my own children.. I must say that I am surprised when I ask many Guyanese people about Dr. Van Sertima they have no idea who he is..It’s a shame..that a man that contributed so much and worked so hard to reveal the truth about our true history is seldom regognized in his own birth place..Then the news paper does not take the time to give him a tribute he so well deserves..What a shame for Guyana
Another famous Guyanese has died outside of Guyana.Guyanese exiles are giving awards to their own for their achievements but it should be noted that the Government of our country cannot find a single citizen at home to be honoured for our independance celebration
Antigua had seen it fit to confer knighthood on Sir Fenton Ramsayhe and Sir Ronald Saunders Surely there is some party members who deserve the V.C. O H VODOO CROWN OF HONOUR
Latchman Kissoon
This is another area that the callousness and disdain by the government for its citizenry shows. The inaction and silence speaks volumes!!!
A few years ago, I did an article of him in a magazine. I got lucky to have had an interview with him on the phone. Wished now that I had made the effort to follow up with an on camera interview which I had hoped to do as well but it’s my lost now.
Either way, his accomplishment stands on its out. He was an outstanding scholar!Guyana has lost a fine son. He will be remembered for his outstanding work and would be greatly missed.
My deepest condolence to his family and close friends.
God speed, my friend! God Speed!
May the trails of light in the history of metallurgy and other sciences that was lit by Dr Ivan van Sertima in the minds of people around the world (including yours truly) continue to shine perpetually. Undoubtedly, based on your literary work such as – “THEY CAME BEFORE COLUMBUS”… students and others around the world in the pursuit of knowledge in history will be greatly indebted to this distinguished son of Guyana (formerly British Guiana) whom I was privileged to have met in Guyana during one of his lecture tours.
Now that his physical journey on Earth has come to an end – may his soul find eternal rest.
Condolences to his entire family.
From God we came and to Him we shall return.
Dr. Van Sertima lectures (often seen on WHUR – Howard University TV, Wash. D.C.) was very popular in the 80’s. I loved it (and laughed)when he told the story that he literally lived in the Jungle (Essequibo)and how he was accustomed to seeing the annaconda (camoudie) and how he almost lost an eye when he got in a fight as a boy in Vreed-en-Hoop. Of coure, he exaggerated a little bit, but the man knew his stuff when it came to African history.
He was a great man ad it’s a great loss, but his time has come and when the Maker calls, you got to go.
Shame that SN could not do a better more detailed obit.
yes mr. rahaman i remembered that lecture, it was indeed funny.