GCA MOURNS THE PASSING OF DEDICATED BOARD MEMBER … · 2012. 1. 1. · “ya tink it easy” Farewell my friend and don’t forget to keep an eye on we. CELEBRATING GODFREY’S LIFE

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. Newsletter

GCA MOURNS THE PASSINGOF DEDICATED BOARD MEMBERGODFREY CHIN

Jan 15, 2012Volume 2Issue 1

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc.Newsletter


REMEMBERING OUR FRIEND & BROTHER GODc ... YA TINK IT EASY!

Godfrey Chin is ahero. His love forGuyana was completeand his life has been astory of constantlyadding to the greatGuyanese story … never subtracting from it and neverseeking to divide it into narrow little categories.

His love for the “Dear land” came from the creative cauldronsof Nigger Yards and the hurt of earlier dark times. Heleapt from those surroundings without any hate or com-plexes of inferiority or superiority. He refined his com-mitment to teamwork in school yards, on the playingfield, as a civil servant, and as a private sector manager. Asstudent, athlete, civil servant, and corporate manager,Godfrey Chin traveled across Guyana experiencing thenation’s urban, rural, and hinterland realities. As an athlete,he represented Guyana in regional and international tour-nament-winning hockey and squash teams. Forever curious,he was attuned to the pulse, rhythms, and aspirations ofhis people—all of them—as they experienced the socialand political realities of the shift from colony to Republic.

Godfrey Chin was a sharer. He shared his love for hisland through the expressive arts. He firmly believed thatGuyanese expressive arts, especially the costumed artsand the arts of spectacle had a special place in Guyanesecreative life. For him, the costumed arts and the arts ofspectacle were important demonstrations of the nation’scultural confidence as they required the harmonious inte-gration of design, color, music, movement, and order. As adesigner of successful costumed bands from the early1950s through the 1980s, he left Guyana a rich legacy.

Godfrey Chin moved comfortably among all sectors ofGuyanese society at home and in the diaspora. He wasnever pompous and “full of it.” As a self-described “cookshop fly” he was aware of much of the “nylon” behindimportant institutions and moments in Guyanese life.

Like many Guyanese Godfrey Chin migrated and settledin the United States. Here he continued to be engagedwith the “Dear land.” He was one of the founding membersof the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc.,--organizers of the annual Guyana Folk Festival in Brooklynsince 2001. He played an important role in articulatingthe organization’s commitment to preserving, promoting,and propagating Guyana’s cultural heritage. His designsand his graphics have defined the aesthetics of the annualAwards Ceremony and Family Fun Day. It was in thisorganization that Godfrey Chin carved his niche andenergized a stream in Guyanese literary life—heritagejournalism. His “Nostalgias” series published in Guyana’s

Stabroek News were popularamong Guyanese at homeand in the diaspora. Theseinsightful pieces encapsulatedGuyanese cultural historyand connected them to con-

temporary opportunities. Through this series, GodfreyChin added to our knowledge of the multiple dimensionsof Guyana and the nation’s common collective history.

Godfrey Chin remigrated to Guyana in 2010 and immediatelyset about bringing “pizazz” to Guyanese public events.Prior to returning to Guyana, he had started to organizedisplays of his vast collection of photographs on Guyana.On his return to Guyana, he continued to mount displays.His passion was using photographic displays to help anew generation of Guyanese “see” from whence theycame and start to visualize the future. Godfrey wouldalways conclude an article or a good gaff with the statement,“Ya tink it easy!” It was not always easy! But he suremade it look so! There was elegance and style in the waythat Godfrey did things from the way he danced, the wayhe cooked, the way he dressed and the way he loved the“Dear land.” Godfrey Chin was a hero!

In addition to a wake on Saturday, January 21, 2012 and aMemorial Service on February 19, 2012 in Brooklyn, theGuyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc. will establishthe annual Godfrey Chin Prize for Heritage Journalism.The Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc. willwork with the University of Guyana's Center forCommunication Studies, Civil society, and the Guyanesejournalism community to establish the criteria for thisannual award.

Godfrey Chin is a hero.

His love for Guyana was complete andhis life has been a story of constantlyadding to the great Guyanese story …never subtracting from it and never seekingto divide it into narrow little categories.

Vibert C. Cambridge, Ph.D., President

Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc.

January 17, 2012

For Godfrey Chin: ADD, DON’T SUBTRACT

AND DIVIDE!GCA TO ESTABLISH THE ANNUAL

GODFREY CHIN PRIZE FORHERITAGE JOURNALISM

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3


REMEMBERING OUR FRIEND & BROTHER GODc ... YA TINK IT EASY!

TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN STAR(Ode to Godfrey Chin)

By: Derrick John Jeffrey In Thailand

In one short span you did it all never has one walk so tall

Reflecting the past from Hori to CarassStumping your toe

and getting cut with razor grassPelting down geunip

and the swing of a hockey stickTo cool off on the Sea Wall where it’s nice and breezy

“ya tink it easy”

Shimmering costumes in hot tropical colors Steelband tramping

from Quo Vadis to MarabuntasElaborate designs and no money

Bringing a touch of class to Mashramani“ya tink it easy”

From a distant land you stretched out your hand

To walk us back through the Sea Wall Band Stand

Toffee Balls, Never-Done, Coconut Biscuit andDazzel sweets

On the hot tar road of Georgetown streets Sheltering from rain, touching the petals of a

Morning Glory Catapulting sling-shot looking for a Kis-Ka-Dee


Trying to cool de sting of a honey bee with alarge Mauby


We will miss the gaff and the laughThe commentary of the pageantryForgetting to tell about the time you fell out de Sapordilla tree


Farewell my friend and don’t forget to keep an eye on we.

CELEBRATING GODFREY’S LIFE AND PERPETUATING HISCOMMITMENT TO GUYANESEHERITAGE

The Guyana CulturalAssociation of New York,Inc. met on Monday,January 16, 2012 toreflect on the passing ofGodfrey Chin--one of ourfounding members anddecided on ways to cele-brate his life and perpetu-ate his commitment to Guyanese

heritage.

After a prayer, the following decisions were taken:

A WAKEA Wake will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 2806 Newkirk Avenue & E 28th Street, Brooklyn 11226 from 7:00 PM;

A MEMORIAL SERVICEA Memorial Service is being planned for Sunday, February 19, 2012 (details to be circulated shortly);

THE ANNUAL GODFREY CHIN PRIZEFOR HERITAGE JOURNALISMThe creation of the annual Godfrey Chin Prize forHeritage Journalism. The Guyana CulturalAssociation of New York, Inc. will be workingwith the University of Guyana's Center forCommunication Studies, Civil society, and theGuyanese journalism community to establish thecriteria for this annual award. Additional details will be posted on this andother Internet locations.

PLEASE JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE GODFREY’S LIFE

A Limb hasfallen from our treeA limb has fallen from our family tree.I keep hearing a voice that says, "Grieve not for me.Remember the best times, the laughter, the song.The good life I lived while I was strong.Continue my heritage, I'm counting on you.Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through.My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest.Remembering all, how I truly was blessed.Continue traditions, no matter how small.Go on with your life, don't worry about fallsI miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.Until the day comes we're together again.

Godfrey Chin,Forever in our hearts!

BACKDROP FOR GCA FAMILY DAYDesigned and produced by Godfrey.The backdrop featured the StabroekMarket, St. George’s Cathedral,Kaieteur Falls and other sites.

GODc “Cook Shop Fly” - THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

GODFREY LOVED DANCING!Demonstrating “the swing”with Tangerine Clarke at the GCA 2005 Symposium

WHAT WOULD GODFREY SAY!- Ya tink it easy?- Cook-Shop Fly- Nylon- Pizazz

In October at the 2005 “Scholars inAction Program” his presentation of“Social Dancing in Guyana - afterWWII” at the Borough of ManhattanCommunity College was receivedwith raves by the students and staff.

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GODc “Cook Shop Fly” - THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Ya tink it easy! 5

It is very difficult to say Happy New Year,when our hearts are breaking for the loss ofour dear former member, colleague and lov-ing friend Godfrey Chin who passed away onMonday. It is with deep sadness that wemourn this talented extraordinary Icon whohas served with distinction in the Guyana Cul-tural Association for the last ten years. TheBoard of GCA extends heartfelt condolencesto the family of our dear departed Godfrey. Ashe would always say – ‘Ya think it easy’. Restin Peace Godfrey.

I recently got back from spending Christmasin Guyana – the first in more that twentyyears. And as a volunteer who serves dinner ata shelter in New York City during the season, Iwanted to do the same during my stay inGeorgetown. Unfortunately, I was told that Iwould have had to make arrangements beforearriving in Guyana. I was disappointed, butoverjoyed that even though many Guyanesethemselves were not enjoying the prosperitythey would like, it was that innate desire thatencouraged them to however share the littlethey had with those that are less fortunate.

As you will read in this issue, the Clarkes arejust two Guyanese who have made a commit-ment for the last thirty-years to give back totheir community. And like these charitableindividuals, Cheryl Ainsworth-Martin hasdevoted her life in a different way carrying ona family dynasty as an educator. She shares herlife’s journey in her first effort as an author.

As we embrace 2012, let us be inspired to belike Prince Randian of Guyana who facedadversity without limbs but prevailed tobecome a success in his own way. Primaryschool vendors may not have had the oppor-tunity to acquire a formal education, but theirsuccess is grounded in what they knew best -skillful preparation and selling indigenousproducts from their trays.

These are some of the life experiences youshould ponder as you plan your life duringthis New Year. As the board of the Guyana Cul-tural Association begins to heartily plan its11th year of cultural programs with its color-ful theme “Masquerade Lives” we invite you tojoin us as we continue our commitment toexcellence. Events such as our Literary Hang,Moonlight Night Story Telling, Summer Her-itage Camp, Symposium, Mother’s DayEvening, Awards Presentation, Kwe Kwe, Fam-ily Fun day and Performing Arts Theatre, willonce again return to our stage.

We wish you our devoted patrons, all the verybest, in this Leap Year, and look forward toseeing you real soon.

Letter from the Editor

Tangerine Clarke

IN THIS ISSUEPAGES 1-5: A tribute to Godfrey ChinPAGE 8: Visions of 2012 PAGE 10: A History of the

MasqueradePAGE 12: GCA investing in the

futurePAGE 14: 2012 GCA Literary HangPAGE 16: Legacy of the school

vendorPAGE 20: Bringing Cheer to Lodge

Village

Editor-in-Chief - Tangerine ClarkeCopy Editors-

Edgar Henry & Lear Matthews

Layout and Design by Ashton Franklin & Claire A. Goring

Contributors:Peter Halder, Lear Matthews,

Tangerine Clarke, Eric Matthews,Valerie Coddett, Derrick “John” JeffreyVibert Cambridge, Edgar HenryJuliet Emanuel, the late Billy Pilgrim

Demerara Waves

Pictures:Tangerine Clarke

Yaphet Jackman/MargaretLawrence/CineGuyana

Demerara Waves

6

THE CHILDREN OF TIGERBAY REMEMBERED


Tiger Bay’s forgotten children maynot have enjoyed Christmas likemany others, but their charm,bright smiles and their energywere evident when charitableoverseas Guyanese showed up tohand out gifts. The call of Bingy!propelled the kids from all areasof the neighborhood. They, then,in an orderly manner formed aline where they were handed afew treats and a toy. For the lastthree years the boys and girl havelistened for this word that meansgive-away in the Rastafarian lan-guage. Many were so eager to geton line that they stormed out oftheir shacks wearing nothing buttheir birthday suits. They are lessfortunate but their will to hopefor a better future was seen intheir thanks for just one toy. TC

7FOLK FESTIVAL 2012 THEME

“MasqueradeLi ves”

CELEBRATING THE MANYASPECTS OF THE MASQUERADE

TRADITIONThe goal is to nourish a folk

tradition that is facing more than its fair share

of challenges.

A Traditional Masquerade Step:“The Pick-Up”The well-to-do, looking

down from their verandahsor balconies would throw acoin. The flouncer sees whereit falls, dances over to it, andafter showing off the varietyand skill of his steps, goesslowly down on one leg, theother stretched horizontally infront of him, for the “pick-up”.



8VISIONS FOR 2012

“MASQUERADE LIVES”FOLK FESTIVAL 2012 THEME

DR. VIBERT CAMBRIDGE, THE PRESIDENT OF GCA

Well, Christmas came andeverybody had their share …according to the masquerade

toast, even “...poor Uncle Willy in de jailhad he sour ginger beer and salt fishtail!”

As we now try to live up to our individ-ual New Year’s resolutions, we at theGuyana Cultural Association

of New York, Inc. have started to focusour attention on the design and deliv-ery the 2012 season. As you know, thetheme for this year is “MasqueradeLives.” So our ambition is to use theentire season to focus on and celebratethe many aspects of the masqueradetradition. The goal is to nourish a folktradition that is facing more than its fair

share of challenges.

We anticipate that the 2012 sympo-sium will explore masquerade’s multi-ple roots and its connections withAfrica, Europe, and the widerCaribbean.

Masquerade is music!.

Like last year’s symposium, we hope tohave a live performance and possiblyhear some new music based on themasquerade rhythm and instruments.The “Bhoom” beat introduced by TomCharles as Guyana prepared for inde-pendence in 1966 should not be thelast effort to celebrate that aspect ofour musical heritage. I have heardsome recent compositions from Lon-don-based Keith Waithe and I hopethat he and other Guyanese musicianswill premiere new masquerade-influ-enced works during Guyana Folk Festival 2012.

Masquerade is Poetry!

During the Christmas season, I had awonderful FaceBook conversation withHarold Bascom, the Guyanese painterand Guyana Prize winning authorabout masquerade chants/toasts. Thatconversation resulted in the celebra-tion of the rhyming scheme of theGuyanese masquerade chant/toast. It ishoped that Guyanese poets and otherliterary artists can consider creatingnew works using this rhyming schemefor the 2012 season. The Literary Hangwill be a wonderful venue to showcasethis creativity.

Masquerade is also drama!

It has been suggested that we explorethe possibility of staging the late IanValz’s play “Masquerade” during the2012 season.

Masquerade is also art!

Stanley Greaves, the distinguishedGuyanese painter, poet, and Guyanistconsiders masquerade costumes as aspecial form of Guyanese creativity andhas agreed to contribute some designsfor Folk Festival 2012.

Masquerade is also about FashionAnother Guyanese artist who is con-sidering exploring the masqueradeaesthetic this year is the fashiondesigner Sonia Noel.

“MASQUERADE LIVES”

9FOLK FESTIVAL 2012:EXPLORING MASQUERADE’S MULTIPLE ROOTS ANDITS CONNECTIONS WITH AFRICA, EUROPE ANDTHE WIDER CARIBBEANMasquerade is also about dance!Last year, the young participants inGCA’s Caribbean summer camp madeus all feel very proud with theirdemonstrations of the wide range ofmasquerade steps—Lady Going ToMarket; Scottish Highlander; BoyRobin; Breast Plate; Break/Stumble;Donkey Parade. This year, the youthmay expand on this repertoire andeven venture into making mad bulls,Mother Sally, and the other charactersassociated with Guyanese andCaribbean masquerade traditions.

There is much work to be done to ensure thatGuyana Folk Festival 2012 lives up the expecta-tions of being the premier summer celebrationof Guyanese heritage in North America. Yourassistance and ongoing support will beappreciated. We will need your help aswe dream to make the many dimensionsof masquerade live in all of our eventsduring 2012—the Awards Ceremony, KweKwe Nite, the Video & Film Festival, theSummer Heritage Camp, the DramaFestival, the Art Exhibition, theSymposium, the Literary Hang, andFamily Fun Day

Aal bady, Waan bady

MASQUERADE STEPS:• Lady Going to Market• Scottish Highlander• Boy Robin• Donkey Parade• Breast Plate• Break/Stumble



10

The first indication you havethat something unusual is tak-ing place is the sound of a

high pitched piccolo or a flute or “fife”accompanied by a drum soundingremarkably like a British military snare-drum – and that is precisely what it is,or more correctly, what it is based on.The texture of the sound may be famil-iar, but the rhythms are completelyunknown to any British military drum-mer. Next you will hear the irregular beatof the tenor drum or the “boom” – thatis what it is called in Masquerade lan-guage, the snare drum known as the“kittle” – and possibly the tinkling ofthe triangle, known as the “steel.”In the street you see the Stilt Man

on his 5ft stilts and the 8ft. Long Ladyor Mother Sally, as you take in the col-orful costumes and distinctive charactersand movements that make up theGuyanese Masquerade Band. At theback of the circle, are the musicianswho dictate the movements of thedance by their melody and rhythm.Moving around the periphery is thestilt dancer (Stilt Man) who can danceon one stilt as well as two.But the center of attraction is the

group of flouncers. The size of thegroup may vary from one to five oreven six, and the age from 3 or 4 towhatever, but the best are usually theyoung men, with good muscular con-trol and a fine sense of balance. Roundthey go in sideways movement in a circle,then they break off, and each does hisown thing, but one thing is common toall of them – they wear a mournfulexpression, with eyes rolling heaven-ward and hands held out, with palmsupward.You ask, why do they look so

mournful if they enjoy dancing? Theanswer goes back one hundred yearsor more. The flouncer indicates by hislook that he is hungry, occasionally he

would even rub his tummy to show hishunger. The well-to-do, looking downfrom their verandahs or balconieswould throw a coin. The flouncer seeswhere it falls, dances over to it, andafter showing off the variety and skill ofhis steps, goes slowly down on one leg,the other stretched horizontally infront of him, for the “pick-up”, keenlywatched by the audience who knowthe intricacies of the pick-up. Where did the Masquerade come

from? They exist in various parts of theCaribbean and are strong in Montserratand St. Kitts, although in quite a differentform, and with other modifications inJamaica and the Bahamas. The commonfactor is that they come out at Christmastime, they wear fancy costumes andthey perform in the street and publicplaces for money.Their musical instruments, the fife,

kittle, the boom and the steel are directlyderived from the British regiments sta-tioned in the Caribbean during the daysof slavery.It is surmised that, since the slaves

were not allowed to have musicalinstruments or drums, these were“loaned” for the occasion and becametraditional.The other “images” apparently reach

back to the now forgotten religious rit-uals of the African homeland. The“Mother Sally” or “Long Lady”, now acrowd-control agent with her flailingarms, is derived from one or other ofthe protective matriarchal figures ofsome of the West African tribes; the“Mad Bull” also goes back to a tribalreligious source, but its true signifi-cance has long disappeared since thedays of the Middle Passage. But the lostreligious features of the original cere-monies have been transformed bydescendants of the slaves into a livingand dynamic manifestation of theAfrican Heritage in the Caribbean.

THE MASQUERADE BANDTHEIR INSTRUMENTS, THE FIFE, KITTLE, THE BOOM AND THE STEEL AREDIRECTLY DERIVED FROM THE BRITISH REGIMENTS STATIONED IN THE

CARIBBEAN DURING SLAVERY AND LOANED FOR THE OCCASION.THE “IMAGES” REACH BACK TO THE NOW FORGOTTEN RELIGIOUS RITUALS OF THE AFRICAN HOMELAND. by the late Billy Pilgrim


As GCA enters the concretestage of its planning for the2012 season, it looks back andbuilds on the experiences of2011.

There is no doubt that theSummer Heritage Camp was asuccess. However, this successcame as a result of three years ofexploration, planning and expe-rience and the donations of timeand talent of many individuals. Acomprehensive list of volunteerswould show what a monumen-tal task the 2011 Summer Camp-was.

I would be at the risk ofomitting someone so I would

prefer not to state names at thistime.

In 2012, we are inviting orga-nizations to join us in this effort.Since any donations to GCA aretax deductible, we encouragingboth individuals and groups tojoin us in this effort. As with anylearning system there will beadjustments to the syllabus.Nevertheless, the curriculumwill remain the same: introductionto and practice in elements of,basically, Guyanese culture withCaribbean tangents/connectionsand commonalties, with a solidfoundation in reading, writing,mathematical and critical think-ing.

During the early Spring wewill invite interested parties toan Open House during whichwe will share some of our expe-riences over the past four yearsand our plans for 2012.

Already a Parent AdvocacyGroup is imminent. Those of us

who participated in the 2011series of workshops concur thatthere is an urgent need for sucha group. Indeed, parents andcaregivers asked for such a helpinghand.

If you would like to par-ticipate in the 2012 SummerHeritage Series and to placeyour name on the mailinglist for the Open House,please contact the GCA Sec-retariat at 718 209-5207 [email protected]:.

Financial Sponsors and partnersand donations of materials,time and talents are welcome.

Director of the 2011GCA Heritage

Summer Camp, Dr. Juliet Emanuel

introduces the volunteers and some of

the junior campers toNY City

Councilmember Mathieu Eugene

FINANCIAL SPONSORS, INDIVIDUALS,ORGANIZATIONS INVITED TO JOIN US

11

by Dr. Juliet Emanuel

2012 GCA SUMMER HERITAGE CAMP

CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE INTRODUCTION TOAND PRACTICE IN ELEMENTS OF GUYANESECULTURE WITH CARIBBEAN TANGENTS/CONNECTIONS & COMMONALITIES, WITH ASOLID FOUNDATION IN READING,WRITING,MATHEMATICAL AND CRITICALTHINKING.

PAVING STONES FOR THE FUTURE


12

The tradition in most cul-tures dictates that at thebeginning of every year,

there is a time for reflection. Inher-ent therein is a time when peoplemake resolutions. Some are difficultto keep depending on the gravity ofthe promises while others take onan easy, automatic routine.

The Guyana Cultural Associa-tion of New York (GCA) during arecent media conference unani-mously decided to embark upon aprogram, to sustain the future byinvesting in the world of tomorrowthrough our youth in these diversecommunities here in the Diasporafor 2012.

We could state with confidencethat last year - our tenth anniversary- was indeed challenging. Neverthe-less, we intend to facilitate the intel-lectual, social and cultural develop-ment of children in our community,regardless of their socio-economicsituation; guiding, steering and giv-

ing them opportunities to choosetheir future goals and perhaps theircareers.

It is imperative that our childrenbe involved. This notion brings aspecial joy as it leaves a legacy from aGCA perspective. Our organizationprovides exposure to the youthwhich plants a special delight in ourhearts. Specific areas such as educa-tion, art, craft, song, music, steel pan,dance, and poetry provide quiteunbounded room for creativitywithin that youthful unexploredintellect and mind set.

One of the most powerful toolsat our disposal is the talent of ourdiverse board members and volun-teers who are willing to give of theirbest towards this worthy cause. Weare proud to be able to assist inthese areas of need.

Recently we have also decided torevive and sustain the historical con-cept and practice of Masquerade for

this year. Through our SummerHeritage camp we intend to garnersupport in this arena and forge asense of commitment to guide andprovide food for the little ones todigest.

Our function is to positivelyinfluence the lives of many morechildren as we move ahead. In orderto keep them focused, we will deviseways and means for them to stay thecourse by giving incentives, and alsoby setting goals in their sojourn.

In these trying times, the prob-lems of the world are numerous andcomplex, often leading many to suc-cumb to social and economic pres-sures. But there is so much more wecan do to make a tremendous differ-ence. We may not be able to solvethe world’s problems, at least not byourselves, but collectively, we canmake a significant impression byreaching out and doing what comesnaturally.

Apart from allowing the youthto participate in the several artforms, they will also be active intheir own production segment ofour monthly newsletter, the annualGuy Folk Fest magazine as well asour website, facebook and twitterinternet access.

Should our dream be realizedwe at GCA would have served ourpurpose of investing in our futureyouth program for sustainability in2012 and beyond.

CULTIVATING YOUNG TALENT IN THE AREAS OF DRAMA, MUSIC, FINE ART, CREATIVE

WRITING AND DANCE

GCA INVESTINGIN THE FUTURE

GCA HeritageCamp 2011students inMusic Theoryled by musi-cian HiltonHemerding andCreative Writ-ing sessions byDr. YvonneMcCallum-Peters

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE & CREATIVE WITH THEIR TALENT & TIME

by Edgar Henry

13CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS AT GCA HERITAGE CAMP

Caption:Top: Arts & Craftsession led by Dr. Juliet

Emanuel and Ms AudreyStudor.

Left: Poetry session led bySelwyn Collinsand samples ofarts and craft.


In 2012 the Literary Hang emphasizes pub-lishing. Self publishers, small presses andlarger companies are invited to participate.This format allows all areas of publishing todisplay and promote their writers and theirworks.

It also allows aspiring writers to explore anypublishing options present on that day. Thisevent is proposed as one that promotes thecreativity of Guyanese expression, in partic-ular, and the Caribbean Diaspora, at large. Aspart of the activities for the day publishers,accepted for The Literary Hang, may presenttheir contracted writers during the day attheir individual spaces. In addition, there willbe a public reading by invited writers dur-ing the day. Part of that program will be aninterview with the actors from the hugelysuccessful 2011 adaptation of C. L. R. James'Minty Alley. All publishers will be responsi-ble for the delivery, set up, sales and removalof all their own goods. GCA will not store-any material or be responsible for any sales.

All genres of the published word, exceptpornography, will be considered for inclu-sion in the general activities of the day. Mag-azines, graphic readers, e-books, children'sliterature, cookbooks, poetry, plays, videosand CD's of performances, novels, short sto-ries and other prose are expected to formpart of the offerings on display and for sale.This event is open to all ages and childrenare especially welcome.

There will be refreshments for sale.

This event will take place in Brooklyn on orabout June 3, 2012. It is likely that there willbe sliding scale fee for publisher participa-tion. Interested parties must contact The Lit-erary Hang Committee, Juliet Emanuel,Chair by e-mail, [email protected] or bycalling Guyana Cultural Association ofNew York, Inc. The Secretariat at 718 2095207, Claire A. Goring, Cultural Director.

The Literary Hang (TM) is a production ofGuyana Cultural Association of New York,Inc.The Literary Hang 2012 will be a galacelebration of the craft of writing and thebook.

14 2012 LITERARY HANG TO EMPHASIZE PUBLISHING

GCA LITERARY HANG 2012

THE LITERARYHANG 2012 WILL

BE A GALA CELEBRATION OF

THE CRAFT OFWRITING AND THE

BOOK

AN OPPORTUNITYFOR ASPIRING

WRITERS TOEXPLORE ANY

PUBLISHINGOPTIONS PRESENT


SELF PUBLISHERS, SMALL PRESS, LARGER COMPANIES INVITED TO PARTICIPATE by Dr. Juliet Emanuel

PETER HALDER

THE CAT OF MURITAROEight Exciting Supernatural Folklore Short stories from Guyana

A C A R I B B E A N B E S T S E L L E R

A C A R I B B E

OCB E A N B E S T S

OFE L L E R

R

RONE OF THE PUBLICATIONS PRESENTLY IN PRODUCTION IN TIME FOR2012 GCA LITERARY HANG

TWO OF THE SUCCESSFUL BOOKSRELEASED IN 2011AND PRESENTED AT THE 2011 LITERARY HANG:“Chester goes toAfrica” by LeylandHazlewood (on saleat amazon.com)and “Tastes LikeHome, MyCaribbeanCookbook” byCynthia Nelson (onsale- amazon.com)


15

16


Whether it was Ms.Murray, Ms. Stefieor Auntie Gertie,

her presence represented an impres-sionable dimension of the educationalenvironment of primary school chil-dren since the 1950’s and to a lesserextent, today. She has been a day-time fixture occupying an unsolicited“spot” outside the school, either neara lantern post, under one ofGuyana’s massive oaks or a tatteredumbrella sheltering from the beamingsun. Typically, she was a simplemiddle-aged woman wearing a plaindress, matching “head tie” or strawhat and apron with side pockets.Fondly known as the sweetie lady,this veritable street vendor was abeloved entrepreneur peddling apotpourri of local snacks. She solda variety of succulent and tart

indigenous fruit, arguably of somenutritional value, sweets and bever-ages displayed on a shallow, well-worn unpainted wooden tray.

Popular items were greenmango, tamarind, golden apple,guinep, dunks, sugar-cake, coconutice, chip chip, hard sweetie (nevahdone), lump, tamarind balls, plantainchips, chicken foot, mittai, fudge,channa, phulourie, flutie, and iceblock. Favorites included “tambrun”,plum and gooseberry syrups, servedin brown paper, which was oftenchewed, with little concern abouthealth consequences. Although“stinkin toe” (locus) was not a pre-ferred choice, due to its pungencyand clamminess, it was occasionallysold by this solitary vendor. Salt,pepper and “sour”, were an essential

part of her reper-toire of flavoringcondiments. Shecarried a sharp-ened kitchen knifeused primarily forpeeling and “cuttinup” fruit, withremarkable savvyand culinary skill.As if those indige-nous goodies pro-vided extra vitalityor mental alert-ness, pupilsswarmed her duringmid-morning“recreashun” and

lunch time. Seemingly energized,many could be seen standingaround or gleefully playing whilechomping, savoring and sharingsnacks, for which they paid no morethan a few pennies or would “trust”(credit) until Friday. Otherspatronized her on their way home,licking sticky fingers and wipingthem on khaki short pants or well-pleated uniform dresses.

Some retrospective observa-tions about the interaction betweenvendor and pupil are noteworthy.This extra-mural matron of com-merce was not only well respected,but known to defuse conflicts, oftenwith a calm, yet stern: “yah’ll don’tfight man”, offering solicitous, moth-erly advice to her unwitting juvenilepatrons. However, of no signifi-cance to us was that the adorableseller intermittently wiped herhands on what appeared to be a per-manently smudged apron, repeated-ly collecting and making change,while handling the delectablesnacks. She also broke “hard candy”with the sweat-saturated woodenknife handle. Further, there musthave been moments of ambivalenceabout the sanitary conditions underwhich those appetizing buildingblocks of our youthful biologicalmake up were prepared and stored.Notwithstanding, we survived!

Although they co-existedamicably, her only real competitionwas the shave-ice man. Precariouslybalancing a huge burlap-coveredblock of ice on a Carrier Bike, heprovided a treat that helped to coolus off from the broiling sun andtiresome school yard activities. Thefirst few sucks on a piece of shave-ice, partially molded with his barepalm, doused in thick red syrup(whatever the source of that rubybrew) was a heavenly experience.How sweet it was! The days of thatbrand of school vendors may belong gone, but not forgotten

FLUTIE, NEVER-DONE SWEETIE, GREENMANGO WITH SALT & PEPPER, “TAMBRUN”OR GOOSEBERRY SYRUP IN BROWN PAPER

LEGACY OF THESCHOOL VENDOR

THE “SHAVEICE”MAN

THE WAY WE WERE

by Dr. Lear Matthews


17IS THIS THE “MODERN DAY”SCHOOL VENDOR?

18

Cheryl Ainsworth-Martincame from an educationdynasty that started in VictoriaVillage. Her parents who wereboth principals instilled in theirnine children the importance ofeducation, and the satisfaction itwould bring in sharing it. Assuch, they all became teachers.

Today, as Ainsworth-Martinprepares to retire from hercareer as a teacher in the NewYork public school system, shereflects on her 25- year career,with a sense of deep fulfillmentthat she was instrumental ineducating hundreds of children,using friendly methods.

Ainsworth-Martin’s collec-tion of dolls is a testament tohow she succeeded in connect-ing with students from Pre-K,through the middle school level.

In addition to teaching Eng-lish Language Arts, Humanities,Mathematics, Social Science,and collaborating to manageSpecial Education classes,Ainsworth-Martin uses her dollsfrom Nigeria and Ghana to edu-cate African-American students,among others, about their histo-ry, which she explained is a glo-rious past, and something theyshould be proud of.

Poetry and music have alsomotivated and helped studentsin the Brooklyn and Queensschool districts with their cul-tural identity.

“Our past can be used as a

tool to change our future”, saidthe eloquent Ainsworth-Martin,who is an outgoing, and prouddesigner of African ensembles.She is a poet, and public speak-er, and someone who has gar-nered the attention of audi-ences in churches, classroomsand at stage presentations.

Ainsworth-Martin is very pas-sionate about sharing herknowledge as an educator, andthe stirring life of growing up ina family of educators. To thisend, she has penned a heart-warming story of her life titled“Family Stories – A Patchworkof Me,” which chronicles the lifeof this extraordinary and talentedmotivator.

The artistic Ainsworth-Martinexplained that the book show-cases different stages in her lifeof events that happened con-currently - “a vignette so to

speak” said the author wholamented that the story willtake readers from her experi-ences growing up in Guyana,and through her life workingand living in New York, for thelast 33 years.

Ainsworth-Martin, whobegan her training at Cyril PotterCollege of Education, leftGuyana because she was unhappywith the economic situation atthat time. She chose the UnitedStates, she said because shewanted to continue her teachingcareer in a country she felt wasmore stable.

“I have excelled in teaching,singing and writing, and I thinkof myself as a poet. I like to readmy poems to different audi-ences. Being on stage gives memany opportunities to educateothers in the world at large”,said the artist, teacher.

“I get great pleasure fromentertaining others. I alwaysseize every chance that comesmy way to delight others withmy interesting rhymes, con-cepts and ideas,” said Ainsworth-Martin

ON THE VILLAGE SCENE


CHERYLAINSWORTH-MARTINVICTORIA VILLAGER PENS HEARTWARMING

BOOK OF FAMILY STORIES“Family Stories – A Patchwork of Me,”

by Tangerine Clarke

APatchwork

of MeBy CherylAinsworth

MartinPublished:

8/31/2011Format:

CaseboundHardcover

(B/WPages: 24Size: 8.5x11ISBN: 978-1-46535-237-8


19FOR QUEBINANG,UPPER MAZARUNI RIVER

By Ted Eric Matthews

XXXX, the old man, sat beneath the tree, or in the hut,proud, and fierce of spirit,overflowing with poems;his stories of mountains, and rivers, and creeks,his songs of forests,and birds are rich,as rich as earth,as green as forests, as fresh, as powerful,as alive as river,XXXX, the old man,stood beneath the tree,his inner eye aglowwith knowing, with memories;his gnarled frame like red cedar,like greenheart, like purpleheart,like silverbally, like corial,born of earth, the forest, the river.XXXX, the old man,stood by the river’s edge and watchedthe muddy flow,his river, his blood, like river, sunlight reflecting,clean and powerful spring, leaping,dancing,dark, swift flow, boiling, and noisy struggleof rapids, roaring, tumbling falls,was then; and now,slow and easy swirlto river’s mouth, not river’s end

august 1976

POEMS & POETS

THE POET"Author T. Eric Matthews, a Guyanese, is a retired New York CityBoard of Education teacher now residing in Fairburn, Georgia."

SUBMIT YOUR POEMS

"The GCA Online Newsletter EditorialTeam invites poets to submit their poems forconsideration of publication in our POETS'CORNER. Please make your submission to: [email protected]."

Brian and Pauline Clarkeput a twinkle in the eyesof more than three hun-

dred children in Lodge Village,when they shared gifts oftoys, goody bags and educa-tional tools, to the little onesduring their 30th Christmasparty and gift giving.

The children arrived promptlyat 2:00 p.m. all decked out intheir very best outfits, werewelcomed by the charitableGuyanese family who werecontinuing to show their loveand commitment to givingback.

The festive afternoon of caroling,live music and games of musi-

cal chairs and friendly compe-tition lasted until way pasttheir bedtime. The childrenenjoyed lots of delicious localfood, drink and sweets, and apromise from their host thatthey will continue to entertainthem during the Christmasseason each year.

The Clarkes, who started thistradition in 1981, by giving outthirteen dolls, and twelvewater pistols, to twenty –fiveless fortunate children, haveseen the party grow to include400 plus children who bringtheir parents for the fun-filledfestive event.

With small donations in the

past, the Guyanese Americansthemselves have stayed true tothe cause by putting aside aweekly saving to ensure thatthe children are not disap-pointed at Christmas timewhen they wait eagerly toreceive a gift said the Clarkes.

Brian Clarke, who is the presidentof the ‘FLANK’ a Brooklyn-based Guyanese organizationthat hosts an annual Guyanafamily fun day during the sum-mer season in Heckscher StatePark, said his family feelsblessed that they can celebrateand bring Christmas cheer tothe children in that Guyanesecommunity

LODGE VILLAGE30 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS CHEER TO CHILDREN OF

ON THE VILLAGE SCENE


20by Tangerine Clarke


21

Guyanese men and womenhave distinguished them-

selves in many fields of humanendeavour, at home and over-seas. The performing arts is noexception. Guyanese havebeen in films, on TV showsand on the stage. One haseven been a feature attractionin the Barnum and Bailey Cir-cus in the United States. Andthe amazing Guyanese had noarms or legs. He was known asPrince Randian.

The young man, born to Hin-du parents in 1871 with nei-ther arms nor legs, was 18years old at the time. He wasdiscovered by P.T. Barnumwho transported him from the“Demerara district” and exhib-ited him as a human “oddity”or “freak” - a practice commonin those days. Exactly how Bar-num learned about the usualyoung man is unknown but hedid. He arranged, in 1889 to

bring the young man to NewYork. And hundreds of thou-sands of spectators paid to seehim.

He was named “Prince Randi-an” and was billed as “TheCaterpillar Man”, The Armlessand Legless Wonder”, “TheHuman Torso”, even “TheHuman Worm” and for 45years entertained audiencesprimarily at Coney Island inBrooklyn, New York but also inother parts of the UnitedStates - in circuses, carnivalsand museums. He drew largecrowds who watched himperform tasks using only hislips and teeth where onewould only use one’s hands.

He was often introduced asthe ‘Human Caterpillar whocrawls on his belly like a rep-tile.’ This was because hemoved from one place toanother by wiggling his shoul-ders and hips. In his perfor-

mances, he wore a woolengarment of one piece that cov-ered him like a sack. At oneend was a busy head. The restwas a torso.

One of his so-called “tricks”was rolling cigarettes whichwas really making cigarettesout of raw tobacco leaf andpaper. His other activitiesincluded writing with a pen orpencil, painting with brushesand shaving with a razor fixedin a wooden block - all doneby the skillful use of his lipsand teeth. Randian claimedthat the box in which he kepthis smoking material and oth-er paraphernalia for his act,had been made by him using asaw, knife and hammer. He alsosaid he had painted it holdingthe brush with his teeth andthat it was he who fitted itwith a lock.

“Some day,” he used to say, “ I’llbuild myself a house.” Randianalso did some acting. WhenTodd Browning made hisfamous movie “Freaks” in1932, Prince Randian was fea-tured rolling a cigarette. PrinceRandian spoke English, Ger-man and French. He alsoraised a family. The “Prince”had a wife, “Princess” Sarah,four sons and a daughter. Theirhome was in Patterson, NewJersey.

He died at the age of 63,shortly after a performance atSam Wagner’s 14th StreetMuseum in New York City on19 December 1934

• Source: silvertorch.com “It’s a fact”

PRINCE RANDIAN“The Caterpillar Man”, The Armless andLegless Wonder” “The Human Worm”

FROM GUYANA TO A MAJORATTRACTION AT THE BARNUM

AND BAILEY CIRCUS

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

by Peter Halder

Call him whatyou like: TheLiving Torso,The SnakeMan, TheHuman

Worm, TheHuman

CigaretteFactory or the

AmazingCaterpillarMan, Radianwas a man

who, despitehis physicallimitations,

truly lived lifeto his fullest.

22


THE INDELIBLE RED STAINBy Dr. Mohan RagbeerDr Ragbeer, a Guyanese, is a former Dean of the UWI medical faculty.

# Paperback: 696 pages, Bk#2# Publisher: CreateSpace (December 2,2011)# Language: English# ISBN-10: 9781466396401 - Bk#1# ISBN-13: 978-1467991148-Bk#2# Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.6 “Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com"The Indelible Red Stain", based onDr Cheddi Jagan's political postur-ing in British Guiana (now calledGuyana) in its pre-independenceyears and its repercussions. Thebooks, subtitled "The destructionof a tropical paradise – a Cold Warstory" sought to explain the exo-dus of so many Guyanese, in par-ticular Indo-Guyanese from theland of their birth.Dr Ragbeer's twin volumedescribes the folly of Dr Jagan'spursuit of a communist ideal

ICHABOD: Poetry of People, Places, Politics Philosophyby John G. MorrisPublished by Book-Publishers of FloridaBox 495901Port Charlotte,FL. 33949ISBN: 978-0-9832670-1-0This book "is an anthology spanning 40years of observation and reflection, JohnMorris brings a man of the world's wryand informed sensibilities to issues greatand small. ICHABOD is both a screamthat cries 'I am' and a contemplativeseries of essays disguised as poems"

MIGRATION MINING AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORAby Dr. Barbara P. [email protected], Mining, and the African Diaspora:Guyana in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Cen-turies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) ISBN9780230115897 Available atwww.amazon.com/Migration-Min-ing-African-Diaspora-Nineteenth/dp/0230115896.This book is a tribute to the ancestors.Beginning in the late 1800s, workersof African ancestry includinglocals, West Indians, Africans,African Americans, and Centraland South Americans migrated tothe mineral-rich hinterland areasof Guyana to mine gold, diamonds,and bauxite. In the process, theyhelped to diversify the country’seconomy, contributed to nationaldevelopment, and produced bauxitethat was strategically critical foraviation in both world wars. Utiliz-ing real estate, financial, and deathrecords, oral accounts of labormigrants, and sources from colonialofficials and mining companiesfrom Guyana, Great Britain, andthe United States, this study situatesminers in the historical structureof the country’s economic devel-opment. It analyzes the workers’migration from agriculture to mining,their concepts of “order andprogress,” and the ways theyshaped their lives positively ratherthan merely submitting to colo-nialism. For almost a century, in acontentious plantation societyplagued by adversarial relationsbetween the economic elites andthe laboring class, these workersbraved the ecologically hostile andsometimes deadly environmentsof the gold and diamond fields inthe quest for El Dorado in Guyana

Please send announcementsof recent and new publications to

[email protected].

PUBLICATIONS: BOOKS, MUSIC, FILMS

RECENT AND UPCOMING PUBLICATIONS BY GUYANESE

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW PUBLICATIONS (BOOKS, MUSIC, FILMS, ETC.) AND IN-DEPTH REVIEWS

Beverley KendallSinful Surrender:

ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-0869-9A Taste of Desire: ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-0870-5 Order from:www.kensingtonbooks.com

ROMANCE novelist BeverleyKendall hails from Georgetown.She discovered her love of bookswhile growing up in the city ofBarrie, Ontario. Loving books andromance, it was her wish foreveryone to find their happilyever after. Add her love of London,and she could write nothing buthistorical romances.

In “Sinful Surrender”, narratedwith wit, charm and keen intelli-gence, we are taken back to theera of Lord, Lady, Earl, Countess,Viscount and Vicountess - humanbeings like us - “If you prick us, dowe not bleed? If you tickle us, dowe not laugh? If you poison us,do we not die?“ And if we fall inlove, do we not need it recipro-cated? A convoluted tableauunfolds as members of the 19thcentury aristocracy lead theirlives. No one owns anybody, onehas one’s own mind! In the readingone discerns how to handlemembers of the opposite sex. . . .“What of your husband? Howwill you explain your obviouslack of virginity?” Her answer, “Itisn’t always obvious!”

Beverley’s writing is a first ontwo levels: a Guyanese attemptingto write in this genre, and toemerge victorious in the Numberone slot. Her appearance on thescene merely three years ago hasbeen no less than spectacular.Nine days after the release of hersecond novel, “A Taste of Desire”,she placed on the Top Five

Romance Authors list; and theweek ending 1/09/2011, the novelattained the number one slot onAmazon’s Top 100 HistoricalRomance booklist. The novelengages, literally spins and titil-lates. ”...the ferocity of hisresponse to her could have splitthe Rock of Gibraltar clean intwo.” And …“The thought ofwhat that would be like, to beloved by a man like him, evokedan unwanted longing in her. Likea cook with a rolling pin spying amouse in the kitchen, she blud-geoned the feeling just as quickly.”

“A Taste of Desire has blown Sin-

ful Surrenderout of thewater,” saidBooksOn-Board’s Mer-chandising Pro-ject ManagerMindy Erickson.“There aregoing to be alot of impa-tient fans outthere ifKendall takesanother fullyear to releaseher next novel.”

The Germanrights weresold for bothSinful Surrenderand A Taste ofDesire. TheGerman versionof Sinful Sur-render wasreleasedDecember 19,2011. A Taste

of Desire is scheduled to bereleased June 18, 2012. The Thailandrights were also sold for bothbooks

Hail to one of Guyana’s best, andmay she gain more accolades.

BOOK REVIEW

23by Valerie Coddett

DARING NEW AUTHOR

BEVERLEY KENDALLALL THINGS ARTISTIC FEED HER CREATIVE PASSION, BUT NONE SO MORE THAN WRITING


The Seawall made its debut at the2011 Festival de Cannes Film in

the Short Film Corner Cannes,FRANCE – The Seawall, a film writ-ten and directed by Mason Richards,was selected to be part of the 64th Fes-tival de Cannes. Held from May 11th–22nd in Cannes, France, the festival, oneof the world’s oldest and most presti-gious, showcases and celebrates the bestand brightest new works in film.TheSeawall was shown as part of the ShortFilm Corner, which provides an oppor-tunity for new and emerging artists toshare their work and explore ideaswithin the genre of short film.The Sea-wall was screened daily at CourtMétrage in Festival de Cannes.

The Seawall is a narrative short filmshot entirely on location in George-town, Guyana, and centers in Marjorie,a Guyanese woman, as she prepares for

her 10-year old grandson’s move toAmerica to be with his mother. Audi-ences watch as Marjorie, struggling withloneliness, abandonment, sacrifices herhappiness for her grandson’s future.The cast and crew consisted of localGuyanese non-actors, non-professionalsand students working alongside Masonand his crew from Los Angeles. Thefilm offers a rare glimpse into the day-to-day lives of a Guyanese family andstunningly captures how emigrationaffects those left behind.

Although heartbreaking,The Seawall is afundamental story about hope andoptimism. In addition to being Mason’sgraduate thesis project at the renownedFilm Directing program at CalArts, thefilm allowed Richards to return to hishome country, Guyana, to share whathe has learned about filmmaking andtell a story“in the community - with the

community…

“Guyana is a beautiful country with goodpeople. I wanted to make a tonal film thatcaptures the essence of a few people’s experi-ence in the country I love so much.”

The Seawall made possible by fundrais-ing and donations totalling $20,000through a non-profit fiscal sponsor affil-iate with Friends & Returned PeaceCorps Volunteers of Guyana (FROG).FROG, based in Washington, D.C.,was created in 2007 by a group ofReturned Peace Corps Volunteers whowanted to create a community of people

interested in Guyana.

Through a grassroots grants program,FROG implements projects in andabout this beautiful and largely unex-plored region of the world. Guyana hasmillions of acres of rainforest, thou-sands of kilometres of rivers and adiverse ethnic make-up of African,Indian, Amerindian and Portuguesecultures. Today, the country itself has amodest population of 750,000 butadditional hundreds of thousands liveoutside of Guyana - in the UnitedStates, Canada, Europe and Caribbean.

The topic of emigration discussed inThe Seawall highlights the importantissues that are changing and challengingGuyanese culture within its bordersand across the globe. Cannes Press Release, May 2011

THE SEAWALLWRITTEN & DIRECTED BYGUYANESE MASON RICHARDS

Guyanese MasonRichards and a

scene from the film“The Seawall”

FILM REVIEW

24

A NARRATIVE SHORT FILMSHOT ENTIRELY IN GUYANA,RELEASED AT CANNES FILMFESTIVAL TO RAVE REVIEWS


25


Last month I attended the 20th edi-tion and 10-year anniversary of the

Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx)on Sustainable Tourism in beautifulUS Virgin Islands hosted by theUSVI Department of Tourism underthe patronage of Commissioner Bever-ly Nicholson-Doty.

The Caribbean Media Exchange's mis-sion is to build and expand the capabil-ity of the media, government, the travel/ tourism industry and communities,to consider the importance of tourismin sustainable development, whilelending a hand to the communitiesinvolved by allocation pertinent knowl-edge and recommendations.

The conference was held at theFrenchman’s Reef Marriott Hotel &Morning Star Resort in St. Thomaswhere media professionals, delegatesfrom several CARICOM countries,the United States, Canada, PuertoRico, British Virgin Islands and Mar-tinique were in attendance. Many topstudents from the local youth delegateswere present to participate in the exer-cise demonstrating the future ofCMEx.

Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. of theUnited States Virgin Islands welcomedparticipants at the GovernmentHouse. In his remarks he said “We allstrive to create and foster a tourismindustry that positively impacts ourislands and enhances the health andwellbeing of the native peoples.”This isa complex task inextricably linked to somany other challenging issues likeenvironmental regulation, education,culture and financial health. This goalwe all share will only be achievedthrough mutual cooperation, and for

10 years, the CMEx conference hasprovided a venue for just that."

The CMEx 2011 theme, "Communi-cating for Clarity and Prosperity",defined how diverse cultures in theCaribbean public relations, media andthe marketing sectors can promote andenhance sustainable tourism in theregion. Several round table discussionswere held to support the theme. Topicssuch as Multicultural Markets, Cre-ative Industry Connections; MediaRelations 101; The Caribbean Diaspo-ra; Engaging the Youth; the Environ-ment; African American; Hispanic and

Caribbean American opportunities;Techniques for TV Technology; Mul-ti-Cultural Travel and Tourism; CrisisCommunications; Social Media;Tourism Linkages; Maintaining Bal-ance in a Busy World; CHTA & theMedia; and the Future of CMEx werediscussed and explored. Resultsderived are posted on the websitewww.cmexmedia.org.

Despite all the formally scheduled pro-grams, we were still able to do a bit ofshopping at the duty free destination,dine around in St. Thomas, be enter-tained by the talented young USVIvocal artist K-Victoria, and enjoy aCatamaran sail, a complete island roadtour capturing the picturesque scenesof the island. The proceedings endedwith awards presentations, a sumptu-ous dinner; entertainment by a popu-lar local band and mentalist HaimGoldenberg who mesmerized theaudience with his miraculous skillsbringing CMEx’s 10 year conference toa successful close. Guyana CulturalAssociation of NY Inc. congratulatesCMEx

ABOUT CMExSince 2001 CMEx

has been helpingimprove the quality

of media coverage ofsustainable tourism

in the Caribbean.The Caribbean

Media Exchangeproduces conferencesthat match journalistfrom the Caribbean,North America andEurope with repre-

sentatives of thegovernment, busi-

ness, hospitality anddevelopment sectors

to discuss tourismpolicies aimed at

improving the livesof Caribbean people.

IN THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

CARIBBEANMEDIA

EXCHANGEGOING PLACES

CONFERENCES DEFINEHOW DIVERSE CULTURES IN THECARIBBEAN PUBLIC RELATIONS,MEDIA & MARKETING SECTORSCAN PROMOTE AND ENHANCE

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE REGION

by Edgar Henry

A sample of donations broughtby CMEx 20 delegates for theFamily Resource Center in St.Thomas. An additional $1,000check was presented by Dr. Joan Parker of Counterpart International.

Bevan SpringerPresident, Caribbean Media Exchange

Guyanese Cyril Shah- a former promoterfor the Mighty Sparrow and several oth-er regional and international musiciansas well as boxers- died on Thursday,January 12, 2012, leaving behind a richlegacy.

Following is the full text of a statementby his family who include his daugh-ters Nadira, Indranie and Seeta.

Cyril Shah died today just short of his90th birthday. Shah has left an indeli-ble contribution to Guyanese culturallife and more importantly, the devel-opment of the calypso as a perform-ing art. His body of work enriched thearts of publicity and political publica-tions. He established a reputationacross Guyana and the Caribbean,receiving several awards for his con-tribution to the development of themusic industry. As an entrepreneur,he promoted the world’s best perform-ers and an active supporter ofGuyanese sports.

Cyril Shah promoted world class tal-ents in Guyana, Guyanese andCaribbean talent across all theregions of Guyana and around theworld. Among the Guyanese he pro-moted are the legendary MadamO’Lindy, Lord Canary, King Fighter,Lady Guymine, Lady Nima, Intruderand countless others.

The Mighty Sparrow heads the list ofover 95 stars whom he has promoted,including Louis Armstrong, JohnnyMathis, Sammy Davis Junior, ErnieSmith, Byron Lee and the Drago-naires, Dave Martin’s Trade Winds,Jimmy Cliff, Percy Sledge, Sam Cooke,Lord Kitchener, Calypso Rose, DenysePlummer, Boris Gardner, BluesBusters, Johnny Nash, Mariam Make-ba, Mahilia Jackson, Baba Olatunji,the Drifters, Small Island Pride andPluto Shervington. The Mighty Spar-row described this contribution asincomparable in the internationalmusic world. “Cyril Shah is the man!”

Cyril Shah was also a quiet activist in

Guyana’s anti-colonial struggle andhis contribution was through theArcade Printery. For two decades,from the 1940s to the 1960s, theArcade printed and published TheThunder for the People ProgressiveParty. In those days, before the split,Burnham and the Jagans were work-ing assiduously to get their messagesacross to the masses.

Later he spent over 50 years of hisprofessional life touring the worldwith his many artistes. The globe washis stage, his name a Caribbean leg-end. Even as he staged the manyshows including the Moscow MusicHall, the American Ballet Theatre, theJapanese Spectacular, African Odysseywith Baba Olatunji, the Common-wealth Wrestling Championships andworld title boxing fights, he was firstand foremost the Mighty Sparrow’spromoter-manager. He toured with theMighty Sparrow from 1954, whenSparrow composed Jean and Dinah,until about 15 years ago when poorhealth forced Shah into retirement. HisExcellency, the Honorable Dr. SlingerFrancisco was loud in his acclaim ofShah’s contribution to the arts.

Many Guyanese boxers such asLennox Beckles participated in inter-national boxing matches in Guyanaand the Caribbean that were promot-ed by Cyril Shah as he matched the

best of Guyana with their counter-parts worldwide. He was even thearchitect for the Sparrow’s Hideawayin Trinidad where he and Sparrowhosted major boxing and wrestlingmatches and Trinidad Carnival musicevents. The name Cyril Shah is knownand loved throughout the Caribbean

islands.

Cyril Shah has been honored for hiscontribution to the development ofthe arts and more specifically for thedevelopment and promotion of Calyp-so in the Caribbean and beyond, byseveral islands in the Caribbean,including St. Martin, Aruba, and a fewother islands. He also received awardsfor his contribution to the musicworld, among his many rewards wasone from the Guyana Cultural Associ-ation of New York.

Cyril Shah died on January 12, 2012. "Cyril Shah was born in Adventure, Esse-quibo to Montaz Ali Shah and MafroseShah in 1922."

"He was the father of Michael, Gregory,Phillipa, William, Barbara, Ceasar, Seeta,Cheddie, Kamala, Nadira, Indranie,Vicky, Mahendra, and Rajendra Shah;grandfather of 30, great grandfather of12. Shah is survived by wife BhanmateeShah. He has left a proud legacy whichhis wife and daughters honor each yearwith the annual Nrityageet shows."Hewill always be remembered as beingadventurous and for being a pioneer. Demerara Waves

CYRIL SHAH:GCA AWARD RECIPIENT

AND WELL KNOWN MUSIC &SPORTS PROMOTER PASSES ON


IN OUR COMMUNITY: ACHEIVEMENTS & PASSINGS

AMONG THE MANY INTERNATIONAL ANDCARIBBEAN STARS

PROMOTED BY SHAWOVER HIS MORE THANFIFTY YEAR CAREER

THE MIGHTY SPARROW,BABA OLATUNJI, CALYPSO ROSE,

MADAME O’LINDY, LORDCANARY, LADY

GUYMINE, LENNOXBECKLES ARE .

26

27


IN THE COMMUNITYCALENDAR OF EVENTS

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT PROMOTED IN FUTURE GCA NEWSLETTERS:

ContactTangerine [email protected]

GUYANA AIRWAYS2012REUNIONGALADinner & DancingCocktails & Hors d'oeurves served until 10pm Dinner at 10:30pm.

AUGUST 31, 2012RUSSO’S ON THE BAY62-45 Cross Bay BlvdHoward Beach, NY 11414

TIME: 9:00 PM

DONATION:$125.00Attire: Formal

LINDEN FUNDBREAKFAST MORNINGSATURDAY JANUARY 21, 2012

WOODBINE SOCIAL CLUBChurch & Bedford AvenuesBrooklyn, NY

TIME:BREAKFAST: 9:00 AM-1.00 PMREFRESHMENTS FROM 1.00 PMSHOWTIME: 12.00 NOON

ADMISSION:ADULTS -$25.00CHILDREN: $10.00

MUSIC: DJ HANNAH JOHNCOMEDIANS & MOREContact:347-784-0235

THE NEW YORK CHAPTER THE QUEEN’SCOLLEGE (QC)OF GUYANAALUMNIIN HONOR OF THE21ST. ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING

FORMAL BALL ANDPRESENTATION CEREMONYHONORING ALUMNI• Dr. Maya Trotz• Dr. Vibert Cambridge • Dr. Vivian RambiharThe Founding members ofthe association will also berecognized for their foresightand magnanimous contributionto our Alma Mater.

SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2012ASTORIA WORLDMANORQUEENS, NEW YORk

CONTRIBUTION - $90.00Frank. A. Denbow MDOrganizing SecretaryThe New York ChapterQueen's College of GuyanaAlumni Association

PLAISANCE VILLAGE NIGHTvs LINDEN TOWNNIGHT

Saturday March 17thCafé Omar1744 Nostrand Avenue(Corner of Clarendon Road)

Music by Legend Sound andYonette Hooper One ManBandTime: 10pmTickets: $20Contact - Herbie 347-249-3243 orMonty 646-377-3682

Documents

GCA MOURNS THE PASSING OF DEDICATED BOARD MEMBER … · 2012. 1. 1. · “ya tink it easy” Farewell my friend and don’t forget to keep an eye on we. CELEBRATING GODFREY’S LIFE