From the Diaspora…DIASPORA FEEDBACK

Jul 03, 2011 News

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By Ralph Seeram

The global reach of Kaieteur News Online is amazing. One would assume that Kaieteur News online readers would be drawn mainly from Guyanese and the larger West Indian community in the Diaspora. Well not so.
Shortly after my article on my grandmother who was an Indentured Laborer, I received an email from an online reader living and the other end of the world–in Mauritius. I was surprised when this individual said that he had read my article.
I would normally receive emails, feedback if you will, from readers who are mainly Guyanese in the Diaspora as well as Guyanese in Guyana, but I was certainly not prepared for this response.
It turns out that the individual is a descendant of indentured labourers from India, which is where my grandmother came from. He said that he is doing some research on writing a book on the history of indentured servants from India to Mauritius and was wondering if he could get my cooperation with his research. He wants to trace his genealogy. (By the way Mauritius which also produces sugar was trying to pass its sugar as Demerara Sugar this I know from personal experience. I try to ensure that I buy genuine Demerara Sugar even if it costs more)
One online Guyanese reader of Chinese descent felt that I should be thankful for having my grandmother’s Immigration Pass detailing her biographic data. He lamented the fact that he has nothing to show or hold on to his heritage, as he would have liked such a document to trace his roots. It was the same with quite a few others readers.
While on the subject of my grandmother, recently someone I knew visited an acupuncturist who disclosed a medical condition by just feeling certain part of the arm. That condition in Western medicine can only be verified by testing, but here it was diagnosed by the touch of a hand.
The individual went to a mainstream doctor who, after conducting some tests, came to the same conclusion, the individual was amazed, but I explained that I was not surprised. I explained that Western medicine is only a few hundreds year old but Eastern medicine is over 3000 years old. My grandmother was a perfect example of Eastern medicine.
Growing up with her, I could recall people always dropping by to see her, some of them total strangers. They were mainly women. It turned out that she was a natural healer (something that is now becoming a trend in the U.S.)
Growing up as a child I cannot recall ever going to the doctor, maybe except for the school shots. My grandmother basically had a remedy for most illnesses. There was always some “bush” to take care of the problem, be it internal or external.
I could clearly remember having a swollen ankle. She went in the yard and pulled some weeds. Believe it or not, that weed gave an immediate pain relief. She was a herbalist in the truest sense. I think, though, that her specialty was assisting women to get pregnant. She apparently was good with her hands as she would massage them to “set the womb”, in addition to the herbs treatment.
To this day I can recall a few women who told me that my grandmother helped them to get pregnant; this was long after she passed away. One surprising element to this was that she never asked for money. Some people may have given her a gift, but she never demanded anything for her services.
I am sure that there may be a few persons like her still around in Guyana; the pity is those old folk died with their secrets that were very rarely passed on.
My black pudding evoked some nostalgic moments for some readers. One reader recalled how he used to create his own “exit pass” and sell them for the Gaiety Cinema in New Amsterdam while another reminded me that “Fat James” made the best custard block in New Amsterdam. They sold out very fast in the same cinema.
He also reminded me that my brother also sold custard blocks in Gaiety cinema (very true) but it was not up to the standard of “Fat James’s”.
Another person wanted to know who currently make the best black pudding in Georgetown. I replied I did not know. He replied asking me to inquire and he is awaiting my answer. Maybe he is planning to visit good old GT.
So if anyone knows who sells the best black pudding in Georgetown please let me know. Speaking about Georgetown, except for a Berbician, almost every Guyanese you meet in the Diaspora says he or she is from Georgetown.
Someone who is really from Georgetown says he is from GT. See the difference? Berbicians will say they are from Berbice whether they are from Black Bush, Maida or Crabwood Creek or Bush Lot; they always proudly state their village and county.
I received an email from Keith last weekend and his first four words of his mail were “I am a Berbician…etc etc…” Good going Keith I will be calling on you for the next charity event in Berbice.
Marion is concerned about racial unity in Guyana. He said that its breaks his heart and that he wants racial unity to be a prominent issue, and he mentions that he is a combination of three of the six races in Guyana.
Well Marion, I totally agree with you. If the predictions come true Guyana will have a President who is a combination of Indo and Afro Guyanese. That should be a start.
For the rest of readers, Kingsley, Danny, Gordon, Henry, Ederle etc.
I take your suggestions seriously and hope to incorporate your ideas in future articles. Tomorrow is the U.S.A birthday the big July 4 celebration with its barbeque, fireworks and sales, I doubt whether we will read anything in the news media here about the American Revolution and the history of the country’s birth.
People will be celebrating an event they hardly know anything about. I would hope that as the Guyanese prepare for the coming elections they make a concerted effort to know the past before voting for its future,
Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected]

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