CELEBRATING IN NEW YORK CITY JUNE 13-14 - 2015

Celebrating launch of my book "Berbician Griot" at Sisters Uptown Bookstore in New York city on June 13, 2015 and celebrating a change of government in Guyana, South America in Brooklyn, New York City on June 14, 2015.




CELEBRATING CHANGE IN GUYANA

by Murphy Browne ©

Nayshan ah whey yuh Nayshan?

Nayshan ah whey yuh deh?

Nayshan ah whey yuh Nayshan?

Nayshan ah whey dem dey?

All ahwe ah we ah wan genahrayshan!

All ahwe ah we ah wan Congo Nayshan!

All ahwe ah we ah wan Eebo Nayshan!

Excerpt from kwekwe song “Nayshan ah whey yuh Nayshan”, identifying some of the nations from which our ancestors were taken. (Congo, Igbo, Yoruba, Ashanti etc.)

The weekend of June 13-14, 2015 was joyously filled with African music, specifically kwekwe songs and folk songs from Guyana. On Saturday, June 13, some of my Guyanese relatives who live in the USA helped me entertain a gathering at Sisters Uptown Bookstore in New York City. It was like a gathering of the Hughes clan from Berbice, Guyana. The occasion was an introduction of my book “Berbician Griot” to an American audience/readership. Not only did they help with the singing and dancing, but also the translating of Creolese to English for members of the American audience. Kwekwe is sung in Creolese, the language developed by enslaved Africans in Guyana. One American gentlemen who attended was especially intrigued after we translated the lyrics to the kwekwe song, “If me nah bin come yah, me nah bin know ooman ah ded yah fuh mahn!” There was much hilarity in the translating of lyrics. An American audience member wanted a further explanation of why Janey was going to the “backdam” after a translation of “Lang lang time Janey gyal ahwe nah guh backdam Janey, come leh we guh backdam!”

June is “Black Music Month” and kwekwe definitely qualifies as “Black Music.” Kwekwe is a genre of music derived from African culture that survived the Maafa (African holocaust) of the slave trade and enslavement of Africans in Guyana. Kwekwe songs and the accompanying dance moves are performed by African Guyanese the night before a wedding. It is traditional for the relatives and friends of the prospective bridegroom to sing and dance their way to the home of the prospective bride’s family. On arrival at the home of the bride’s family, there would be an enactment of some reluctance from the bride’s family to give up their daughter. The groom and his entourage would sing and eventually be welcomed by the bride’s family. The groom would have to search for the bride with his relatives singing encouragement and when the “reluctant” bride is found, acting coy and shy, there would be more singing, dancing and offering of gifts to encourage her to consider the bridegroom’s suit. Then the evening would become very interesting with songs of advice to the couple from mostly older men and women.

In the 21st century, kwekwe has lost some of its importance as a pre-wedding event for many African Guyanese. One of my relatives who was born in England said that he had attended a kwekwe before our performance on June 13 but did not understand the significance until it was explained on Saturday. Fortunately the kwekwe songs are still well known. They are sung at other times and not confined to a pre-wedding celebration/event. That was the case on Sunday, June 14, 2015 when Guyanese of all backgrounds sang kwekwe songs and folk songs (accompanied by djembe drums) at a massive celebration in Brooklyn, New York. More than 10,000 Guyanese paraded down Church Avenue in Brooklyn from Bedford Avenue along Church Avenue to Schenectady Avenue, where a grand rally was held. Guyanese came out to “represent”, some striding confidently along, some wining skillfully as they walked and even those who needed walking aids came out. The sun was blazing but that did not faze the celebrants. Dressed in green and yellow, some people even used the actual design of the “Golden Arrowhead” in their dress. (trousers, frocks, t-shirts, shorts, blouses etc.) It was a colourful and joyous gathering of thousands. There was a group from Buxton Village, East Coast Demerara, whose t-shirts were emblazoned with a Kiswahili slogan advocating the unity of all Guyanese. Elder Eusi Kwayana, who is an honorary Buxtonian (he was born in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara), has long advocated the learning of the Kiswahili language and some of his students in Guyana took and passed Kiswahili at the GCE O-levels. Buxton Village in Guyana is one of more than 100 villages that were established by African Guyanese after slavery was abolished and the Africans pooled their money and bought abandoned plantations from their former enslavers. The White slaveholders were compensated for losing their property (enslaved Africans) while the Africans, through back-breaking labour, blood, sweat and tears, eked out a living following their “emancipation” and bought land to establish more than 100 villages throughout Guyana’s coastal regions. The land, which was rightfully theirs since their labour for generations had developed the plantations, was sold to them at exorbitant prices. The Buxtonians are famous in Guyana because of the bravery of their ancestors, who stood up for their rights and stopped the British colonial governor in his tracks as he travelled along the East Coast Demerara in the new train on the newly laid train tracks in 1862. Although most Guyanese know about the history of Buxton, the first village established by Africans was Victoria Village on the East Coast of Demerara. Victoria Village was established in 1845, just seven years (August 1, 1838) after enslaved Africans in Guyana (then British Guiana) and other British colonized/controlled countries were finally freed after a further four years (from August 1, 1834) of forced, unpaid labour on White owned plantations. The descendants of those enslaved Africans managed to retain some of the culture and the kwekwe songs and style of dancing are part of that retention of African culture.

On the weekend of June 13-14, 2016, I was very fortunate to be part of celebrating Guyana’s 49th year of independence, a change of government in Guyana after 23 years and celebrating my book “Berbician Griot.” With the support of relatives, friends, people interested in Pan-African history and the owner and staff of Sisters Uptown Bookstore, it was the best celebration of Black Music Month!

All ahwe ah wan genahrayshan!

All ahwe ah wan Congo Nayshan!

All ahwe ah wan Eebo Nayshan!