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WHO WAS AKARA? He was one of the leaders of the Berbice Slave Rebellion. He and Cuffy disagreed violently towards the end of the rebellion and he was demoted and made to work in the gang. Akara later joined Atta against Cuffy. Later still, he cooperated with the Dutch, taking part in the successful assault on Accabre which ended the rebellion. THE MOST WELL- It's Lloyd Luckhoo. Born in Berbice, he lived on Coburg Street, New Amsterdam between 1918 to 1929.
The racecourse of the Berbice Turf Club was located at the Back Dam, close to his
home and he frequented the race meetings there. After moving to Georgetown, where
he attended Queens College between 1929 and 1937, he again found himself close to
a racecourse, this time D’Urban Park, Queen College being then at the top of Brickdam.
Lloyd later studied law in England and returned to become the best- The Luckhoos were a family of horse lovers. E.V. (later Sir Edward), Lionel (later Sir Lionel) and Ena and her husband Peter Byrne all owned and were deeply interested in horses. RAILWAYS IN GUYANA The first railway system on the continent of South America was built in British Guiana (Guyana). It was first operated by the Demerara Railway Company, a private concern, but sold to the Colonial Transport Department of the Government, which assumed control from January 1, 1922. The Demerara - The bill proposing the construction of the railway was passed in July 1846. The Demerara
- The names given the railway locomotives acquired in 1847 were “Mosquito,” “Sandfly,” and “Firefly.” The two locomotives acquired in 1863 were named “Alexandra” and “Victoria.” The first section of the Demerara - The public railway system was dismantled in stages in the early 1970s, at that time
leaving only the industrial railway systems at bauxite mining sites and another linking
Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge in the Northwest District.
JUMBIE UMBRELLA In Guyana, the mushrooms that spring up in damp shaded places, such as under the
stairway leading from the yard to the house, are called “jumbie umbrellas.” These
fungi with their umbrella- HOUSEHOLD HINTS FROM THE PAST The following are selected "Household Hints" from Radio Demerara's 1964 Calendar,
promoting the "Woman's World" program. To some of us today, they may seem quaint.
However, as you will see, many of them are still usable today. Fresh grease spots can be removed by applying talcum powder or crushed chalk to spot. Leave for a few minutes. The grease is absorbed by the chalk or powder and then can be easily brushed off. For a quick and handy flower holder, cut a large potato in half. Scoop holes in it with a knitting needle. Place in a vase and arrange flowers as desired. Change the water of flower arrangements frequently. Revive faded blooms by putting an aspirin or a small piece of camphor in the water. Sear the ends of milky stemmed plants like hibiscus and poinsettia by dipping in boiling water or by holding them over a flame for a few minutes. Protect blooms from heat and steam. When frying eggs, for each egg put a teaspoon of water into the fat. Cover the pan and fry over slow heat, as desired, for each member of the family. ( Silvertorch: The water makes the eggs moist.) For salty stews and soups, add pepper and a little sugar. If there is time, add one or two raw potatoes and cook until salt is absorbed. Remove potatoes before serving. Store your cake in the cover of the cake tin. Place body of tin over cake (upside down). Cake can then be sliced easily and conveniently. A small piece of bread added to cake tin will help to keep the cake moist. A panstuck cake may be loosened by placing the tin over hot water. The wick of an oil stove, if soaked in vinegar before used, will not smoke when put into service. Sharpen scissors by cutting sandpaper or by trying to "cut" the top of a bottle, sliding edges up and down on the lip of the bottle. DEMERARA LIGHTHOUSE The Lighthouse (103 feet in height) stands in its red and white stripes on Water
Street, Georgetown at the mouth of the Demerara River. The foundation stone of the
lighthouse was laid in 1830. It replaced a wooden lighthouse constructed by the Dutch
in 1817. Sea- The production of balata was once big business in Guyana. Balata is obtained from
the latex of the South American tree Manilkara bidentata, known popularly as the
bulletwood tree. Balata has been used in the manufacture of gaskets, golf- Most of the balata bleeding in Guyana took place in the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains
in the Rupununi. Early exploitation also took place in the North West District, but
most of the trees in the area were destroyed by illicit bleeding methods that involved
cutting down the trees rather than making incisions in them. In recent times balata has been manufactured synthetically and used in golf balls. FORT CANJE Fort Canje was established in the 19th Century at the junction of the Canje and Berbice Rivers. Barracks were set up there to house British soldiers. Following the emancipation of slaves in 1834, a sugar estate was established there. Today, the Fort Canje hospital (now the National Psychiatric Hospital), for many years described as "the mental hospital", is a reminder of the place where the old fort stood. DR. BLAIR - Long ago in Guyana, there was a doctor named Blair who believed in drawing his patients'
blood as part of his treatment. People reported that whether you went to him with
a pain in the neck or a sore finger or a headache or an abscess, he would he would
cup you and bleed you. As a result, people named the blood- AMERINDIANS – THE FIRST GUYANESE Amerindians are the original inhabitants of the Americas and the Caribbean. They
are also called American Indians (from which the term “Amerindians” is derived) and
Aboriginal Indians. The three administrative districts in which the majority of Amerindians live (the
Mazaruni Potaro, North West and Rupununi) include 90 major Amerindian villages. Each
political unit of the Amerindian society, the village, is headed by a Captain or
Touchau elected by the people to maintain law and order in the village. In turn,
the Captain, who is paid a monthly stipend by the Government, is responsible to the
appropriate Government Officer. More about the Amerindians of Guyana MUSLIMS FROM AFGHANISTAN IN GUYANA There are Muslims in Guyana whose ancestors went there from Afghanistan. One of them was mainly responsible for the building of the Queenstown Jama Masjid (mosque) in the capital, Georgetown. They were also involved in the Rose Hall sugar worker strike of 1913. . NORTH WEST DISTRICT: GOOD SITE FOR THE CAPITAL? This is one of the three interior districts of Guyana. It is approximately one- NATIONAL PARK The National Park at Thomas Lands in Georgetown, occupies 57 acres of land, landscaped
and set aside for the public enjoyment of the people of Guyana. The National Park is located on part of what was formerly Plantation Thomas, an old sugar estate. The area had been occupied by the Demerara Golf Club since 1923, but when the club’s lease expired at the end of 1963, Government resumed possession of it. In March 1973, a National Parks Commission headed by Bernard (Bunny) Fernandes was set up to manage, control, and develop park areas. This commission was set up to work in collaboration with the local government authorities and other agencies in the establishment of new parks and to consider what new areas might be designated as parks. The Commission also advised the Minister responsible accordingly. Over the years, the National Park has provided facilities for a variety of sports such as football, athletics, netball, cricket, pony riding and rugby. There are also an open auditorium and a children’s park. Major open- The Park has also accommodated the office of the National Sports Council, Youth Ville, the National School of Dance and the Department of Culture. Open AuditoriumThe open auditorium is a stadium- Cook- FOLK SPIRITS OF GUYANA Moon Gazer (Moongazer) A moonlight- Massacuruman (massacruman) An ape- For many years, members of the Jordanites in their lily- Both men and women dressed in white robes - The proper name of the church is given as the "West Evangelist Millenium Pilgrim Church." IWOKRAMA – KEEPING SOME OF GUYANA REAL .....… AND BEAUTIFUL Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development was established
as a research and development institution to demonstrate how to preserve and maintain
Guyana's tropical rainforest such as exist in Guyana can be preserved and maintained
in a manner that is beneficial to the people of the country. Iwokrama, located in
the heart of Guyana, occupies an area of one million acres. Half the area will be
a Wilderness Preserve. On August Monday (first Monday in August), 1982 the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) held the first national Folk Festival at the National Park in Georgetown, Guyana. The inspiration and driving force behind the organization of the folk festival was Vibert Cambridge, who was then "Programme Director, Culture" of the GBC. The Festival put on display, and involved people in, a wide variety of folk activities highlighting the music, food, herbs, games and artifacts of Guyanese from their various ethnic backgrounds and from communities all across Guyana. The theme was “Preserve the Heritage.” The thousands who witnessed and participated in the first GBC Folk Festival turned up alone, in pairs, in groups and in families. Many were able to stake out areas in the National Park, often under the shade of the big trees, and then venture out to visit the various booths to see or hear or taste or otherwise experience what each had to offer. The success and promise of the first Folk Festival led the GBC to organize folk festivals in the succeeding years. The Guyana Folk Festival survives today in New York, where it is observed every year. In Guyana, a jumbie is supposedly a ghost, the spirit of a dead person. It is the rough equivalent of a duppie in some other Caribbean countries, such as Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua. Those who claim to know about such things say the following. The jumbie tends to
frequent places where it existed before death. Jumbies would not usually be noticed
by people, as they are normally invisible. However, they can make themselves visible
as human beings, as animals or as anything they want to. While most people are not
aware of them, certain people can see jumbies at any time. The spirits are generally
associated with evil acts or unpleasantness. To control them, one is said to require
the services of a spiritualist or obeah man. An obeah man can confine a jumbie to
a particular place or neutralize it, making it harmless. Otherwise, a jumbie is free
to roam, appearing and disappearing at will. It is not deterred by hindrances or
barriers such as walls, fire or water. GUYANESE HERITAGE MUSEUM Guyana has a heritage museum at Kastev, West Coast Demerara, in which artifacts
and books significant to the past of the nation are displayed. Guyanese Gary Serrao,
bought everything he could find in London and in North America and made them available
to the people of Guyana. Amon the items on display are clothes irons, enamel lunch
carriers, ice- Guyanese Heritage Museum Web Site MISSION CHAPEL, NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE Mission Chapel, a Congregational Church, was built around 1814 in New Amsterdam, Berbice. It was founded by the Rev. John Wray. The history of the church dates back to around 1812 when Rev. Wray paid a visit to the Berbice slaves and was inspired to stay and help teach them. The church was opened in 1819 and was twice enlarged. It was destroyed by fire In 1966, the Government made a gift of $25,000 to the residents of Berbice to renovate and further preserve the church. In 1969 the Rev. Pat Matthews, who had served the previous four years at Smith Memorial in the capital, Georgetown, became the first Guyanese pastor at Mission Chapel. In 1976, the structure was named a historic one by the Government of Guyana. In 2001, Mission Chapel was designated a National Heritage Site by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. Mission Chapel is located at 12 Chapel Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice. PRISONS IN GUYANA The Guyana Prison Service Headquarters is located in Georgetown, the capital city of the country. The largest prison in Guyana, known as Georgetown Prison, is located at D’Urban and Camp Streets in the city of Georgetown. Over the years this prison has become increasingly overcrowded and there has often been talk of removing it to a more suitable location. The Mazaruni Prison is located along the Essequibo River, near Bartica. This maximum- A small prison, known as Timheri Prison, is located south of Georgetown near the
Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The prison for female inmates is located in New Amsterdam, the main town in the county of Berbice. A fifth prison, known as the Lusignan Prison, is located on the east coast of the county of Demerara. During World War II, Italian and German residents of British Guiana were regarded as "enemy aliens" and sent to the Mazaruni Prison, then referred to as the Mazaruni Penal Settlement. In colonial times, the penal system was known as Her Royal Majesty's Penal Service. In 1957, the name was changed to the Guyana Prison Service. THE ESPLANADE The Esplanade is the name of an open public ground west of Esplanade Road and immediately opposite The Gardens in New Amsterdam, Berbice. It evokes many pleasant memories of the time when it was immensely popular as a picnic resort and rendezvous for the people of Berbice. The bandstand there saw many splendid and well attended performances of the British Guiana Militia Band. FERRIES IN GUYANA Because Guyana has many rivers, many ferry services are used to get people across
these rivers. The main ferries are the Georgetown - LEMON GRASS A type of grass with a strong lemon flavor. Guyanese use it to make a herbal tea. This is drunk because it is pleasant or because one has a fever. In neighboring Suriname, it is also used for flavoring food. Lemon grass is used fresh or dried during cooking but usually removed before serving. It is also used, sparingly, in powdered form. The seawall is the name given to the wall of concrete built along the foreshore with
the sea in Guyana, mostly in Demerara. It is part of the battle against the Atlantic
ocean waves. Earth walls are called sea- This is a small garden on the Avenue of the Republic in Georgetown, Guyana, between Church and North Streets. During colonial times, “company path” was the name given to a road used by the propertied class as an access road from the river to their lands. The company path, in this case, extended from the side of the Demerara river along the path on which the Bank of Guyana was built and eastwards beyond the Avenue of the Republic. In 1870, the entrance to the old Anglican cathedral (St. George’s) together with
the entire width of Company Path was handed over by Government to the Mayor and Town
Council. In 1908 part of the land was enclosed by an iron rail and planted as a garden
– the Company Path Garden. It is now the site of the Non- HUSH- Traditionally, personal names were given to Amerindian children by the piaiman soon after birth. However, such names were hardly ever used for fear that they might become known to persons eager to use the names to cause harm to their owners. Amerindians therefore addressed one another according to relationship, such as brother, sister, father, mother, boy, or girl. In order to keep his real name secret, an Amerindian when dealing with a stranger (especially an European, in the past) would ask the stranger for a name then answer to whatever name was given. Remembrance Day is observed "on the Sunday before or on the morrow of" November 11
(Armistice Day), when the dead of the two World Wars are remembered. A service is
held at the Cenotaph in Georgetown and is attended by the President. The program
usually includes the following: (1) The Silence- The late Sir Lionel Luckhoo of Guyana has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records
as the World's Most Successful Advocate with 245 consecutive murder acquittals and
no conviction on a capital charge. Sir Lionel was a member of a prominent family
of lawyers in Guyana. Sir Lionel died in December 1997 at the age of 83.
UMANA YANA The structure called the Umana Yana is located in Kingston, Georgetown. It was built
close to the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown's largest hotel, in 1972. It is is a 55- posts lashed together with mukru, turu and nabbi vines. No nails were used. The Umana Yana was specially constructed to serve as a V.I.P. lounge and recreation
spot during the Non- HIGH COURT IN GEORGETOWN Guyana’s High Court was formerly known as the Victoria Law Courts. Designed by the great Dutch engineer, Baron Hora Siccama, the High Court is located on the Avenue of the Republic between South Road and Charlotte Street. The building was opened on Queen Victoria’s birthday, May 24, 1887. At the front of the building stands a marble statue of the queen, erected in 1894 to commemorate her jubilee. After Independence in 1966, the name “Victoria Law Courts” was changed to “Law Courts, Georgetown” and the statue of the queen relocated at the eastern end of the Botanic Gardens. It was later reinstalled in front of the court building. QUEH- Queh- Queh- Preparation for the queh- Over the years, the amount of time given to queh- During the Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non- ANNATO DYE One of the reasons that Europeans went to Guyana was to obtain annato seeds. An inexpensive
substitute for saffron, they are used primarily in the Caribbean and Mexico to color
food a bright yellow- The annatto (arnatto) tree is also known as Achiote. THE FASCINATING NEEM TREE Before toothpaste became popular, the people of India chewed neem twigs to keep their teeth healthy. In Germany, Neem extract has been included in the formulas for several commercial toothpastes to prevent tooth decay and to prevent and heal gum inflammation. As a pesticide neem has been found to be effective against 200 insect species as well as some mites, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and even a few viruses. Neem has social uses as well. For instance, mourners may keep neem leaves in the mouth on returning from funerals. To Indians in foreign lands the neem tree helps bridge the gap with India. It is a symbol of continuity with the past. In recent years interest has been shown by Caribbean nations in using the neem tree to help in reforestation. Antigua and Barbuda, for example, sees the neem tree as useful for replacing forests destroyed by hurricanes or cut down to make way for the construction of buildings. The scientific name of neem is Azadirachta indica. THE AMERINDIAN PIAIMAN OR DOCTOR The piaiman is the Amerindian medicine man or shaman and is highly respected by his people. He specializes in herbal medicines and is believed to have supernatural powers. He also functions as a doctor, composer of words used in ritual blowing (known as "tareng"), and a disciplinarian during initiation rites or puberty rites for the young man. He trains other piaimen and is believed to invoke the dead when relatives or the dead wish to speak to them, to practice telepathy, to communicate with animals, and to have unusual foresight. More on the piaiman Kaieteur is the most famous of Guyana’s numerous waterfalls. It is situated on the
Potaro River, a tributary of the great Essequibo River. The water flows in a rainbow
of color over a 450- Under the rock formation behind the curtain of falling water live the Kaieteur Swifts, also called Makonaima Birds. Kaieteur, which is 250 miles southwest of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, was established as a national park by the British in 1929. It remains a true wilderness area with a fascinating array of plants and animals. The park occupies an area of 45 square miles and comprises the falls, the greater part of the gorge below, and part of the Potaro river above the falls to the south. If a proposal developed in 1991 by the The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) were to be implemented the Kaieteur National Park would be expanded to encompass “the entire upper watershed of the Potaro river with all its tributaries, and all forest lands bordering the savannahs to the southwest, the Kurungiku mountains to the southeast, Ebini mountain to the east, the Ayanganna mountain to the northwest and the upper watersheds of the Kuribrong and Amaila rivers.” The area covered would be more than 400,000 hectares (about 1700 square miles). The government has decided for the time being to expand the Park to “222 square miles, which would incorporate the watershed leading into the falls.” Reuters reported that 25 year old Pvt. Robert Howat of the Scottish Black Watch took
the most dangerous dip on record when he swam across the top of the Kaieteur Falls
in 1955. This exploit was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1970- The first European to report seeing the Kaieteur Falls was Charles Barrington Brown. Kaieteur in Action - WHO WAS PRINCE RANDIAN? Born without arms and legs, Prince Randian was billed as "The Caterpillar Man" ,
"The Armless and Legless Wonder" , “The Human Torso” even “The Human Worm” and entertained
audiences at Coney Island in New York and in other parts of the United States for
45 years by performing tasks using only his lips where one would normally use one’s
hands. One such task was rolling cigarettes. Rolling cigarettes was really making
cigarettes out of raw tobacco leaf and paper. He was also introduced as the 'human
caterpillar who crawls on his belly like a reptile'. This was because he moved from
one place to another by wiggling his shoulders and hips. Other activities performed
by him were writing, painting and shaving. Randian was also an actor, rolling cigarettes, in
Tod Browning's movie "Freaks" (1932). The Cenotaph was built in 1923 at Main and Church Streets. It is the site of Remembrance Day (Remembrance Sunday) services in November each year. WATCH THIS GUY – WINSTON ALWYN OCTOBER Guyanese Winston Alwyn October recently became the first Guyanese to sign with the
Washington Redskins (March, 2001) and possibly the first Guyanese to play in the
National Football League of the United States. Born in Georgetown Guyana on July
12, 1976, he came to the USA at age three. He is only 5' 8" tall and weighs only
170 pounds, but is credited with great speed and safe hands and in his second year
in the NFL he was considered one of the most dangerous kick returners. October scored
three touchdowns on kick returns for Allouettes last season, one of which was a 111- EYEPASS Here is one account of the origin of the expression “eyepass.” It was said to have begun in the colonial days. As there was almost always not enough work for everyone, the workers would assemble at the appointed place, mainly on a sugar estate, and wait to be chosen by the estate manager or overseer. The boss would arrive on his horse and from his lofty perch he would look over the crowd. He would make eye contact with someone he wanted to work that day and nod his approval. He would continue, his eyes “passing” those he did not choose, and finding someone else whom he would employ that day. Later, the meaning of the word became much stronger than being overlooked. It came to mean disrespect. Charmaine Hooper, soccer star Charmaine Hooper, probably the most famous Guyanese woman soccer player, has been
described as "one of the most powerful soccer forwards in the world," and "one of
the world's best attackers." Born January 15, 1968 to Ivan and Myrna Hooper in Guyana,
she was taken at age 7 to Zambia to be with her father who was posted to the Guyana
High Commission there. When her father got a new posting two years later, the family
moved to Canada, where Charmaine's soccer career began. THE HARPY EAGLE One of the great attractions at the Guyana Zoo is the Harpy Eagle, reputedly the strongest eagle in the world. It lives in the tall trees in thick rainforest in Guyana's deep south. Harpy eagles are not numerous and it could be difficult to see one. However, several Amerindian communities are now noting and protecting nesting sites so that serious bird watchers could observe them. The harpy can grow to be as large as 36 to 40 inches in length and up to 20 pounds in weight. It can reach speeds above 50 mph in flight. Its feet are massive. At half the size of the average man, the harpy is a formidable hunter and has been called the "flying wolf." It has a black back, white underside, and gray head. There is a black band across the chest up to the neck. Even in the zoo some visitors find it a fearsome, intimidating creature, especially when it is closely observing one with its piercing eyes. When hunting, the harpy eagle launches surprise attacks and employs its huge sharp talons to secure its prey. It captures and eats small and not so small animals, such as howling monkeys, opossums, coatis, sloths, iguanas and some birds. One of the locations from which harpy eagles are observed is the Dadanawa Ranch in the Rupununi District. MALTEENOES SPORTS CLUB The Malteenoes Sports Club was founded in the year 1902. It's first president, Mr. Ferdinand Christopher Archer, a master tailor, was a Barbadian who emigrated to the then British Guiana when he was a child. At the age of eighteen he recognized the need for a sports club for the poor. The club was initially located at Camp Street, Eve Leary, at the spot where the Police Commissioner's Residence now stands. When this site was taken over by the military, Malteenoes moved to its present location. Malteenoes Sports Club allowed young men and women the opportunity to participate actively in a variety of Sports including football, cricket, hockey, table tennis, dominoes, badminton and scrabble. Some of the Malteenoes Sports Club Members who performed at a very high level are: Charlie Jones, John Trim, Glendon Gibbs, Rex Collymore, Barrington Browne, Clayton Lambert, Kenneth Wong, Cohn Stewart, Pat Legal, George Green, Pat Britton, Dennis France, W.G. Griffith, Crawley Hunte, Rita Braithwaite, and Iris Straker. Among those who served notably in administration are: Joseph "Pirate" Alexander, Rudolph Harper, George Green, Rex Mc Kay, Rex Collymore, Claude Raphael, Edward Richmond, and Pat Legal. Following the suspension of the British Guiana constitution in 1953, the British government dispatched troops mainly to Georgetown to keep the peace. Among them were the 2nd Battalion of the Scottish regiment, The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) who arrived in 1954. Their unusual regalia and their bagpipe music made them quite conspicuous. A PRETTY TARANTULA Although the name ''tarantula" strikes fear into some people's hearts, the Guyana
Pinktoe Tarantula (avicularia avicularia) is regarded by many as a spider of striking
beauty. It is docile, yet speedy. When full grown, it measures up to five inches.
It eats insects and the occasional small lizard or even a pinkie mouse. Many people
are not affected by the venom of this species, but some are. All over the world,
lovers of those "pink toes" rear the Guyana Pinktoe singly or communally in terrariums
with broad- EARLY AVIATION IN GUYANA GUYANA'S NATIONAL AIRPORT THE ARAWAK CACIQUE The cacique was an Arawak clan chieftain who was treated with great respect. Although he needed to be firm, he was usually courteous and considerate to his people. The cacique was responsible for, among other things, the distribution of land, labor arrangements, planting and disposal of crops, and decisions regarding war and peace. The cacique was allowed a number of privileges. He was given a part of the harvest; his dwelling was the largest in the village; his canoe, the largest and the only painted one, was made for him.
CACIQUE - Yellow- Caciques are mostly sleek black, with red or yellow rumps and/or wing patches and yellow bills. THE ORIGIN OF DAUNTLESS, LEGUAN Dauntless is the northern portion of the Island of Leguan which is at the mouth of the Essequibo River. It has a fascinating origin. The following excerpt from Vincent Roth's "Trip on the Baridi" tells the story: "Many years ago a sloop called "Dauntless" ran, at low tide, on a mud flat off Leguan Island and, as she could not be refloated, was abandoned. Gradually the mud silted up around her hull, each high tide depositing more. Then some seeds drifted along and soon began to grow, and lo, an island was formed. This grew rapidly as more mud was deposited by the tides until, in the twenties, it joined on to the neighboring Leguan Island though for many years after it was still called Dauntless Island." Incidentally, Dauntless Island is the site of terrific crab marches. DADANAWA TIMEHRI ROCKS Timehri rocks are pictured rocks most probably carved by Amerindians.
Among the figures represented are men, animals, the sun and other objects. The word
"timehri" is used by the Carib and Macushi Amerindians to refer to the curious alphabet- CUBANA AIRLINES DISASTER Eleven Guyanese were among 73 persons who perished on what is now generally known
as the Cubana Airlines Disaster of October 6, 1976. The others were 57 Cubans and
5 citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). Those killed
included 19 members of Cuba's junior national fencing team returning from Caracas,
most of them teen- The ol' higue in Guyanese folk belief is a person, generally an old woman, who's essential diet was the blood of babies. At night, the ol' higue would remove her skin, hide it under a mortar (a hard bowl in which substances are pounded with a pestle), turns into a ball of fire and flies to the home of her victim. Whether a baby lives or dies, or is in good or poor health was often attributed to the activities of the ol' higue. The Barbados equivalent of the ol' higue is the hag. In Trinidad and Tobago she is called a soucouyant. One way of getting rid of the ol' higue was finding her skin before she got back from her nightly journey and rubbing it with pepper and salt. She would be unable to put it on again without pain and severe burning; she might even die. Another way is to throw some salt or rice grains around the door or window. She would not be able to leave until she has counted every grain. You might then be able to keep her there until the sun comes up and she is caught without her skin. Yet another way is to beat her with a big stick. Next day, the old lady with the evidence of a severe beating is revealed as an ol' higue. One was believed to become an ol' higue as the result of a curse passed on from a dying ol' higue.
A NOTE ABOUT DDT In Guyana, the days before DDT was used were the bad days of malaria and blackwater
fever. The period after the use of DDT in malaria "eradication" programs was better
and DDT was regarded as a good thing. However, DDT stays on in the environment after
it's done its work as a killer of disease-
What is "red rum" spelled backwards? THE AMERINDIAN PIAIMAN IN ACTION The piaiman (pronounced pee- The patient was a young man who just grew worse by the day. Several doctors in the capital, Georgetown, failed to help him and, in desperation, his mother asked the piaiman's intervention. The piaiman had the patient sit on a tortoise shell in his wigwam of palm leaves. Roth and others sat in a circle outside the hut and could not see what was going on inside. But the observers could see and smell the aromatic smoke which soon seeped through
the leaves of the hut. They also heard the sound of the rhythmic shaking of a gourd
rattle; then later the "droning sing- When the piaiman emerged, he said he had consulted the spirits of the camoodi (anaconda) and the tiger who told him that the lad was being punished with this illness because he had been unfaithful to an Amerindian girl. However, he would not die. The piaiman set out at dawn next morning to obtain the medicines he said the spirits
prescribed, returned in three days, administered them to the patient, and the patient
became well again. His fee? A long- Roth, like other observers, believe that the piaiman is essentially one who has intimate and extensive knowledge of the medicinal value of forest plants and is an excellent ventriloquist. ATKINSON AIRPORT Atkinson Field was leased to the United States of America by the United Kingdom in 1941. The lease was terminated on May 26, 1966 (Guyana's Independence Day). Because the lease was terminated 74 years before its due end, a new agreement was arrived at giving certain specified rights to the Americans in relation to the air base for the next 17 years. THE BERBICE SLAVE UPRISING The most famous slave revolt in Guyana began in February 1763 and lasted into 1764. It began on Plantation Magdalenenberg on the Canje River in Berbice. The slaves rebelled, protesting harsh and inhumane treatment, and took control of the region. As plantation after plantation fell to the slaves, the European population fled; eventually only half of the whites who had lived in the colony remained. Led by Cuffy (now the national hero of Guyana), the rebels came to number about 3000 and threatened European control over the Guianas. The insurgents were defeated with the assistance of troops from neighboring French and British colonies and from Europe. Jan Carew is novelist, playwright, poet and educator. Born in 1925 at Agricola, a village in Guyana also called Rome, he was educated at
the Berbice High School. At age 17, he left Guyana for the United States where he
studied at Howard University and Western Reserve University (1944- Jan Carew has lived in Holland, Mexico, England, France, Spain, Ghana, Canada and the United States. In England, he acted with Sir Laurence Olivier and edited the Kensington Post. Some of the noted figures he has had relations with are W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X, Kwame Nkrumah, Shirley Graham DuBois, Maurice Bishop, Cheikh Anta Diop, Edward Scobie, John Henrik Clarke, Tsegaye Medhin Gabre, Sterling D. Plumpp and Ivan Van Sertima. He is the author of Grenada: Black Midas, The Wild Coast, The Hour Will Strike Again,
Fulcrums of Change, Ghosts in Our Blood: With Malcolm X in Africa, England and the
Caribbean. His essays include "Estevanico: The African Explorer," "Rape of Paradise:
Columbus and the Origin of Racism in the Americas," and "Moorish Culture-
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in
1824. In 1825 and again in 1944, the church was rebuilt. Mission Chapel probably
has the largest seating capacity of all churches in Guyana -