Category: Features

By Petamber Persaud Frank Birbalsingh is not contented to rest on his laurels in any area of his expertise, including deserved labels/titles such as ‘literary critic’, ‘prolific book reviewer’, ‘exceptional anthologist’, ‘cricket historian’, ‘oral historian’, ‘specialist of West Indian and Indo-Caribbean literature’ and ‘author’. His achievements include massive, and oftentimes, ground-breaking scholarly works like “Jahaji Bhai: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Literature” (1988); “Indenture and Exile: The Indo-Caribbean Experience” (1989); “Indo-Caribbean Resistance” (1993); “Jahaji: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Fiction” (2002); “Passion and Exile: Essays in Caribbean Literature” (1988); “Frontiers of Caribbean…

Traditionally, throughout the world, the month of June is associated with weddings and “June brides”. It is felt that if a marriage is consummated in June, it is perceived as a blessing and the chances of love and affection would unite couples into an everlasting bond. Whether this is true or not, there are some Guyanese customs to which couples would adhere, regardless of the consequences: “Don’t look back while going up the aisle”; “jumping the broom”- a West African tradition; “don’t ever let a dog eat your wedding cake”;…

By Dmitri Allicock Born and growing up in the Upper Demerara area of Linden, I have come to appreciate the great achievements of those who have lived there and contributed significantly to society and representing Guyana on the international map. One such individual is Walter Spence. Walter Spence may be the first Guyanese to ever win an Olympic medal. He competed for Canada in the 1928 Olympics, winning a bronze medal. Walter Percy Spence, born March 3, 1901, was a swimmer from British Guiana who competed for Canada in the…

By Ramona Luthi In an effort to improve daily shopping experiences and promote local businesses, Guyanese inventor Larry Morgan is set to launch his debut app, MatrixShopping. The 36-year-old Berbice resident’s aim is to provide a platform for entrepreneurs to promote their businesses and for buyers to shop hassle-free. In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Morgan mentioned that via his app, which can be accessed worldwide, he hopes to “transform how Guyana does business, as we need to catch up when it comes to technology”. Morgan pointed out that…

It is said that the Guianas are considered the first to plant coffee on the continent of South America, with the Dutch introducing it on their Dutch Guiana territories before the French and later British. According to some accounts, the Guianas were the first territories in the New World to cultivate and export coffee. George Hanneman Bennett in his book, “An Illustrated History of British Guiana” wrote that coffee was cultivated on the colony since 1721 after it was introduced from what is now Surinam.  Inland and coastland plantations were…

The book has some inherent and generic functions. However, additional roles are sometimes thrust upon it, expanding its ambit and increasing its benefits. Increasingly, the book is being used to mark certain occasions like significant anniversaries and milestones, both public and private. At a recent ceremony to mark the 51st Independence Anniversary of Guyana, three publications were (officially) released, namely: “National Bibliography of Guyana 1966-2016”, “50 Nations Builders” and “50 Creative Icons of Guyana”. These books were produced to mark Guyana’s Golden Jubilee of Independence in 2016. The last two…