WE MUST SENSITIZE OUR YOUNG TO THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE

Aug 21, 2016 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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At the height of our Golden Jubilee, the National Trust of Guyana partnered with the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and staged the first ever International Heritage Conference at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. National Trust is only continuing its efforts to make Guyanese of every generation very aware of our nation’s history, of the people who shaped that history, and the buildings, places, sites and objects they bequeathed to us.

Of course, our responsibility, just like the generations before us, is to preserve the buildings, structures, objects and other work of man or nature, above or below the surface of the land or the floor of the sea within territorial waters of Guyana, and any site, cave or excavation of national, architectural, historic, artistic or natural interest or importance, and their surroundings.
This responsibility is vested in the National Trust of Guyana.
Monuments are as varied as their creators. They represent the hopes and aspirations of the people and are built to withstand the sands of time. National monuments are the vested responsibility of the National Trust and are gazetted as such, after cabinet has approved them. At present there are nine gazetted national monuments in Guyana.
Prime Minister & First Vice President, Moses Nagamootoo, made it clear that Guyana’s heritage predates our independence. “It (our heritage) encompasses our culture and our natural resources along with our historical sites, monuments, buildings”, he said when he declared that conference open. The Prime Minister spoke about a few of Guyana’s historical sites, one of which is now his official residence located on High Street, Kingston. The building was only recently rehabilitated, with most of its original architecture restored.
He spoke about other architectural gems such as City Hall built in 1889, St. George’s Cathedral and the Victoria Law Courts. He said, “Our Government expects that one day soon Georgetown would be counted among the heritage capitals of the world. (We have to restore) it to pristine beauty, building by building, block by block, and we must lead the way in becoming transformed into a green and clean Capital.
We highly appreciate the World Monuments Fund for including our historic Georgetown City Hall in their 2014 World Monuments Watch, which calls international attention to at-risk, cultural heritage sites around the globe. This was the first time a site in Guyana was included on the Watch. (The exposure will) garner local and international attention, and (we expect to receive) support to preserve this remarkable piece of architecture.
We commend the Trust for winning a UK International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage 2016.”

OUR HERITAGE, OUR LIFE, OUR PLANET

THE 1763 MONUMENT was unveiled by former President Forbes Burnham on 23 May, 1976.It commemorates the 1763 slave rebellion, the first revolt that came close to success. The leader, Cuffy, was declared a national hero and his legacy has been immortalized in bronze.
Philip Moore was the sculptor of this 10.1 metres (33 feet) symbol of struggle and freedom that stands tall on the Square of the Revolution. It symbolizes the struggle of the Guyanese people, particularly of African descent, for their liberation from physical slavery and degradation.
FORT KYK-OVER-AL was erected at Cartabo Point in the Essequibo River and early documents suggest that it was the earliest Dutch fort, but there has been some controversy over the date of construction. Jan Jacob Hartsinck claimed that work on the fort commenced in 1613 and concluded about 1623. Major John Scott claimed that it really began in 1616. Others wrote that the fort was ready for use by 1627.
The ruins of the fort indicate that it was not very large. The ground floor was a storehouse for ammunition, food and other ‘goods’ traded with indigenous (Amer)Indians, goods such as cotton, tobacco, annatto, and balsam copaibo. There used to be provision grounds around the fort with benabs for the conduct of trade.
There were three rooms on the top floor for the soldiers, the Commander, and the Secretary of the colony. Today, all that remains of this fort is an arch.
Apparently the fort was earlier named Fort terHoogen after an ‘Influential Dutch gentleman’ but its name was later changed to Kyk-over-al for its strategic location that allowed the Dutch colonists a long view of the Essequibo River and its tributaries.
FORT NASSAU was constructed on the eastern bank of the Berbice River by Dutch merchant, Abraham Van Pere. This fort used to be the seat of Berbice, governed as a separate colony until the 1831 unification of the three colonies, Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.
This fort was constructed of wood and enclosed with palisades. It had an irregular rectangular redoubt with a larger stone building and barracks built to house about 60 soldiers. The main building had two floors with the Governor, the Captain of the Troops, the Secretary and two Lieutenants dwelling on the upper floor. On the first floor was a Council Chamber and Church Hall.
In 1712 it was demolished when Alexandre de Grasse, Baron de Mouanset de Sartoux and his privateers (today known as mercenaries) bombed the fort and held Berbice at ransom. A new fort was later constructed.
During the slave revolt of 1763 led by Cuffy, it was again destroyed by fire by Governor Van Hoogenheim and his soldiers to prevent the slave rebels from acquiring it.
STATE HOUSE
This house with its 100 windows was built during the 1820s on land belonging to the Anglican Church. Several governors including Governors Charles Campbell Woolley and Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt resided there. Each had paid a monthly rent of 240 pounds.
The original building had two storeys and a double stairway, and faced Carmichael Street. By 1894, the building’s main entrance was on Main Street. Known as the ‘Grande Dame of Main Street’, this elegant wooden building exhibits some of the finest old English wooden architecture. Many of the ornate designs in the interior are credited to Cesar Castellani who came to British Guiana in 1860 with a group of Italian priests.
Castellani’s genius is preserved in a number of prominent buildings including the Brickdam Cathedral, Castellani House, the Brickdam Police Station and the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
He made alterations and additions to the first Church of the Sacred Heart on Main Street which had opened in 1861 for our Madeiran (Portuguese) labourers. In 1875 Castellani completed the installation of a sunken panelled ceiling in the eastern wing of the Parliament Building.
Now restored to its former glory, State House is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Guyana.

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