Be fired up, whether you are ‘Spring Chickens’ or ‘Old Fowls’
Farrier with then 108-year-old Matilda Lewis
Farrier with then 108-year-old Matilda Lewis

– Don’t be worried about old age

By Francis Quamina Farrier
A society is judged by many things. Some of the more important ones are how it cares for its environment, how it treats its vulnerable citizens, how it treats its animals – both domestic and wild, how it treats its very young, and very importantly, how it treats its elders.So, when at 5.52 p.m., on September 1, 2008, the VIP and powerful man Bozo John (not his real name) made the following statement in the presence of many persons, including children, it startled many who heard him. He said: “I am fed-up with the old people. They had their time. They must go one side and let the young people learn from their own mistakes.”

Farrier with then 108-year-old Matilda Lewis
Farrier with then 108-year-old Matilda Lewis

Now, I have to repeat that Bozo John was a very influential person. In fact, Bozo John is still a very influential and important person in the political arena of Guyana.

During the more recent years, Bozo John became infamous for instant cuss-outs, something which some of his faithful followers have emulated. But for him to say that he is fed-up with the Old People is something else!

How could that be? So I went to a close colleague of Bozo John’s and asked him for a comment on that very worrying statement. I have to admit that the colleague was shocked and tried to make an excuse, saying that it was probably a joke by Bozo John. But the fact of the matter is Bozo John really has no talent for making jokes. His personality seems to be void of humour. In fact, although he is a good-looking guy, Bozo John has a very sour face. Yes, a good-looking guy with a sour face.

Anyway, since I wanted to know more from close colleagues of Bozo John regarding that statement about being fed-up with the old people, I approached another colleague of Bozo John’s. His reaction was more realistic. He dropped his head in disbelief and embarrassment after hearing what I had just told him about his powerful colleague dismissing the Guyanese elders in such a cruel fashion. “Well, we’re all getting there,”, the powerful colleague told me, with a heavy sigh.

Farrier dancing with 100-year-old Etelene Dates at State House
Farrier dancing with 100-year-old Etelene Dates at State House

As I mentioned, all that transpired back in September 2008 – eight years ago – and Bozo John, like the rest of us, is growing older. His head is now void of the lovely wavy black hair which it displayed those eight years ago. The fact is, Bozo John is really growing older. And as his colleague said, “We’re all getting there.” But is growing old a bad thing? Well, for sure, it does bring some aches and pains which we did not have when we were younger. But as a friend of mine said, “Old age is good, but I won’t recommend it.” Funny, isn’t that?

Certain illnesses related to old age, do come along with the passage of time. But is old age something to be feared? As long as we do not die in youth, Old Age will sooner, rather than later, envelope us, all of us. There is no escaping old age.
But in my opinion, Old Age should be embraced, since we cannot escape it; except only by an early death. There are many good things about being old, if you know where to find them and how to use them.

As many of you already know, I produced a Radio Talk Show many years ago, entitled “The Eighty Plus Club” in which I interviewed folks who were 80 years and older. Over a 15 year period, I interviewed elders in all of Guyana’s ten Administrative Regions. I also interviewed elders in all the Caricom countries.

There were many fascinating encounters which I experienced, such as the day when I interviewed two elders in Trinidad. One shared the birthday of my older daughter, and the other shared the birthday of my younger daughter! Amazing! It blew my mind.

I have also interviewed Guyanese and non-Guyanese in the USA and Canada, and also from England, Australia and New Zealand. From those many and varied interviews, I can say without fear of contradiction, that people are more similar around the world than they are different. The majority of people want to be happy, to live in peace with their fellow man, to make the best contributions with the talents which they possess, to attain their full potential, and to leave this world a better place for they being in it.

During the years of the “The Eighty Plus Club” I had many unique experiences. For example, I wanted to have someone who was exactly 100 years old, for the 100th edition of the programme. Yes, I did find such a person; but – yes, there was a BUT! She was a leper; she had leprosy – Hanson’s Disease – and was an inmate at the Mahaica Hospital. She was there for many years.

After fighting off my prejudice, I drove to Mahaica and met the sweet lady who was going to be featured on the 100th edition of “The Eighty Plus Club.” And what a SPECIAL Guest she was. The lady recited poetry as I had never every heard an elder recite poetry before, or since. Even though she was confined in a dowdy building for so many years, she was still enjoying her life, especially when she recited her poetry.

I was delighted that I had decided to go and interview that 100 year old Leper. I was so happy to feature her.

Driving back to the city from that interview at the Mahaica Hospital, I made a confession for my previous apprehension of having a “cukabae” person as the featured guest on the 100th edition of my “Eighty Plus Club.” I felt somewhat ashamed of myself.

At this very time, I am talent scouting for talented persons who are 55 years and older, who can either recite, sing, dance or do story telling in a highly professional way, to put them on Stage in a Jubilee Year Show with the Elderly. It is billed for Saturday October 1, 2016, in Georgetown.

That is the “World Day of Older Persons”. So on that day, the performing talents of some of Guyana’s star performers of a certain age will be on display. Being elderly does not mean that your active life is over. Yes, you will want to slow down a bit, depending on your health; but giving up on life should never be an option. Some of the happiest elders are those who continue to be active physically and mentally, as they grow older.

The oldest person who I had the pleasure of interacting with for a number of years, was Matilda Lewis. When I first met her, she was in her early 90s and living at the Archer’s Home on Durban Street in Georgetown. She later moved to the Salvation Army’s Women’s Home on upper Bent Street. On the occasion of her 100th Birthday, a party was held for her at the Home. Some dignitaries were present, including President Samuel Hinds.

In response to all the good wishes showered on her, Matilda Lewis delivered a speech worthy of someone much younger and even more educated. As the years of her life extended from 100 to 101, to 105, and on and on, Matilda Lewis, even though losing her sight, continued to be as sharp of mind as could be. She was well up to Current Affairs; both local and International.

When America invaded Iraq in the Gulf War, Matilda opined, “He the President Bush, he only want the people oil.” On the local scene, she was fiercely anti-PPP of the Jagdeo era. She would say, “Jagan was for the people, but not this man.” I kept in touch with Aunt Matilda over the years; until the end came when she was 113. For a period of time, Matilda Lewis was the oldest person in South America and the Caribbean.

Another special centenarian member of my Eighty Plus Club was Ethelene Dates. She resided on Durban Street, Lodge and lived to be 102. When I first met her, she was in her mid- 90s and sightless. But when she became 100, she had an operation at the Woodlands Hospital by a doctor from South America, and her sight was restored. Just before the operation, she and I were special guests at State House for the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of President Cheddi Jagan and First Lady Janet Jagan. There was a live band playing and so I danced with the then sightless Aunt Ethelene. She danced like a teenager, and we almost stole the show. Two weeks later, she had her sight restored.

Like 113 year old Matilda Lewis, Ethlene Dates was also a member of the Trinity Methodist Church at High and Durban Streets in Georgetown. The Church played a major role in the lives of these special elders.

Another story which I must share with you is about the Elder who spent all her life in Guyana. Her younger sister who migrated to oil-rich Trinidad when she got married many years before, returned to Guyana for the 100 birthday celebration of her older sister. When the younger sister, who was 95, was leaving to return to Trinidad after the visit, it was her 100 year old sister, who lived all her life in “hard-guava” Guyana, who was pushing the wheel-chair in which she, at 95, was seated.

Closer to home, I have to let you know that Olive Blackmore, who is the mother of my wife Patricia, is now 105 years of age. She reached that milestone on May 23, 2016. She was visited by President David Granger during April, since the Head of State was aware of his very tight schedule during the period of the 50th anniversary Jubilee Celebrations of Guyana on May 26, 2016.

One of the privileges I had producing the Eighty Plus Club, was interviewing East Indian Immigrants. There were quite a few who were still alive during the late 1980s and into the mid-1990s. Some were able to tell me about their memories of India and their journey to British Guiana. To the best of my knowledge, all of our East Indian Immigrants are no longer with us, and I am so pleased that I was able to garner from their own lips, and have it recorded for posterity, so much about the Indian Immigration experience during that era. Two special East Indian Immigrants who I interviewed were ‘Uncle’ Gajadar of Anna Regina, and Jangalall Maharaj of Mahaicony river.

It would be remiss of me not to let you know just how much President Desmond Hoyte enjoyed attending the birthday celebrations of centenarians. On one occasion, he took First Lady Joyce Hoyte and their dog to the celebration, which was at Hopetown on the West Coast Berbice. When I wrote President Hoyte, seeking his permission to interview his mother, Mrs Gladys Hoyte, he responded in a letter advising me that “Mrs Gladys Hoyte is her own woman, and you don’t need my permission to interview her.”

President Hoyte was a regular listener to my “Eighty Plus Club.” In another letter to me, he expressed the desire to be interviewed by me, should he attain the age of eighty. Unfortunately, that did not happen, since he passed away before reaching that age.

President Cheddi Jagan, when attending the 100th birthday of another centenarian in Georgetown, was asked by her to get a telephone. President Cheddi Jagan immediately had it arranged and the phone was installed in the home. President Cheddi Jagan told that centenarian that he would like to reach her age. Unfortunately he did not.

There are lots and lots more stories I can share with you about the Elders from Guyana and from all around the World, which I garnered when I did my “Eighty Plus Club”, but I’m getting a bit tired right now as I punch the key-board of my computer, even though it is so much easier than when I used to pound the keyboard of my type-writer in past times.

You see, I am no longer young; and so I have to go and take a little rest as I embrace my Golden Years. Nonetheless, in this Jubilee Year 2016, I am all fired up! And that’s what I hope all of us would be, whether we are “Spring Chickens” or we are “Old Fowls.”

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