By Shirley Thomas

A PLETHORA of glowing tributes resonated across the Arthur Chung Convention Centre where thousands of mourners and sympathisers converged on Saturday to pay tribute and celebrate the life of a fallen Guyanese stalwart of international acclaim.
Andaiye, A.A.,women’s rights activist and International Co-ordinator of Red Thread, the Women’s Arm of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), died on May 31, 2019, after a battle with cancer. She was 77. The celebration was followed by cremation at the Good Hope Crematorium, East Coast Demerara.

The programme, chaired by Ms. Jocelyn Dow who is also a member of Red Thread, was ushered in with a symphonious musical welcome by Ras Camo on the Pan; Trevor Rogers on the Keyboard and Roy Stewart on the Saxaphone, followed by a solo rendered by Russel Lancaster.

Meanwhile, joining the large gathering at the celebration were representatives of the International Women’s Network, of which Red Thread is a part; representatives from other sister-CARICOM countries on the International Women’s Network. Among them were: Asha Kambon of Emancipation Support Trinidad and Tobago and Margaret Prescod of Global Women’s Strike. Roberta Clarke and Denise Dias represented Help and Shelter.
Dr Rupert Roopnaraine delivered “Death of a Comrade and for Angela Davis” by Martin Carter.

Presenting “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde was Ms Ulele Burnham. Other tributes scheduled to be delivered were by: Abbyssinian; Tacuma Ogunseye – Working People’s Alliance; Mitzi Campbell – Cancer Survivor; Vikki Jackson; Kevin Bacchus; Iyabo Kayana; Jocelyn Dow and Monica Jardine.

Another Special – “Return Me to the Fire by Mahadai Das and ‘A Message from Ni by Honor Ford-Smith to be read by Vanda Radzik. This was followed by Andaiye’s “The Point is the Change the World … presented by Alissa Trotz.

“The Last Words” of Andaiye were given by Ms Karen De Souza, Executive Member of Red Thread. Painfully presented were the words that mean so much to the Red Thread Movement, and in particular the grassroots women over whose lot she had laboured and who meant so much to her.

“[There were two things I decided when I was diagnosed: One was, that I would be in charge, even when I felt I couldn’t, asking anyone around me to accept that: and the second was, that I would fight as hard as I could, to live as long as I could, so that if the time came that I couldn’t fight anymore, I would accept that with grace. That promise to myself in some way, made me feel stronger.

No one ever wants to go. The question is whether you reach the point where
you can let go.

It doesn’t mean that all fear and anxiety go, but that there are other things as well,
including the certainty that you are LOVED

Meanwhile, in a brief comment to the Guyana Chronicle, Ms De Souza said:
“Andaiye’s death is a massive loss, and even though she has not been out in the public very much in the last few years, on account of being so weak, she continued to contribute to the work of Red Thread; continued to ask and question: “What is happening in the community,” and to challenge all the people who were associated with her, to do something, affirming: “We have to get together. We have to talk about things. We have to do some more organising. We have to find ways and essentially not allow ourselves to be frustrated with the difficulty of getting things going, but to just do it and make sure that it is done in a way that is acceptable.

De Souza said that before Andaiye died, she was International Co-ordinaror of Red Thread and a big part of her responsibility was maintaining contact with international women’s groups and coordinating engagements with them. She was also involved in a lot of training in Red Thread. “ She never stopped working. Andaiye worked until a couple of days before her death– in the hospital bed, you know. She was constantly scribbling and constantly going. She was writing and the brain continued going. For that reason you could not say that Andaiye stopped working.

“She was unable to come out a lot, essentially because of difficulty with breathing, but she used the phone, she used Skype and the international network. She could call and engage with people.”

Meanwhile, the grassroots persons whose interest she represented almost tearfully recalled: “Andaiye thought us to believe in ourselves. She has more confidence is us than we had in ourselves. And it is because of that teaching she imparted among us that we are able to stand before you today. She was a strict disciplinarian when she considered us to be lapsing, but never hesitated to tell us when we did well. She has a sense of being able to inject humour, especially when we were tense. All she wanted for us was for us to do our best. She was a teacher, mother, mentor, sister, aunt, grandmother to many and generally full of love.

“We never anticipated that in 20019 we would have lost her. Even on her sick bed she continued to be a source of inspiration to people. Even the nurses at Woodlands Hospital admired her strength.

Andaiye was also eulogised as one who fought resolutely against exploitation, particularly of grassroots women and their children. [Her death has come] to soon, said one speaker, adding “For Andaiye it would always be ‘too soon –for there is someone who demonstrates courage in their conviction and those convictions have to do with ending the exploitation of the have-nots by those who have, and rectifying injustice by race, class and other such organisations, it will always be too soon!”

The speaker urged revolutionaries, to ensure that when there is no revolution, they should preoccupy themselves with educating, mobilising and fighting every injustice, small and large, and ‘Tell no lies.’ Everyone knew she called a spade a spade and that is what Andaiye lived by. She had such great love of people. Any one us who walked closely with Andaiye can give testimony to the life she lived. Her contribution stood the test of time.”