By Francis Quamina Farrier

IT IS a very long distance from Baracara, Berbice, to Borough Hall, Brooklyn, New York, USA. The two communities are thousands of miles apart; one in South America, the other in North America. But that is the journey made by Vandell Park and his family over a decade ago.

Vandell Park was a work colleague of mine when we were reporters at the VCT Television Evening News, owned by Tony Vieira. We had not seen each other for a decade after he migrated to the USA. However, we spoke on the telephone from time to time.
Last year, we finally met again in person; it was at the Borough Hall in downtown Brooklyn where we had a lengthy conversation about the media in both Guyana and the USA. We also spoke of Vandell’s hometown, Baracara, which is located 50 miles up the Canje River in Region Six, Berbice, and the developments taking place there.

We also discussed a book which Vandell is now writing about Baracara and his memories growing up in that distant riverine community. Baracara is actually 25 miles further down river from Magdalenenburg, where the 1763 Berbice Slave Revolt, headed by Cuffy, commenced.

With his permission, I will include a few excerpts from that work-in-progress book, in this feature article. Here is the first:
“As a boy growing up at Baracara on the Canje river, one of eight populated villages occupying the banks of the Canje river, beyond where cars and other motor vehicles can access by road, the first memory would be that of paddling in the canoe with your parents either to church or to the farm.”

When on that first visit of mine to Baracara some 30 years ago, I witnessed many of the residents paddling their little canoes. On my 2016 visit, I saw an impressive increase of out-board engines powering little and not-so-little boats. It seemed like the spoils of a modern-day revolution by people who were many generations removed from slavery.
In reference to the period of slavery in Berbice, Park writes in his book:

“The 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion which took place at Magdelenenburg, some 75 miles up the Canje river, followed the US territory St. John’s Akan’s rebellion against the Danish in 1733, which can be considered the first famous major slave revolt after the modern day slavery started.”

At Baracara of the 21st century, a number of projects have been undertaken; health facilities being a principal one and improved farming techniques- both crops and cattle included. With increasing river activities, especially speedboats, there arose the need for revetment works to a principal section of the river bank. That was not as successful as residents desired and the work is now a matter of debate and for correction.

Two years ago, Baracara was elevated to become a National Heritage Community. There was even a visit by President David Granger who had a first-hand view of modern Baracara. As a historian, the President no doubt will enjoy reading the reminiscences of Vandell Park in his book: “There is nothing as beautiful as paddling up or down the river early in the morning and as the sun rises you can witness the mist rising from the water invitingly, tantalising your curiosity to find out where it’s coming from.”

I have not as yet had that “Morning has broken” experience on the Canje River. However, returning to New Amsterdam from Baracara as the sun is setting, one can enjoy the sight of birds, especially the Canje Peasant, Guyana’s National Bird, winging their way back to their roosting areas. The many sights and sounds of Baracara still linger in the mind of Vandell Park as he writes his book about his hometown, while so many miles away in Brooklyn.

“My wish for the people of Baracara is for the Government to pay an expert in agriculture to live at Baracara for about one year, showing and teaching the people how to farm commercially so they can make money and develop themselves,” Park told the Pepperpot Magazine. He is also of the view that, “Teaching the people how to be financially responsible and what they can do to become thrifty, will be a remarkable investment in both the human and natural resources of the Canje River.”