They grew up together in the North West District , enjoyed the countryside customs and even though they are miles apart , the quartet is trying to upkeep the traditions of Christmas

, an ideal which keeps them together .

Indra Jagdeo , Nicola Wessling , Shivon Rammit and Kezia Walton attended school together in the Mabaruma Sub-Region . Their most treasured years were spent at the North West Secondary School (NWSS) and as the years progressed, they grew to love each other’s company, learn and share their skills and values and kept contact almost daily, thanks to social media.
Kezia , Shivon and Indra grew up at Wauna , a remote community outside Region One ‘s administrative capital Mabaruma, while Nicola grew up at Port Kaituma also in the region.
Kezia and Shivon currently live in Guyana while their two friends migrated to New York in the United States several years ago.

After their secondary school years, they all relocated to the capital city from the North West in a move aimed at enhancing their lives. For them, celebrating Christmas traditions in their childhood years has left lasting impressions on their minds.
Kezia spent her early Christmas years at Farm Corps, a small community which no longer exists due to migration. It was located some 10 miles

outside of Wauna. She said the season was always “like one family, plenty love and laugher”. The neighbours and their children were always busy and talked with each other at every opportune moment. ”Even though you are not related by blood, you are like family “she said.

She said at this time of year, she misses her late father the most, since he was the family’s designated baker. ”I would miss him the most because he is no more there, even though we would go back home, he is missed a lot“, she added.
She said she has now settled in the capital city and according to her the persons she grew up with are no longer at Wauna.”The traditions have changed over the past years and even though I would go back I don’t think I would enjoy Christmas as how I use to enjoy it when I was growing up”, she added.

Shivon , who moved to the city several years ago recounted the eating of many foods as a special memory she has of Christmas at Central Wauna , her hometown . She said that she enjoyed the hospitality which was evident in her childhood days where persons would stop at the homes of friends and relatives and always find something to eat or drink. She said she

spent Christmas at Wauna last year and it was memorable.

Indra moved to New York in recent times. She enjoys the company of Nicola, who also lives in New York and the two would socialise at any given opportunity, even though their busy schedules in the Big Apple are sometimes hectic.
Indra grew up at the village of Kamwatta outside Wauna . She recalled NEOCOL, the former National Edible Oil Company Limited, which promoted Christmas activities in the area and business persons from the area would sell toys and food at fairly cheap prices. ”Christmas day in general we always would look forward to at least one gift “, she said. She recalled receiving a kitchen set for a toy one year but devastatingly, she lost the spoons!
She noted that the children would also share their toys while the households of most relatives would gather at a central “family “and cook. “They would have these yard fowls you know, which we enjoyed eating”, she recalled.

Since leaving her hometown in 2005 to move to Georgetown, Christmas has not been the same for Indra since the family-like traditions which she was accustomed to is no longer there. “Back home Christmas is real enjoyment, fun time with family and special”, she added.
She said one of her wishes is to return home at Christmas and share a gift with every child at Kamwatta.”I would like to have like a lunch or a dinner for all the children”, she added.
Nicola grew up at Port Kaituma , a busy mining community in the North West District .

She said her distinct memories of Christmas at the hinterland area was the making of decorations, made with coloured strips of paper and sometimes, old copies of newspapers.
“Well we had food ….usually everybody bakes Christmas Eve night and everything was done that night ….we never slept till 4 am on Christmas morning”, she recalled. Even though she is far away from home she continues to keep the tradition alive.” We made everything like I do now including pepper-pot and cakes and ginger beer etc”, she said from her New York home.
She said in her younger days, the season was celebrated differently. ”It was different at Kaituma everybody knows everybody but now things change…. there are so many strange people there now”, she added.
This year, even though they are miles apart, the quartet plans to spend Christmas in each other’s company, thanks to social media.