Christmas ‘spirit’, pagan gods, and the Guyanese spirit
By Dennis Nichols
The masquerade band is far removed from the clichéd ‘reason for the season.’
Some years ago I told a friend of mine I was concerned about some of the pagan elements of popular holidays and observances like Christmas, Easter and Halloween. He laughed away my perturbation and assured me that the tradition and spirit of how we Guyanese celebrate them are more important than why we do, and what their heathen origins are. I responded that it was an arguable point. As Christmas rolls around again I am once more faced with this curious aspect of yuletide festivity.
The ‘spirit and tradition’ my friend alluded to are the joy and peace, the goodwill, jollification and religious rituals associated with Christmas. Add to this the idea that it seems to transcend religious, cultural, and geographical barriers, and it is obvious why so many people are drawn to its lure and lore, despite the notion that December 25 was almost certainly not the birthday of Jesus. Continue reading →
On September 2, 2010 the Guyanese Online Blog featured four videos on the Guyanese East Indian experience as Indentured labourers in British Guiana. The tales in those four videos are similar to those featured here regarding East Indians in Trinidad and Tobago.
The East Indian Presence in Trinidad and Tobago 1845-1917
The Indian Presence in Trinidad and Tobago 1845 – 1917 – done by Premiere Video Productions.
If you’re interested in purchasing the full DVD please contact: qualitycreationsinfo@gmail.com or ktelevision@gmail.com
Legacy of our Ancestors Part 1 of 6 – videos
The other five videos follow this first video – click MORE to continue
When Guyanese novelist Sharon Westmaas took an unofficial poll among her Western friends, she discovered that not one of them had read the great epic Mahabharata. It was then that she decided: the time was right to self-publish Sons of Gods—the “secret baby” she had been nourishing for over 30 years—as an e-book. Not that there is any dearth of Mahabharatas out there, written by a variety of authors both Western and Indian. It’s just that to date, not one of these versions has yet managed to capture the public imagination. The Mahabharata is still a book that many people think they should read, but never do.
“I don’t blame them,” says Sharon. “Already the opening pages in so many of these versions are quite simply—boring, a mere summary of events. They give no hint of the sheer majesty and magic of the story. Reading should be a pleasure, not a duty.” Continue reading →
Stories about life, in and out of Guyana, from a Guyanese perspective
Stories about life, in and out of Guyana, from a Guyanese perspective
Christmas ‘spirit’, pagan gods, and the Guyanese spirit
By Dennis Nichols
The masquerade band is far removed from the clichéd ‘reason for the season.’
Some years ago I told a friend of mine I was concerned about some of the pagan elements of popular holidays and observances like Christmas, Easter and Halloween. He laughed away my perturbation and assured me that the tradition and spirit of how we Guyanese celebrate them are more important than why we do, and what their heathen origins are. I responded that it was an arguable point. As Christmas rolls around again I am once more faced with this curious aspect of yuletide festivity.
The ‘spirit and tradition’ my friend alluded to are the joy and peace, the goodwill, jollification and religious rituals associated with Christmas. Add to this the idea that it seems to transcend religious, cultural, and geographical barriers, and it is obvious why so many people are drawn to its lure and lore, despite the notion that December 25 was almost certainly not the birthday of Jesus. Continue reading →
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