GUYANESE LITERATURE - by Petamber Persaud

GUYANESE LITERATURE – by Petamber Persaud

Aug 17, 2008 Features / Columnists, Guyanese Literature

The spirit of Carifesta ’72 is still with us within the walls of buildings that housed various activities of the first Caribbean Festival of Arts. Many of the venues used then were educational institutions.

The school atmosphere was replaced and enhanced by edutainment – a novel combination of entertainment and erudition. Schools like St Rose’s, St Joseph, St John’s, Queen’s College and Indians Educational Trust were transformed from their pedantic nature to cultural hotspots hosting various manifestations like the dramatic arts, the visual arts, the performing arts, song and dance. Men, women, boys and girls who have since become cultural icons of the Caribbean have graced the halls of those educational institutions.

The spirit of Carifesta is still within the walls of those buildings awaiting the awakening of Carifesta X.
Other venues used for Carifesta ’72 include the National Library which played host to the Book Fair and other related fares.

The National Park, Theatre Guild, University of Guyana campus and the National Cultural Centre were put to use for that first Caribbean Festival of Arts.

Adding curious drama to the festival was the unfinished National Cultural Centre which was to be finished in time for Carifesta ’72 but was completed some four years after.

The spirit of Carifesta is still within those venues awaiting the awakening of Carifesta X.
For Carifesta X, some of those venues mentioned above will again be used. In addition to those mentioned venues, use will be made of the Umana Yana in Kingston to house the visual arts and stage ‘A Festival of Words’ – four evenings of readings. Other new venues include the National Art Gallery, Castellani House (which was the official residence of the initiator of Carifesta, Forbes Burnham, back then), Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue, the Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue and the Convention Centre at Liliendaal.

The spirit of Carifesta ‘72 is still within those venues awaiting the awakening of Carifesta X.
Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com

LITERARY UPDATE
• Please contact this writer on matters pertaining to the BOOK FAIR, BOOK LAUNCHING & READINGS for CARIFESTA X to be staged in Guyana from August 22 to August 31, 2008. The BOOK FAIR will be staged in the National Park from Saturday August 23 to Saturday August 30 from 1000 hours each day except for the Official Opening on Sunday August 24 which starts at 1400 hours. The readings titled, A FESTIVAL OF WORDS, will be at the Umana Yana on Saturday 23, Monday 25, Wednesday 27 and Friday 29 starting at 1800 hours.

• Look out for details regarding the production of THE GUYANA ANNUAL 2008-2009; this special souvenir edition will mark Edgar Mittelholzer’s 100th birth anniversary. We are inviting short articles, reminiscences and titbits to this effect.

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