Guyanese Online

By Lear Matthews

• Give me de gyaaf nuh man…Ah cyant wait to hear (Anonymous)

With the passage of time cultural heritage and customs among diasporans become a casualty of new acculturative experiences as they assimilate into societies such as Canada, USA and the UK, Aka host countries. Nonetheless even as they embrace new social institutional norms, retaining traditional culturally familiar modes of communication couched in reminiscing past experience and practices, is essential to adaptation in their new home. This article seeks to stimulate thinking about the way thoughts, information and messages are transmitted among people living outside their country of origin.

The word “Gyaaf”or “Geaaf” (local dialect) evokes a sense of identity and recognition among Guyanese. It is a unique style of verbal communication covering a range of topics, characterized by animated, exaggerated articulation of facts, colorful stories or incidents often embellished. According to Guyanese Journalist and Folklorist Ovid Abrams the term refers to an informal chat or entertaining conversation. While a second- generation diasporan noted, “when I hear the word I know the conversation will not be a dry discussion of boring facts, but filled with laughter and exuberant hand gestures”.        Continue reading →