The Street Characters of Upper Demerara 1960-1980
By Dmitri Allicock
Upper Demerara was not unlike other parts of Guyana and had its full share of Street Characters. Whether driven to the streets by mental, emotional or social derailment, or “dropping out and turning on” by free choice, they remain indelible in memory, symbolic of the life and times. Like the politicians of the day, street characters had the ability to attract attention. Colourful characters who paraded the streets daily and providing spontaneous street theatre.
HERBIE, for most Upper Demerara residents was and is still a living legend that rivals “LAW AND ORDER” the former king of Guyana’s street people who was known throughout Guyana.
There were other vagrants like TIGER, which was both father and his daughter, ITUNI DOG, NUMBER FOUR and a few more that provided public theater, free of charge in the days of no television or rare entertainment.
