DESPITE the nonappearance of a few major (and some minor) literary activities, 2011 was another good year for Guyanese literature especially in the area of book production. Some of the books produced (or surfaced during) this year, extending the Guyana bookshelf are:

‘Sharda’ by Julie Jailall
This is a collection of coming-of-age stories of Sharda – ‘challenges and interactions with her family and people of her village’

‘British Policy Towards the Amerindians in British Guiana, 1803-1873’ by Mary N. Menezes, R. S. M.
The book, ‘British Policy Towards the Amerindians in British Guiana, 1803-1873’ covers seventy years of British colonial rule of British Guiana and what transpired during those significant dates, 1803 and 1873. 1803 was the year when the Dutch handed over the colony to the British, and 1873 was the year when there was a major policy change: The abolition of the post Superintendents of Rivers and Creeks, described as a ‘pivotal moment’ in the history of Guyana.
The book ‘British Policy Towards the Amerindians in British Guiana, 1803-1873’ is significant in that it fills a gap in the history of Guyana by highlighting a previously unexplored issue. Previous scholarships on Guyana focused mainly on sugar, slave and indentured labour, with cursory references to the welfare of the First Peoples of this country. This slight was due mainly to the fact that the Amerindian was “from time immemorial, a rover, a wanderer through his forest home.”

‘The Heart of the Sun’ by Jag B. Mahadeo
‘Amid the political turmoil of a dictatorial regime, a young boy struggles to grow up and endure the nightly attacks against his own home and village, as a child he was deeply influenced by several pillars of the community and he describes his real life experiences of growing up in this atmosphere during those challenging years.’

‘A Plate a Guyana Cook-up’ by Allan Fenty
A collection of Guyanese proverbs compiled and explained by Allan Fenty in his own inimitable way.

‘The Proverbs of Guyana Explained’ by Joyce Trotman
This book “represents a significant contribution to the history of the language of Guyana, as it exemplifies and preserves the syntactic structure as well as the powerful imagery of Guyanese Creole…the book consists of over 1000 Guyanese proverbs originally published in 1902 by Rev James Speirs.”

‘Immigrant #99840 and Canecutter #7074, The Story of An East Indian Family in Guyana’ by Lal Balkaran
‘Immigrant #9984 and Canecutter #7074, The Story of An East Indian Family in Guyana’, written by Lal Balkaran, is both family history and autobiography. As a family history, it also covers 100 years of Guyana’s history (1905 – 2005). 1905 marks the beginning of the sojourn of Balkaran’s family in Guyana. The word ‘sojourn’ is deliberately used, for the book also tells the story of the advent of that family in the Diaspora. ‘Immigrant #99840 and Canecutter #7074, The Story of An East Indian Family in Guyana’ begins in India from where the author’s foreparents came; how those foreparents and their descendants lived in transit in Guyana before hovering (no doubt some will, more on) in North America. This book is “a most valuable document that fills a major gap in the writings which deal with the East Indian presence in Guyana.”

‘The Animism and Folklore of the Guiana Indians’ by Walter E. Roth
‘The Animism and Folklore of the Guiana Indians’ by Walter E. Roth was first published in June 1913. It was the result, according to the author’s preface, of a determination to devoting “all my spare time – and there has been plenty of it – to an ethnographical survey of the native tribes of British Guiana, somewhat on the lines I had already followed in the case of North Queensland [Australia].” He further stated: “In the course of my ethnographical work, I collected sufficient material in the way of myth, legend, and fable to warrant the publication of a separate volume on Animism and Folk-lore, and so the following pages have come to be written.”

‘Hearing Slaves Speak’ by Trevor Burnard
In ‘Hearing Slaves Speak’, Trevor Burnard has extracted and compiled ninety-two cases from tons and tons of material to show that enslaved people deserve more respect than is generally accorded them. Burnard, in his introduction to the book, says the records “reveal enslaved people as real people, as individuals who often quarrelled with each other but whom, it seems, shared similar aspirations and dreams about the lives they might be able to fashion for themselves.” He goes on to say that those cases show how the responses from white minority confirm ‘slaves’ “humanity and individuality.”
As real people, enslaved people were always speaking, but we were not attuned to their voice. As real people, enslaved people were always speaking, but the finer elements of their thoughts and opinions were not recorded, a grievous loss to humanity, giving rise to suspicion and tyranny. The loss of those voices, that could have wrought understanding, created a vacuum for mischief.  The scholarship in this singular book, ‘Hearing Slaves Speak’ will fill, to some extent, that lacuna in the ongoing discourse on enslaved people.

‘Indian Notices’ by William Hilhouse
There was a time when the Amerindians spoke about their grievances but no one listened because the language used was not understood by the others. That was a long time ago. Much has changed since then.
There was a time when the Amerindians acquired and were able to use the lingua franca of the country, yet their voice was not heard.
There was a time when the voice of the Amerindian was beginning to be heard and their cause attracted many sympathisers. One such person was William Hilhouse, who was “one of the most versatile, interesting, and controversial figures in the early history of British Guiana.” Hilhouse became an “unfailing advocate” of the Amerindians. And his book, ‘Indian Notices’ was an “Expose – the fruit of nine years’ observation and acquisition of information concerning the abuses perpetrated against the Amerindians.”

‘Lantana Strangling Ixora’ and ‘Selected Poems’ by Sasenarine Persaud
‘This collection is as much about love and people in and out of
relationships as it is about origins and the process of estrangement. The lantana is a flower of South American origin, and the ixora of Asian origin. The lantana, a creeper that grows profusely, often engulfing other plants, provides a ready metaphor for the consciousness of the Americas overcoming that of India in the Americas—the mainstreaming and divesting of yoga from its Indian origins being the most visible manifestation. This collection ranges widely in its geographical and historical concerns, from Canada to Guyana to India and places in between, exploring the contradictions in our lives: Familial influences, terrorism, literature, politics, race, and the power of language and representation.”

‘Giglioli in Guyana 1922 – 1972’ by Denis Williams
In the book, ‘Giglioli in Guyana’, the writer, Denis Williams, examined the life and work of George Giglioli likening each crucial event in the doctor’s life as an ‘ambush’.
The most significant ambush was the one leading to the eradication of the dreaded malarial disease in Guyana, resulting in increase production in all sectors of industry especially in the sugar industry. The malarial scourge was wreaking havoc in the sugar industry due to lost of working hours caused by to absence from duty, prolonged hospitalisation and frequent deaths in the labouring population.
The story of Giglioli is an absorbing read, enhanced by the beautiful prose writing of Denis Williams.

‘Growing up in British Guiana, 1945-1964’ by Joseph G. Singh
‘Growing up in British Guiana’ a well written account of the first nineteen years of a remarkable son of the soil. Although it is exacting, it is not devoid of humour of a boy coming of age and the society of yesteryear.

‘Teachers and Students’ by Madan Gopaul

‘Rhythm of Life’ and ‘Snatches of Life’ by Neil Primus

‘True-true Stories’ by Stephanie Bowry

‘Pulling the Punches’ by Luke Daniels

‘Caribbean Publishing in Britain’ by Asher and Martin Hoyles
This is a remarkable book on publishers who braved many challenges to give voice to minorities. It is also a tribute to an extraordinary man, Arif Ali of Hansib Publications.
Of course, for the year 2011, there may be many other publications by Guyanese writers and on Guyana; some may not come to my attention, and I hasten to say their absence here is not a sin of omission or sin of commission.
(To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)