GUYANA’S Emancipation Day celebrations at the National Park on August 3 were a resounding success, and ideally captured the mood and symbolism of the occasion. The fully supported, well planned and executed occasion, was a day worth remembering.
It lived up to expectations of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. The day’s celebrations, organized by the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA) on this occasion, were among the most spirited and colourful of all times.
It had the support of government which, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, pumped some $5M into ACDA’s 2012 cultural budget to give the programme a significant boost.
About 45 other cultural groups benefited from some $2M from government, and were able to host their own village programmes as well as support the main Emancipation Programme at the National Park.
Activities unfolding at the National Park on Emancipation Day profoundly demonstrated that what takes place in African villages on Emancipation Day is not only a commercial fair of sorts, but an event of greater significance.
More than that, it was an occasion when Guyanese people celebrated their freedom from slavery 174 years ago, and today have risen to the call to engage in sober reflection; evaluate the strides made, and determine the direction in which they are going.

Purpose
The symbolic African village affair hosted at the National Park on August Monday was the culmination of several nights of soirees, drumming and other cultural folk celebrations in traditional African villages in coastal Guyana. It was greeted with enthusiasm, fervour, great expectation, and renewed brotherhood and solidarity.
With an attitude of camaraderie and a renewed sense of purpose, thousands on that day thronged the National Park, braving even the intermittent showers early in the morning in their determination to make the occasion a success.
Prayers were answered, for the day turned out to be bright and sunny, and all activities planned were well executed.
President, Donald Ramotar; Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; and other key government functionaries toured the Emancipation Village and were impressed with what they saw.
As usual, Guyanese — from the youngest to the oldest — were beautifully attired. They proudly sported some of the most exquisite pieces of African attire, literally transposing Guyana into a little Africa complete with representations from various tribes.

Flavour and Flair
The African Village presented scores of booths, offering a wide range of items with unmistakable African flair.  Among those items were the most delectable and mouth-watering creole dishes and beverages; beautifully designed items of craft and other artifacts; fascinating array of African dress and head wraps; photographic exhibitions; toys, games, face painting and other attractions for the children; as well as other exhibits displayed by supportive entities, among which were the United States Embassy, the Courts Guyana Inc., and the Brahma Kumaris. Booths were attractively displayed, and everything generally contributed to good order.
A constant flow of patrons, in their thousands, moved back and forth throughout the day to cash in at various booths to ‘savour the flavor’ of their wares and experience the flair of the occasion.
But the crown of the afternoon’s celebrations was the Cultural Show, held on the park’s tarmac. The programme opened with the Welcome remarks and the pouring on of Libation by ACDA’s Bishop Ervin.
Spectators were treated to fantastically-executed spirited performances of drumming, singing, dancing, poetry, and martial arts by top local artistes. Also regaling the audience were dancers and other artistes from Brazil, Jamaica and Suriname.
Meanwhile, other persons visiting specially for the occasion were the hundreds of overseas-based Guyanese;  Dr. Myrna Belgrave of the Brahma Kumaris, Barbados; as well as brothers and sisters from the United States of America, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and other Caribbean countries.