By Mia Anthony
Guyanese turned out in droves in bright sunshine at the National Park in Georgetown yesterday as the country celebrated the 185th anniversary of emancipation from slavery.
The event, which was hosted by the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), provided Afro-Guyanese the opportunity to showcase their businesses. Stabroek News spoke to a few of the exhibitors.
Claire Richards, the founder of Mother Nature’s Organic Farm, said that this event has given her the chance to showcase to the public on a wider scale, her products. Claire, who is also a fashion designer, said that her produce for her products are all locally grown from her farm and her line of products consists of a range of spices, pickles and sauces.
Another exhibitor, Yonnette, who had multiple items on display from her line of fruit wines with a range of flavours to choose from along with art, craft and some jewellery, said that she brings her products to the exhibition every year. She enjoys sharing with people what she does, adding, “It’s a nice turnout, everybody comes out and supports the local products.”
Stabroek News spoke with Kurt Gomes from the Guyana Hemp Association (GHA) who also had a booth on display, Gomes said the GHA partnered with the Central Hemp Industries Association to display a wide range of hemp products. He explained that hemp is a part of the cannabis family. “We are breaking the chains of the mental stigma that is behind cannabis and we want persons to know that the hemp is all-inclusive.”
Apart from local exhibits, several information booths were on display at this year’s emancipation celebration showcasing African history, and African ancestors fight for freedom which endured.
ACDA focused on the country of Benin which is a French-speaking West African nation. It is also the birthplace of Voodoo or Vodu which is the official religion of the country; voodoo means “soul” or “strength” in the Fon language.
Stabroek News spoke with Sister Penda from ACDA who said she was happy with the turnout for this year’s emancipation festival. She was thrilled that it was one of the few Emancipation festivals that wasn’t affected by rain.
ACDA has provided to the public the opportunity to get to know their history by offering educational information booths. As Sister Penda explained, “Every year ACDA chooses an African country to highlight, to celebrate because there are 54, and many Afro-Guyanese are not aware of this, by highlighting them people can come in bring their children and read all about it”.
ACDA also chooses an African village within Guyana to celebrate on Emancipation Day and this year since it’s the Bicentennial of the 1823 East Coast Demerara Revolution, Bachelor’s Adventure was chosen. The village has a history of the massacres that took the lives of over 200 African who revolted against the system of slavery in the year 1823. “This year naturally we chose Bachelor’s Adventure,” Sister Penda informed. The village was eventually bought by freed Africans.
Food is a big part of the Afro-Guyanese culture so naturally many exhibits were displayed, showcasing the many different types of food brought by African ancestors, mainly pone, cookup rice, metemgee and conkie.
Metemgee is a thick creamy soup with an assortment of vegetables and dumplings simmered in a rich coconut broth.
