.png)
And there was ample reason for this arrestingly contrasting appearance. The village is now without any form of entertainment, since its two most popular night clubs are either closed or under extensive renovation. The only leisure time pub at Belladrum right now is the spanking new Co-co-Cobanna Disco, which has recently undergone complete renovation and refurbishing.
LOCATION
Belladrum is a small village in the Region 5 administrative community of Mahaica-Berbice. It sits on the Atlantic coast, about 15 kilometres (9 miles) east of Mahaicony, and is nestled cozily between the villages of El Dorado and Paradise. It has been described as ‘a rare nugget lying between villages with meaningful and significant names’.
This interesting and very alluring West Coast Berbice village was just a quaint rural community even in the late 1980s, when the village still had shabby houses, with small shops scattered haphazardly about the place, and large herds of cattle that traversed the roadways.
Belladrum is rich with lush vegetation, rice fields, and wildlife. Due to frequent seasonal flooding, the soil there is particularly good for growing rice.
Like many villages on Guyana’s coastal plain, Belladrum is laid out as a ribbon settlement with house lots on either side of the two-lane highway. Paved roads with shallow canals on either side are situated perpendicular to the public highway at the ends and middle of the village. Located south of the village is an area of land called the “backdam”, consisting mainly of coconut trees interspersed with a variety of fruit trees. The trees are badly managed, but are very productive and serve as a source of income and food for many villagers. The coconuts are used for cooking or making oil. Some residents transport mangoes and other fruits from this area to the city, for sale at the Bourda or Stabroek market.
In the backdam, any particular plot of land and its vegetation is generally thought to be the property of the person or family directly north of the plot.
Historically, the people of Belladrum are very friendly and walk long distances in search of work. They would walk for miles daily to “dig shovel”, digging canals and waterways in the cane fields; or “cut cane” at the Bath or Blairmont sugar estates.
HOUSING & EMPLOYMENT
Most of the houses in the village are wooden structures standing on stilts, but recently, houses made of concrete and breeze blocks are becoming more common.
Through the efforts of villagers and some governmental organizations, the village is rapidly changing, offering amenities that were formerly associated with the city. Some villagers who had migrated have returned and have erected many of the well-established grocery outlets now present in the village.
AMENITIES
Belladrum has long served as a cultural and administrative hub to many of the villages that surround it. Located here is the Village Office run by an Overseer, where property and other records can be accessed.
There is also the government-run Community Health Clinic, where the nurses or a medex is equipped to offer free vaccinations and solve minor health problems; and there are several dance hall clubs, liquor stands, and grocery shops.
A Seventh-day Adventist church and St. Alban’s Anglican Church are located in Belladrum. The administrators of the Anglican Church largely oversee the cemetery, located in the same compound.
The Belladrum Primary School is located near the centre of the village, in the same compound as the St. Alban’s Anglican Church. Historically, i.e. before the government took over administration of most educational institutions, the school was controlled by the Anglican Church, and was named the St Alban’s School. This primary school educates children from age six to 12 (grades 1-6), coming from villages roughly two or three miles along the public road on either side of the school (from Plantation Profit to Weldaad Village).
The Belladrum Nursery School, which was formerly housed in the same building, is now located in another part of the village, while the Belladrum Secondary Schoo, is located in the neighbouring village of El Dorado.
The Belladrum Secondary School was formerly called the “Belladrum (Government) Community High School”, due to its emphasis on teaching vocational training and trades (wood/metal working, technical drawing, clothing and textiles) versus academic subjects. This reflects the tiered system of secondary schooling in Guyana: community high schools, junior secondary schools, multilateral and senior secondary schools, into which students were assigned based on their scores at the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE).
A sub-office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is located at Belladrum Secondary School.
EVOLUTION
In times gone by, Belladrum was popular for the very riveting, interesting and mind-boggling ‘entertainment it offered. This was the West Coast Berbice village that attracted hundreds of revellers from surrounding locations to its many weekend parties, birthnight bashes, concerts, fairs, and massive excursions and concept parties.
During that era, it was the very popular ‘Co-co-co Banna Disco’ that initiated and generated all the events that attracted patrons countrywide. This nightspot was the talk of the country, and patrons came from areas as far as the extremities of East Berbice, and Linden, Georgetown, and several East Coast Demerara villages to ‘soak up the fun and excitement’.
Not so long ago, the village was caught in the vicious tentacles of a very severe ‘entertainment shut down’, since all the night spots had closed down for one reason or another. Things are gradually returning to normal, since renovation of the Co-co-co Banna Disco has been completed, and it is fully air-conditioned and fitted with remarkable new features geared at generating comfort for patrons. The former wooden structure that was the Co-co-co Banna Disco has now been converted to an attractive ‘concrete dream’ painted in mesmerizing tropical shades of green.
Its owner, Selwyn Amsterdam, a/ka ‘Supa’, had quite an interesting story to tell.
The new structure, which was completed before the end of December last, is now fashioned to exude ultimate comfort.
Amsterdam noted that the toilets and urinals were built outside, but are now enclosed within the building, which depicts state-of-the-art facilities. The new structure is fully air conditioned and features cozy little compartments for patrons who wish to be private, and away from the prying eyes of gossips.
A neon light system is indeed one of the night attractions, while Dolby full surround sound adds extra comfort. Two large flat screen television sets allow sport enthusiasts to enjoy their favourite programmes as they enjoy beverages and cutters of every imaginable nature. The building is much larger now, and also makes way for catered events and special functions upon a reservation arrangement.
Villagers explained that ‘Club Expo’ is now closed indefinitely because the owners, who are overseas, are inflicting ‘exorbitant rates’ on persons who rent the facility to produce healthy entertainment. On a recent visit there, I got the impression that persons have begun to sell pastries and other items at the location on a daily basis. Hence business oriented individuals are hesitant to rent this spanking new club, which has all the modern amenities comparable to what obtains in Georgetown.
One businessman who had recently rented the club noted that the club is ‘the real thing’, but he lamented that because of the marginal spending power of villagers, it’s not profitable to pay the large rent being demanded by the club’s owners and not able to see financial returns from such an investment.
THE ‘ENTERTAINMENT SHUTDOWN’
During the time when the village was sorely affected by the ‘entertainment shutdown’, the restlessness and forlorn faces of residents truly depicted just how severe this dilemma had affected them.
The restlessness and ‘leisure time grief’ was evident upon the faces of almost every villager. They had simply no place to unwind on weekends, unless they travelled far distances or just enjoyed a drink at home, which is not what they are accustomed to.
In times gone by, as dusk approached, small groups along the roadside would murmur and lament the unavailability of practically any form of entertainment in the village. Some had lamented that weekends were just spent lazing around and wishing desperately for the renovations of the Co-co-co Banna Club to be completed.
Amsterdam, too, is pleased that the entertainment drought is now over, and is elated that villagers and visitors are excited about the facilities of the new nightspot.
“My club, for the past forty-two years, has been the centre of attraction to many individuals countrywide. But as time went by, I realized that there was a distinct need for me to renovate this club, to offer comfort to my many supporters. When the wooden building was there, many complained of the heat when massive crowds swarmed the venue on weekends.
“So it was a family decision, actually, to have this new club built, and in concrete to ensure it stays around for many years to come. I could have hardly borne the questions and enquiries of the villagers during the period I was doing renovations, and it ached my heart deeply to watch and hear them bemoan the lack of entertainment opportunities in the village.
“During that very sombre period, too many tried to lock themselves in, have a glass of alcoholic beverage and listen to soothing music, but that did not work at all. These people are definitely hooked on the hyped weekends of pulsating music, wild revelling abandon, and never-ending party concepts,” he said.
Commenting on the origin of the name of the new nightclub, Amsterdam explained that the name ‘Co-co-co Banna’ was taken from an ancient book from Ethiopia (Africa), and it meant ‘a place where African people gathered for revelling and pleasure’.
Amsterdam also said that, over the years, the spending power of the people would have dwindled somewhat, and he blames this on the fact that the village, like many others, is plagued by the ‘unemployment syndrome’. As a result, many villagers have migrated, and others have sought employment in areas outside of the village. A large percentage of the males have taken to ‘pork-knocking’ in the interior, and as a result, the spending power and ‘proprietor surpluses’ would be greatly boosted when those men return from the bush with substantial sums of money’.
WHO IS SELWYN WILLIAMS?
More popularly known as ‘Supa’, Selwyn Williams is not only a successful Berbician businessman, but one of the entertainment proprietors and promoters who, over the years, have managed to become an icon in the Berbice area.
Growing up in Berbice, Selwyn was already planning a life for himself as early as age seventeen. He always felt there was desperate need for proper entertainment in the West Coast Berbice villages, and this prompted him to work assiduously towards providing proper leisure time entertainment for Berbicians.
He himself did many odd jobs as he grew up, but he always saved most of his earning, since he had every intention of making his dream a reality. He worked as a labourer, maintenance helper, and was also once a pork-knocker.
While he was still very young, the Co-co-co Banna Disco came under his supervision, and soon became the ‘Berbice Hotspot’ it still remains today.
His really intriguing entertainment ideas and projects saw him spiralling to the top of the chart in little time, and remaining a household name there. He has made customer satisfaction his motto, and to date is open to suggestions, as long as those are geared at improving his business and keeping his customers satisfied.
CHALLENGES FACED BY VILLAGERS…
The somewhat intense and very concerned villager Nyal Gordon gave a detailed presentation on the challenges and setbacks encountered by villagers.
A school teacher at the Belladrum Primary School for several years, Nyal is also a very active member in the Youth Group of the Belladrum Seventh Day Adventist Church, and is also involved in several projects that tie in with the youths and social issues of the village.
Unemployment seems to be a major factor affecting most of the East Demerara and West Berbice villages, and Belladrum is no exception.
Mr. Gordon noted that young boys and girls who have managed to be successful at the CXC/GCE examinations are plagued with the difficult task of finding jobs, even though they have qualified themselves. While a few may migrate to the city in search of jobs, others are forced to seek employment at a location that once housed the Burma Rice Milling Complex, where they have to settle with mostly manual labour for an income of sorts.
There they will be engaged in packing rice and paddy onto trucks for transport to various areas of Guyana; or in the actual rice production, which is done on a small scale, since the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), once located in Burma, has been dissolved.
A few males may brave the treacherous trails and dangers of the interior region in search of gold and other valuables, but they are not always successful.
A few lucky individuals manage to get work at the primary and secondary schools, but they complain of the long ensuing process, and the anxiety of not knowing if their applications would be successful, since, overtime, this task has become very competitive.
Some persons try their hands at small kitchen gardens, but the area is prone to flooding and does not always bring good harvest, since many a kitchen garden has been destroyed during the rainy season.
“Belladrum is indeed a very beautiful village, and in time and with a little work on it, we can become quite an attraction to not only curious Guyanese minds, but also to the many tourists that come to Guyana, seeking a break away from their busy schedules.
“But the biggest problem that is affecting our youths is unemployment. I have no idea if it is our geographic location that prevents changes in this very serious problem, but what I know…. There is indeed an urgent need for this situation to be rectified”.
COMPLAINTS
Few residents complained of the water supply, which they claim is ‘unfit for drinking at times’. Villagers welcome rainfall, and would fill up large containers and store them in their homes. Most people seem to treat this water supply with Chlorox bleach, while some would adopt the traditional purification method of boiling.
Mothers complained bitterly of having to trudge through muddy pastures during the rainy seasons to get their children to and from school. This, of course, will be those residents living close to the ‘Waterside’, and ‘Backdam areas’ which are quite lower that areas close to the public road. It was related that improper drainage was a factor that they have been forced to live with over the years.
Residents feel that there is also a dire need for more recreational facilities, both in the village and in the schools, to keep the youths positively occupied during their leisure time. While the ball field in neighbouring Paradise Village is available to Belladrum villagers from time to time, they are calling for their own playfield, so that they will not clash with other villages when featuring sport activities.
ENTERTAINMENT BLISS
Villagers are at least assured of certain entertainment bliss when the St Alban’s Anglican Church hosts its annual Harvest Fair and Dance in the compound of the Belladrum Primary School. This event, slated for November in most years, continues to attract a huge fan base from far and wide, and many indeed anticipate the staging of the Miss Belladrum Pageant, which is normally promoted at this event.
Junior and senior queens are normally crowned and sashed at this forum, too.
STRIKING NEW CHANGES
Things have indeed changed, as is evident even in the mannerisms and dress code of villagers. There was a time when the majority, especially the women, could be picked out from among large crowds by their somewhat tactless attire. Now the very ‘country lasses’ pack a severe punch with their now modern and sophisticated dress codes.
Cattle rearing and poultry farming seem to some extent to be the main sources of livelihood. However, the village has now produced a few of its own teachers, clerks and other intellectual workers, who are luckily employed both within and outside the village.
Cattle farmers provide fresh milk to villagers, and, of course, meat. Still present in the village, too, are a few vegetable vendors marketing their items by pulling a cart and screaming their heads off to attract the housewives, who would come rushing out to select whatever they could for their kitchens and refrigerators.
Some villagers prefer to drive minibuses, while many sell snacks and other goodies in the school compounds. While it has been drastically reduced over the years, some fishmongers still ply their trade in the village; and many of them are housewives.
FLOODING
While the village appears to be inhabited by jovial residents, these people lose their bon vivant when flooding occurs during the rainy seasons, especially in the backland areas, where most of their vegetable and rice farming is done. They blame this on poor drainage and irrigation.
The main access dams are most times rendered deplorable during heavy rainfall, making it almost impossible for farmers to get into the backlands. Some kitchen garden owners still recall with pain the destruction of their home-use crops when their gardens were flooded during the rainy seasons.
BELLADRUM INTRIGUES
Interacting first with the many bareback youths running in the pastures, some all muddied and giggling, caused me to realize that amidst the toils and struggles of this country, youths still have the opportunity to enjoy brilliant sunshine, swim in the canals, chase each other screaming down the side streets, and enjoy cool water coconuts in abundance.
Findings coming out of our conversations proved that while the majority loved the academic side of things, others could hardly wait for weekends to go frolicking in the rain or under the sun.
Intent on finding the real awakening of the village, I stayed overnight at a guest house and awoke quite early the following morning. While the villagers were just about stirring, I rose and perched myself in a strategic position on the verandah to observe the glory of ‘Belladrum Rising’.
At dawn, as the last crows of the cocks faded in the distance, husbands and other male breadwinners trickled onto the public road to await transportation to their various worksites. While some engaged in idle chatter, others seemed more concerned with accessing the first minibus or short drop car to worksites situated at various locations outside the village.
Soon the streets became filled with vehicles and villagers now converged in numbers as they hastily went about their various chores.
By now the golden sun was rising steadily above the horizon, casting a jewelled dazzle on rooftops and the metal frames of steel fences. Soon after, the many small groceries that have sprung up open their doors for business, and vendors attempt to attract the interest of early buyers.
With streets now filled with pedestrians, riders and drivers, conversation with a few grown men revealed that while the village can sometimes be described as ‘a hub of bustling activity’, there is still room for the introduction of some more ‘glitz and glamour’.
Some indicated that before their sudden ‘entertainment shutdown’ during the nights, especially on weekends, music would boom from the hotspots and youths would gather for merry conversation.
On Saturday and Sunday nights before now, all roads would have led to the nightclubs, where villagers and outlying residents all converge for a long night of steamy dancing.
Whether it’s a simple stereo set or the customary one-man band feature, villagers still seem to enjoy themselves.
At middays, the streets are mostly dismal, but come alive in the afternoons and early mornings with the boisterous chatter of students as they hurry to and from the Belladrum Secondary and Primary Schools.
Keeping faith with tradition, Kweh-Kweh activities are still a vibrant feature among villagers, and ever so often they gather, gyrating wildly and laughing as African drums beat the welcoming sound of a wedding to come.
For the holy at earth, the massive and elegantly structured Seventh Day Adventist Church offers divine solace, or worshippers can switch to the St. Alban’s Anglican Church situated in close proximity to the Belladrum Primary School and Cemetery.
With its mystical appearance, rugged features, dusty streets and giggling residents, Belladrum is truly a village where lucky residents appreciate the gifts of Mother Nature and the Creator. It is a land where people come up with appealing means of survival, and is certainly a location one would want to visit and spend some time with every intention of enjoying its Old World ambience.
Belladrum Village is on the road to eventual development, and modern transformation is a sure thing for the village.
