Reflecting this year’s theme “[email protected]: Reflections and Legacies”, the curtain came down on the pulsating rhythms of a Guyanese Folk Ensemble with drums, guitar and saxophone on the 22nd.n.d anniversary of the 2022 season of the Guyana Folk Festival of the New York-based Guyana Cultural Association (GCA) with a Spectacular Multicultural Family Fun Day on Sunday, September 4, on the grounds of Old Boys High School in Brooklyn.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Family Fun Day is back with a grand finale of the Caribbean-flavored, in-person season.
The official ceremony opened with a parade of CARIFESTA countries represented by the Children’s Village participants accompanied by Jaguar Master Julio Thijs on foot.
Performances on stage included Guyanese Folk artists, Caribbean Folk music performances by the Roxborough Folk Group from Trinidad and Tobago, the Jamaican-headed Braata Folk Singers and the Angels Caribbean Band.
The plethora of on-site attractions, surrounded by the aroma of Guyanese and Caribbean cuisine, included the Children’s Village, which featured several popular and educational games; hometown and alumni associations; health care groups; and Guyanese arts and crafts.
Guyana’s Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, whose aim is to promote economic development by promoting tourism, showcased several tourism development opportunities and destinations in Guyana.
Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond highlighted plans for the upcoming Cricket Carnival, urging members of the Guyanese Diaspora and all those interested in learning about Guyana to visit and participate in the Cricket Carnival.
“From crowd participation, reports and comments received, GCA’s 22n.d The Family Fun Day can rightly be described as a highly successful, professional, informative and creative occasion that represents the true spirit of CARIFESTA,” GCA said in a statement released to Caribbean Life.
He said the day’s activities also highlighted the Caribbean’s cultural similarities and multicultural roots, “outlining that working together with communities at the regional, international and national levels continues to keep our diverse cultural heritage alive and strengthens the bonds of our cultural heritages, which are important at the moment. and future generations.”
The GCA said another core event of the 2022 Guyana Folk Festival season is the Summer Caribbean Heritage Workshop Series (SWS), which targets Guyanese and other Caribbean youth in New York.
The program consists of a series of literacy-based workshops related to coat of arms, performing arts, music, art and dance, the GCA said.
He said the workshops are conducted by experienced practitioners in each field.
The GCA said this year’s SWS was “in operation” from July 5 to August 12.
During this period, the GCA said several modules were dedicated to the education and entertainment of the younger generation through “CARIFESTA ’72 Reflections and Legacies”.
“GCA tried this summer to guide the participants in this 14th repetition of his exploration in learning and fun,” said the Workshop Director, Dr. playing, singing, etc.”
Dr. Lear Matthews, one of the sponsors in a closing speech said: “Heartfelt thanks to the Guyana Cultural Association for its tireless efforts in continuing this tradition of service to the Caribbean-American community.
“Thank you to parents and extended family members for trusting GCA to provide this annual cultural and educational experience,” she added.
In keeping with their camp song, GCA said students are encouraged to “Be the best we can be!”
The three-day international GCA symposium, from August 5 to 7, reviewed 50th anniversary of CARIFESTA ’72.
For the past 21 years, the GCA said the symposium continued to be a “core event” of the Guyana Folk Festival season.
This year, in keeping with our theme, the symposium focused on CARIFESTA ’72 and 50 years since its inception, the GCA said.
He said the three-day, mostly virtual symposium was organized under the title “The Inaugural Caribbean Arts Festival as Prism: 20th Century Festivals in the Multilingual Caribbean.”
The GCA said the symposium was envisioned as “an opportunity for an intergenerational exploration of the origins, events, experiences, missteps, legacies and stories of CARIFESTA ’72.”
The non-profit group said this was accomplished in 17 sessions attended by artists, archivists, researchers, activists, administrators and policy makers.
The keynote address was presented by Alison Drayton, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development.
The GCA said the three-day symposium, which was viewed over 24,000 times on social media, also envisioned, “as part of a conversation, that, given the scale of the CARIFESTA cultural phenomenon, (it) must be deep and wide”.
He said the 2022 symposium represents the beginning of that conversation and, in line with the GCA’s mission to collect, preserve and promote Guyanese heritage and creativity, initiated the creation of the Guyanese and Caribbean Festival, Culture and Literature Digital Archive at the Caribbean Library. at the University of Guyana.
“This archive is a major step in the sustainable collection and preservation of Guyanese memory,” said the GCA, adding that “the key to the success of the symposium was the international partnership that was brought together by the organizers of this year’s symposium.”
In Guyana, GCA’s partners were the University of Guyana, the Moray House Trust, the Lions Club of Ruimveldt and the City Festival 50th Anniversary Celebrations Committee.
The GCA said the Caribbean Broadcasters Union was a regional partner; in the United Kingdom, Guyana Speaks was a partner; and, in the United States, the other partners were the academic institutions where the organizers are located: Rice University, Binghamton University and Ohio University.
The public is requested to visit the symposium website at: https://www.carifestaat50.com/
The public is also invited to participate in the following [email protected] initiatives to support the digital archive:
Recollections: https://www.carifestaat50.com/recollections
Shoebox Archives: https://www.carifestaat50.com/recollections
The 2022 GCA Awards Ceremony, now in its 21st yearstr year, was practically held on Wednesday, August 31.
The GCA said its primary objective is to showcase and promote contemporary Guyanese creativity, “as we recognize individuals, groups and agencies whose achievements and current work also advance the GCA’s mission to recognize and celebrate the many roots of cultural heritage of Guyana”.
These winners are the result of a process that begins with nominations from the public,” said the GCA. “These nominations are then evaluated by panels of distinguished judges. All nominations are judged on seven criteria: Originality, Scope, Impact/Impact, Integration, Pioneering Spirit, Challenges and Achievements.”
In his message for the virtual awards ceremony 2022, Amb. Michael Brotherson, Guyana’s Consul General in New York, congratulated and thanked this year’s award recipients for “an outstanding job well done in their respective areas of expertise.
“The Consulate General is proud to recognize the excellent contributions of each of you towards the recognition and development of Guyanese culture,” he said. “Cultural development is a top priority for the government and people of Guyana.”
Over the past 21 years, the GCA said, through public participation, it has recognized more than 400 Guyanese and other citizens.
Additionally, an award presentation ceremony was held in Guyana for the GCA Awards and the first prize winners of the Godfrey Chin Heritage Journalism Award.
The GCA said that the Theater Guild of Guyana “kindly agreed” to host the event at its venue in Kingston, Georgetown on Thursday, August 21.
In the ceremony, the opening speech was delivered by Prof. Paloma Mohamed Martin, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana.
Tamika Boatswain, director of culture, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, presented the prizes and awards, the GCA said.
The Georgetown organizing committee included GCA members Margaret Lawrence and Sidney Benjamin, along with visiting Assistant Director of Culture, Queens resident Dr. Rose October.
GCA also hosted Kweh Kweh Nite, an Afro-Guyanese pre-wedding ritual celebration, on Friday, September 2, in Brooklyn.
“This celebration showcases and celebrates Guyanese’s rich folk culture and the creative responses of Guyanese’s root cultures to the Guyanese experience,” said the GCA.
He said the Guyana Folk Festival season supports “inter-ethnic and inter-generational conversations among Guyanese in New York, at home and throughout the Guyanese diaspora and contributes to building bridges of understanding and communication between and among Guyanese, Caribbean and other communities in New. York.”
