By Francis Quamina Farrier

THERE have literally been thousands of Guyanese “Super Mothers” over the many years, from before Slavery and Indentureship, and even before that era. During the centuries of Guyana’s pre-independence, there are no known recorded stories of specific Super Mothers, but since Guyana’s First Peoples travelled from the northern-most areas of North America, through Central America and into the Guianas and further south to Argentina, one has to assume that there had to have been many Super Mothers who raised their children under dire conditions. There must be thousands of unwritten stories of women who sacrificed so much for the protection and upbringing of their children when the Americas were still a frontier territory. No doubt there were some mothers with husbands who gave stellar care and support of their children, as well as single mothers who had to be both mother and father to their children.

The Super Mother featured in this Mother’s Day 2019 article, Mother Olive, was both wife and mother, and later a single parent throughout her life. Two of her children died as infants; all the others are still alive and are now in their mature years. Here now is the story of Mother Olive who was born in Queenstown, Georgetown in 1911. She later moved to South Cummingsburg where she spent most of her adult life.

As a pre-teen child, her mother died and her father remarried. Her stepmother treated her and her two siblings very badly, and so they were sent to Barbados to be cared for by a close relative in that Caribbean island. The three youngsters spent nine years in Barbados before returning to British Guiana. As a young girl, Olive was taught dress-making; which she excelled in. She was married in her mid-20s. Her husband, who was very involved with the upbringing of their children, died at age 48, leaving Mother Olive as a single parent to care for her eight children. It was a very challenging situation, but Mother Olive was not prepared to cave into the pressures of putting food on the table and clothes on the backs for her brood, with most of them still being in their pre-teen years.

Her main means of income was her work as a seamstress and she was so good at dressmaking, that the orders were always coming in, not only for regular dresses but also wedding gowns. Nonetheless, the income was way below what it took to keep her eight fatherless children properly fed and clothed. The house she and her children called home, was their own property, so she did not have the challenge for rent to pay, just the annual rates and taxes. Even that proved quite a challenge. But when Mother Olive was approached by those who knew her situation to sell the property, again she would have “none of that,” she told me, and added that she told those who approached her, “So when I sell my property, is where me and my children will live?” So, it was absolutely, NO DEAL.

One of the distractions she received, was to give up some of the children for adoption, but yet again, she would have ” none of that”, as she said time and time again to her uninvited advisors. A staunch Catholic, Mother Olive was offered assistance – mainly food and clothing – by one of her priests, which she gladly accepted. Although a single mother of eight, she was still very attractive and not without having male attention; one or two even suggested a serious relationship. But Mother Olive would have “none of that”. She lived exclusively for her children, never considering having any male companion or a second marriage.

As her children grew older and entered the workforce, life became much easier for Mother Olive. Her eldest child, for example, gave his entire pay package unopened to his mother who would then return a stipend to him for his personal use. The rest of the money went to the running of the home. As more finances became available, Super Mother Olive developed a policy of always having food and drink available for visitors to her home, and she would ensure that every visitor left after having something from her kitchen, which she had prepared herself.

As the years went by, and some of her eight children migrated abroad, at their invitation and arrangement, Mother Olive made many visits to America and Canada. She enjoyed her golden years which were made very pleasant and happy for her by her eight grateful children who were fortunate to have such a God-fearing, strong and disciplined mother, who made so many sacrifices for them in their younger years. Super Mother Olive lived a long, productive and law-abiding life and passed on at age 105. On the occasion of her 105th Birthday, she was paid a visit by President David Granger at her South Cummingsburg home in Georgetown. No doubt you also know of other Super Mothers like Super Mother Olive. It is our pleasant duty to celebrate them all, whether they are still with us, or like Super Mother Olive, have transitioned to the Great Beyond.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all of Guyana’s mothers.