While Anansi stories are dominant in the folk tales of the Caribbean, they were also a favourite in the storytelling tradition when it was a popular past-time in the region. That entertainment practice is now moribund. Under threat to follow that path is Balgobin who was the subject of the offering by Petamber Persaud, but already disappeared is Ole Man Pappie. This colourful rural character was recreated by Michael Khan of the UG Division of Creative Arts. Khan appeared as Ole Man Pappie accompanied by Natasha Azeez as the folk song character Sitaira
Guyana joined the world community last week in observing World Poetry Day with an evening of international, regional and Guyanese poetry. That event was hosted by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony (March 26) and followed a similar production on March 20 to observe World Storytelling Day.
Last week in our account of the storytelling occasion, we set out to honour two of the objectives of World Storytelling Day, viz, to revitalise and preserve the tradition of storytelling and to highlight the story of a people. We focused on one Guyanese tradition that is threatened with extinction – the Balgobin Tales.
This week’s intention is to briefly put Poetry Day in context and then give more detailed attention to the actual presentation of stories on the Storytelling Day production.
The origins, history and background of both observances are incompletely and mostly sketchily documented.
