Stories of the Republic

There are many stories on or about our Republic, some of which will serve as inspiration, others evoking pride of place and of accomplishment. Here are some tidbits collected over the years.
The Way to the Republic ‘Kaie’ # 6, was released in 1970 to herald the Republic. ‘Kaie’ was the official organ of the National History and Arts Council of Guyana. The theme for that particular issue of the journal was ‘The way to the Republic’ as alluded to by the then Secretary of the Council, Basil deRushe, in his introduction. He wrote that because of ‘a significant change in the constitutional development of Guyana…that a logical feature of this issue should be centred on this new constitutional development’.
A. J. Seymour’s signal article in the journal is titled, ‘The Way to the Republic,’ in which he mentioned the lecture series which was intended to sensitise the general populace as to the import of this new dispensation.

Georgetown Journal

Another journal was published to immortalise that historic occasion. ‘Georgetown Journal’ by Andrew Salkey is ‘a diary kept by the author during a visit to Guyana between Sunday February 15, 1970 and Sunday March 1, 1970. The book also covered the Caribbean Writers and Artists Convention which deliberated on what eventually became known as the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta).
February 23
February 23 is associated with one of the first recorded struggles in our history for independence. The events surrounding that date in 1763 were labelled ‘The Berbice Slave Rebellion,’ lasting for more than a year. The story goes that the ill treatment of enslaved Africans in Berbice became unbearable forcing a slave name Cuffy and his lieutenants to take up arms against their brutal masters. The reciprocating violence was ugly but the slaves made good headway so much so they were in a position to bargain with the authority. The upshot however was distasteful – the slaves lost in the end because of discord and disunity in the ranks. But that strike was the first blow for freedom that came many years later on August 1, 1838.
Another book, ‘The Berbice Uprising 1763 by A. J. Mc R. Cameron,’ reprinted by The Caribbean Press, 2011, goes in details.

The February 23 Coup

‘February 23 Coup’ is a novel of another failed attempted by a military force to overthrow the government of the day (1980). The novel, written by Chaitram Singh was shortlisted for the Guyana Prize for Literature in 2013.
The Song of the Republic
Sometime in late 1969, a competition was set in train to select an appropriate anthem to celebrate Guyana’s attainment of Republic status.
The story of the song goes like this: The author of the song was at the time in the ‘black book’ of the government of the day because a civil issue from which the writer was to benefit was determined politically against him. It is said the man’s outspokenness landed him many times in the ‘ants nest’ and true to form, he wrote about this slight in his newspaper column. Afraid his entry may be treated with political discharge, he submitted the words to the competition using a nom de plume, Thomas Theophilus Halley, his father’s name. That entry was selected from 135 submissions. The judges were A. J. Seymour, Mrs. Stella Merriman and Milton Drepaul; the ‘judges made certain amendments to the entry so as to accord it greater suitability and make it eminently sing able.’ It was long after the announcement that his entry had won that Cleveland Hamilton went forward to accept the glory.
In due course, you may add your own story/stories to this small collection.
(Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

By (Petamber Persaud)