By Naomi Parris

DEEMED the “mother of all villages”, Victoria, the first village in Guyana, is located on the Atlantic coast of the country, eighteen miles east of the capital city Georgetown, bordered by Cove and John to the west and Belfield to the east.

This year the Government of Guyana has collaborated with the Victoria Youth Development Organization (VYDO) to form a Victoria Village Day Committee to organize an event, which will be held on November 9, 2019. The event will include cultural performances from the Buxton Steel Orchestra, National Drama Company and the National Dance School, among other groups, along with an exhibition which will be held during the day.
The event will be held at the Victoria community centre and President David Granger is expected to deliver the feature address.

Aside from all that is planned for the village’s anniversary, it is important that, not only Victorians, but all Guyanese reminisce on the village’s rich culture and history.

The Emancipation Hut
Lying at the entrance of the village is a small cottage-like wooden structure named the emancipation hut, which has been standing for over 100 years. The hut is also considered a monument.

In a brief “gaff” with the current caretaker Hilda Barnwell, the Guyana chronicle was informed of the history and significance of the hut. It was the bank which the then recently-freed slaves took their monies to be counted – monies which they had pooled together to purchase plantation Northbrook.

In November 1839, a year and three months after being freed from slavery, approximately 83 ex-slaves from five nearby estates:- Hope, Douchfour, Ann’s Grove, Paradise and Enmore- made a brilliant cooperative effort in pooling their savings which amounted to $6000. They were able to make a down payment on the purchase price ($10,000) for plantation Northbrook. The plantation was taken over and renamed Victoria in honour of England’s Queen Victoria and the abolition of slavery which was deemed a ‘victory’ for the ex-slaves.

In the earlier years (60s and 70s) the hut at the village entrance was also a well-known butcher shop. Cousin Hilda recalled being a little girl riding past the hut and seeing meat hanging on display for purchase. It has been over 20 years since she has been the caretaker of the hut turning it into a snackette, selling homemade produce such as channa, pholourie, pine tart, cheese roll and her famous fish cakes along with soft drinks and sunshine snacks.

Cousin Hilda however expressed displeasure with the younger generation of Victorians who are unaware of the significance of the hut and are often seen loitering and leaving garbage around the hut. She stated that, she wishes the villagers would hold much more respect for the hut seeing its significance and the important role it played in paving a future for not only them but the entire country. “It was on this very ground a movement had begun with our ancestors paving the way for the village movement and development of our beloved country,” she stated.

Victoria’s First Church
The then ex-slaves were very keen on religion. They showed a great desire for church and worship and would travel eleven miles, as far as plantation Le Ressouvenir to attend church services.

Victoria had its first church, built by Congregationalists, in 1845. It was named Wilberforce Congregational, after William Wilberforce, a British politician, philanthropist, and an abolitionist who led the movement to abolish the slave trade.

To date there are several churches in the community namely the Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Pentecostal, Catholic, Strawnight-Breathren, Nazarene, Collier-Brethren, Lutheran, Apostolic, Jordon Knights and Seventh Day Adventist.

Of these differing churches, the largest with the most individuals attending is the Adventist, which has a vibrant young people’s group, which consists of many choirs, a path-finder group which promotes many activities among the youths of Victoria.

Victoria’s first school
The then called Roman Catholic school was established in the early 70’s by members of the roman catholic church and was later renamed the Victoria Primary School. To date the village has three schools, two nursery schools, the Victoria Nursery School and the Northbrook Nursery School along with the long-standing Victoria Primary School also known as Roman school by many of the older villagers.