The Riverside Angels – Sisters at the heart of the dance Indigenous group helping to keep their traditions alive

Sep 15, 2024 Features / Columnists, News

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Kaieteur News – As the nation celebrates Amerindian Heritage Month this September, recognition shines brightly on a group of remarkable sisters from Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. The Riverside Angels dance group, composed of Elizabeth Davis, Reahna Baird, Leahna Emmanuel, and Inezi Emmanuel, is gaining national attention for their dedication to preserving and promoting Amerindian culture through their performances.

 

The Riverside Angels, who began their dancing journey at ages six and seven, were officially formed in 2010 by Sir Kelton Jennings and Miss Shonell Manifold. Initially comprising 12 to 14 dancers, the group quickly established itself as a fixture in cultural events including Emancipation, Mashramani and graduations.

Over the years, the Riverside Angels have evolved, maintaining their involvement in traditional activities while expanding their repertoire to include both contemporary and Amerindian traditional dances.

The four sisters have become the heart of the group. Davis, now 22, along with her 21-year-old twin sisters Reahna and Leahna, and 17-year-old little sister Inezi, have continued to uphold their family’s cultural legacy.

Their mother, Pearla Larson, who also serves as the manager of the dance group, shared her inspiration for fostering their passion.

“Seeing my daughters dance from such a young age and grow within the dancing arena inspired me to support them fully,” Larson told The Waterfalls. “I wanted them to stay active and engaged, especially in a time when young people face numerous challenges.”

The name Riverside Angels’ holds a special meaning. According to Davis, the group’s name was chosen by Kelton Jennings of Unique Arts Entertainment. “We never got the opportunity to ask him what is actually means but I can recall that he mentioned that we live on the West side and we are close to the Demerara River so he decided to call us Riverside Angels, because we were only females and we were really small at that time so he saw us as beautiful angels and that is why he came up with that name,” the sister said.

While the Riverside Angels are trained in contemporary and modern dance, they are now focusing on integrating Amerindian cultural dances into their performances.

Davis elaborated, “Our traditional performances currently include the bird dance, the farm dance, and the matapee dance. We’re committed to learning and incorporating more traditional dances as we progress.”

However, the sisters and their mother face challenges in performing Amerindian dances due to the limited availability of traditional songs.

Larson expressed frustration with the scarcity of varied Amerindian music, noting, “For instance like the matapee song that is trending, it has been there for years so I have been attending some functions and sit down between the audience sometimes, so when it’s time for other dance groups to perform and the dancers would sometimes perform the matapee song, they would say ‘oh gawd that song again like they only have one song,’ I have been hearing that from time to time.”

Larson added,” Therefore, I do researches of traditional Amerindian songs, not just from Guyana but from around to world to be authentic and unique.  I decided to go with flute music and most of the audiences would enjoy that song. We are the first dance group to start with flute music and I’m so proud that other dance groups are using that method as well.”

Despite the mixed reactions from audiences, she remains steadfast. “Negative feedback can be discouraging, but I encourage my daughters to use it as a source of strength and resilience.”

Looking forward, The Riverside Angels aim to further immerse themselves in Amerindian culture and expand their group. Larson has reached out on social media for new members, hoping to bring more young people into the fold. “We want to continue preserving our culture and give opportunities to others who share our passion,” she explained.

Balancing her roles as a mother and manager, Larson admitted the job is challenging. “Being a leader means juggling multiple responsibilities and sometimes leaving my regular job to fulfill requests for performances,” she said.

The eldest daughter shared, “Our biggest support would be our mom who is our manager for the dance group who have been working really hard and have been pushing the group. Our biggest source of support would be the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

These agencies believed in us in different stages and we are grateful to be working with them and grateful for having the opportunity that they have given us for allowing our dreams to become a reality at this point in our lives.”

Reflecting on their journey, Larson expressed immense pride in her daughters. “Despite the hardships we faced, seeing my daughters grow into such accomplished young women makes me incredibly proud. I’ve always tried to be both a mother and a guiding force for them,” she said.

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• Amerindian Heritage Month, dance, Riverside Angels, Sisters

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