2011 in review (Part II)

DESPITE the nonappearance of a few major (and some minor) literary activities, 2011 was another good year for Guyanese literature. Some events that did occur include the continued production of the Guyana Classics Library by The Caribbean Press; the awarding of The Guyana Prize for Literature; Guyana’s first Street Book Fair; World Poetry Day; World Storytelling Day; A Morning with E. R. Braithwaite; the Guyana Book Foundation National Book Fair; Writers in Concert (WICK) Creative Writing Workshop; and the National Library being awarded the Medal of Service.
The Caribbean Press: Guyanese literature, although still in its formative years, is in a relatively healthy state. This was further enhanced with the establishment of an indigenous publishing house — The Caribbean Press, of which David Dabydeen is the general editor; Ian McDonald the consulting editor; and Letizia Gramaglia the director of research.
The idea of The Caribbean Press surfaced during Guyana’s hosting of the highly successful CARIFESTA X in 2008. The idea was later fleshed out by President Bharrat Jagdeo and Professor David Dabydeen. The idea is now manifested in the printing of twenty titles of (a projected thirty-six) of The Guyana Classics Library.
The first twelve titles include ‘The Discovery of Guiana’ by Sir Walter Raleigh, first published in 1595; ‘The Coolie, His Rights And Wrongs’ by John Edward Jenkins; ‘Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana’ by Charles Barrington Brown; ‘The Chinese in British Guiana’ by Sir Cecil Clementi; ‘The Asylum Journal’ by Robert Grieve; and ‘Guianese Poetry: Covering the Hundred Years’ Period, 1831-1931’  by N. E. Cameron.
The Guyana Prize for Literature 2010 was awarded in 2011 after some hemming and hawing.
The Guyana Prize for Literature was established in 1987 by the then President of Guyana, Hugh Desmond Hoyte to “provide a focus for the recognition of the creative writing of Guyanese at home and abroad, and to stimulate interest in, and provide encouragement for, the development of good creative among Guyanese…” 
But the Prize is more than that, as seen through the words of Mr. Hoyte when he made the original announcement of the Prize on February 23, 1987, saying:
“…the encouragement of good writing has valuable spinoffs in society… It encourages clear thinking and clear expression…if success in solving problems is to be achieved.”
The custodians of our literature have seen the merit of the Prize, and have continued to support it through various dispensations. The Prize is evolving (perhaps not as effectively as its critics would want) with a recent manifestation of its mandate being The Guyana Prize Caribbean Award.
Guyana’s First Street Book Fair: The impact of books and reading is difficult to measure on a short-term basis.  The impact of books and reading is sometimes slow and incremental but very explosive, exploding further down the road as seen in the progress and development of society and country. Guyana’s First Street Book Fair has the potential of becoming the country’s engine of growth and development.
Guyana’s First Street Book Fair was staged on Friday February 18, 2011 in the Main Street Avenue opposite the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport. The theme for that event was ‘A Reconnection to Books’.
The organisers (Mashramani Secretariat, Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport and partners) perceived the need for that reconnection, and hence the street book fair – putting books within reach, within the pathway, of readers, potential readers and bibliophiles.
World Poetry Day: The power of poetry was recently manifested in such a passionate manner, henceforth dismantling any reservation as to poetry’s appeal and relevance, vitality and promise, aesthetic and evocative qualities.

World Poetry Day 2011 was celebrated in Guyana on Wednesday March 23. In 1999, UNESCO proclaimed March 21 as World Poetry Day. Previously, the event was staged in October. The staging of this event by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport followed closely on the heels of World Storytelling Day, which was celebrated in Guyana on March 16. Guyana has now made an indelible niche in the portal of UNESCO by the annual celebration of these events.
World Storytelling Day: Guyana celebrated World Storytelling Day for the first time in 2011.  World Storytelling Day 2011 was an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. The event was held on March 16 in the conference room of the National Library where stories from around the world were performed by narrators from Guyana, the Caribbean and around the world.
World Storytelling Day is a manifestation of the new millennium, which has its roots in several initiatives started at the end of the previous millennium. For instance, in the early 1990s, Sweden organised an event labelled, ‘All Storytellers Day’, falling on March 20. In the late 1990s, storytellers in Perth, Australia, coordinated a five-week-long celebration of story, commemorating March 20 as International Day of Oral Narrators.
Nearer to home, it was discovered that Mexico and other South American countries were already celebrating March 20 National Day of Storytellers.
For World Storytelling Day 2011, the atmosphere was recreated with a huge samaan tree, under which the tellers delivered their chilling, poignant, rambunctious tales. The tales were mainly stories from the past with the ring of ‘long, long, long ago… in a far and distant land…’ Some were contemporary stories. But all the stories were universal in meaning and intent, engaging, instructive, educational and entertaining.
A Morning with E. R. Braithwaite, subtitled ‘A Kind of Homecoming’ ,was an event staged on Saturday, May 21, 2011 by the National Library of Guyana in tribute to the writer. It was a remarkable effort by the institution, rewarded with expressions of awe and expressions commendation.
‘A Morning with E. R. Braithwaite’ was a morning well spent. Despite the inclement weather; despite the pressing routine weekend chores; despite the much-needed, much-deserved break from weekday toil, all who experienced ‘A Morning with E. R. Braithwaite’ were awestruck, bubbling over with one phrase: ‘A morning well spent’.
The crowning moment of the morning was labelled ‘Surprise item’ on the programme. And what a moment it was! To be part of the conversation with Mr. Braithwaite in Washington, D. C. and Mr. Francis Quamina Farrier in Georgetown, Guyana!
Using current electronic devices, the connection was made between two worlds: A connection between a remarkable writer and an audience of proud Guyanese, proud of the achievement of a son of the soil; a connection between yesteryear and today.
As the surprise item unfolded; as realisation dawned upon the audience, there was a hush; a buzz; a subdued and mounting excitement.
Braithwaite, too, was surprised, and couldn’t respond for a while, but he was pleased about the event to honour him. And we were very happy to have spent a morning with E. R. Braithwaite.  

What’s Happening
• Another welcomed autobiography to Guyana’s short list of such publications: GROWING UP IN BRITISH GUYANA 1945-1964 by Joseph G. Singh with an introduction by Rupert R. Roopnaraine, printed and published by Sheik Hassan Printery Inc. 2011.
• Coming to the Guyana bookshelf soon: LANTANA STRANGLING IXORA, a new collection of poems by Sasenarine Persaud, CARIBBEAN PUBLISHING IN BRITAIN by Asher & Martin Hoyles, and books by Stephanie Bowry, Neil Primus, Madan Gopaul and many others.

(To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

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