On each anniversary of Emancipation the African presence in the Caribbean is celebrated; whatever can be exhibited of the cultural traditions is highlighted and the performing arts pay tribute to the African vestiges that they can claim. And in Guyana, as celebrants pour libation in memory of ancestral spirits, two things become repeatedly evident as the 175 years since freedom from slavery are commemorated – the very strong and ubiquitous presence of the spiritual, and the very weak and obvious element of knowledge or the lack of it where these spiritual traditions are concerned.
Although this is not the case in other parts of the Caribbean, there are huge lacunae in the available knowledge in Guyana about the African heritage, making the subject area a rich minefield for research. In this country information and knowledge about the culture and religions of other ethnic groups are readily available and promoted, but this is not the case with the African. For example, several volumes exist which document Amerindian folk tales, mythology and spiritual beliefs. There are many agencies promoting Indian culture, including the Indian High Commission with its Cultural Centre, the many Hindu religious institutions, dance and the widely practised performing arts, the very popular Bollywood, and Islam.
The same is not the case in Guyana for information and promotion of African cultural traditions and religions. The Museum of African Heritage does not compare, and does not command popular attention. Although Islam is
