BY Ravin Singh

ELECTRIFYING performances, non-stop dancing and social interaction characterized the ninth staging of ‘Wakenaam Nite’, held at the Seeram Concrete Ground.

It started almost two hours late because of several setbacks, but patrons patiently waited for the show to begin, because it is the most highly-anticipated event on this farming island that sits at the mouth of the Essequibo River.

Introduction of the activity nine years ago was meant to encourage Guyanese to visit Wakenaam, to bolster domestic tourism, and to create awareness of what Wakenaam has to offer. The event also served as an expo of sorts in earlier stagings, but due to constraints and lack of support from corporate entities, this aspect of the event was not featured at this year’s event. The traditional Wakenaam Nite pageant was also not featured this year due to the very limited amount of females who expressed interest in participating.

Chairman of Wakenaam Nite Management Committee, Shiek Ahmad, told the Guyana Chronicle that the success of Wakenaam Nite is because of the tremendous support from the people in and out of Wakenaam, and support from the Government through its various ministries.

And this was evident on Saturday night, as thousands flocked the ground on an island with a population of less than 4000 persons. One moment that will undoubtedly stand out in the memories of the patrons was the spontaneous “clash” by two Trinidadian artistes, Rick Ramotar and ‘Sexy’ Vanessa, who had the crowd rolling with laughter. Their chutney and soca performances were just as captivating, as hundreds took their best dance moves to the front of the stage.

But it was Guyana’s Jomo ‘Rubber waist’ Primo who set the tone after a slow start. With popular Soca renditions from Machel Montana, Jomo immediately captivated the masses and electrified a seemingly bored audience. Like a magnet, people physically gravitated closer to him, screaming and jumping to his performance, which a 52-year-old described as “electrifying”.

This momentum was maintained by Terry Gajraj, one of Guyana’s most renowned chutney artistes. Performing his popular track, “Guyana Baboo”, Gajraj commandeered support from even the middle-aged patrons, most of whom were sitting. Loud cheers and applause also interrupted the performance of eight-year-old Rohan Ramotar, one of the island’s most talented chutney singers.

And late showers did little to dissuade persons from remaining on scene, as hundreds milled around even after the end of the event was announced at about 2:00am on Sunday morning. Apart from the performances, which were without doubt the highlight of the evening, two budding scholars from the island were honoured for their outstanding achievements at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. Those honoured were Nerisa Seecharran, who had attained seven Grade Ones and four Grade Twos; and Naresh Jagnanan, who topped the island at this year’s NGSA. Both were honoured with trophies provided by the Wakenaam Night Management Committee.

The name Wakenaam is Dutch, and means ‘waiting for a name,’ but it is clear that the residents there are no longer in waiting; they are making their own name, and securing Wakenaam a more prominent position on the map.