The African Village Movement
On Monday, Emancipation day, I stood on a relative’s veranda in Hopetown watching a group of young and not so young people making their way home, through the rain, after a night of frolic at the annual ‘swari’. I wondered how many of them knew, remembered or cared that they were celebrating the fact that [...]
A Consequence of Slavery: “Dem Black People Chuch”: The AMEC
Introduction The United Nations has designated the year 2011 as International year FOR (not of) People of African Descent. As the group most affected by racism the year seeks to strengthen the commitment to eradicating discrimination against people of African descent and, among other things, help in “the promotion of a greater knowledge of and [...]
History This Week
Introduction It was 150 years ago, precisely on March 11, 1860 that the ship “Whirlwind”, some 78 days after leaving Hong Kong, docked at Port Georgetown with 371 Chinese immigrants on board including 56 women and 4 girls. The first group of Chinese immigrant women had arrived some seven years after the beginning of the [...]
History This Week:Emancipation, the early Village Movement and Buxton
Introduction In three days, Guyanese of African descent hopefully joined by other Guyanese, will celebrate the 176th anniversary of the beginning, in 1834, of the implementation of the Emancipation Act passed a year earlier. We will also celebrate “full freedom” which began after the period of Apprenticeship when our ancestors were neither enslaved nor free. [...]
Just Sports to showcase athletics at ‘De Gold Striders Games’ next month
By Tamica Garnett Just Sports Products and Services is set to debut the latest thrill to hit the athletics arena, ‘De Gold Striders Games’ in June. Set for the Everest Cricket Club Ground on June 5 and 6, the sports company said spectators should expect a vibrant atmosphere as several of Guyana’s most prominent athletic [...]
History This Week
Valerie Hart: The Woman at the Heart of the Rupununi Uprising Introduction According to declassified Department of State Documents “At 8am EST [January 3, 1969] Valerie Hart contacted US Ham radio operator and broadcast appeal for help from U.S. ‘or any other country listening’ on behalf Guyanese rebels. Mrs. Hart identified herself as ‘President Association [...]
History This Week
Women in the Trade Unions: The Pre-Independence Period Introduction By independence in May 1966, there were some 62 registered worker unions in Guyana. Of this number approximately 26 could be regarded as leading Trade Unions. These included the first trade union, the British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU) registered in 1919 and the two umbrella unions, [...]
History This Week
The impact of abolition and apprenticeship on female slaves and apprentices (Part 2) Introduction In the previous article, the paradoxical consequences for women of the abolition act of 1807 were examined. It was demonstrated that for most women who by then constituted the majority of field workers in many of the colonies, the implementation of [...]