Guyanese celebrate Emancipation anniversary in fine style
Hundreds prove spirit of freedom alive and well
Guyana Chronicle
August 2, 2004
IT MAY have started out a bit late, and the gate price was a bit steep, but the substantial turnout, which included President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition Mr. Robert Corbin, at yesterday’s Emancipation Day celebration at the National Park proved that the spirit of freedom was alive and well in Guyana.
The official Emancipation Day festivities started off at about 15:45 hrs (3.45 p.m.) with a march-past of young children and teenagers all beautifully dressed in colourful African outfits. This parade was accompanied by groups of African drummers.
The real action, however, was around the dozens of booths displaying everything from traditional African headgear to food stalls selling Ital, rotis, dishes made from plantains and cassava, and conkie. Stalls also featured craft and jewellery, inspirational plaques, information on African customs and the ever-present AIDS awareness campaign literature.
Veteran Guyanese artist, Phillip Moore was there, displaying some of his African- themed fabric paintings as well as one of his newer, less traditional creations -- a wind-chime created from automotive mag rims.
Out of several Rastafarian stalls, the food booth run by the House of Nyabinghi stood out, both in size and flavours. Mr Andrew Williams, popularly known as Ras Simeon took time out to explain to Guyana Chronicle some of the present needs of Rastafarians in Guyana.
Ras Simeon - who is the Guyana Rastafari Council’s Ambassador to other international Rastafarian organisations - said that first of all his people should be afforded more rights and should be given more respect in Guyana. He cited the recent example of a Magistrate confronting two Rastafarian women about their headgear in Court. He said that Rastafarianism has been accorded status as a legitimate religion by the United Nations, and that the same should apply for Guyana.
President Jagdeo took an extensive tour of the National Park along with an entourage that included Minister of Housing Sheik Baksh and Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford.
The President, guided on the tour by ACDA personnel, visited most of the stalls where he interacted with the owners, or just simply played some marbles with some young men.
The President also met one of the musical artistes, the self-proclaimed President of Camp Street, Camp Street Selwyn, after Selwyn and “Son-in-law should never live by mother-in-law” singer, Lucky B had finished a humorous improvised song-and-gaff skit onstage, a show the President was clearly enjoying.
After the tour, President Jagdeo said that he was happy that there was such an enormous turnout to the event.
“I think that both the serious side and the light side of Emancipation are represented here. The serious side shows how far our ancestors have come, and their struggles; and the light side is that people can come out here and have the kind of fun that they are having now,” President Jagdeo told the Guyana Chronicle.
Items on the packed programme were expected to go late into the night, with the seventh item in the programme of the cultural show beginning just around 19:00 hrs (7 p.m.)