Corentyne Coast residents were treated to a libation ceremony, candlelight vigil and other activities as African-Guyanese hosted a number of pre-Emancipation events from Limlair to Kildonan to honour their enslaved forebears.
Hundreds of spectators from Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Limlair and Nurney turned out to take part in the libation; the pouring out of a small portion of drink on the floor and the tossing of a small quantity of food in a designated place to honour the spirits of departed forbears.
At the candlelight vigil Yonette Elcock was recognized for having the most decorative/stylish candle at the vigil.
Around midday villagers had assembled on the road to see the 80-odd majorettes, divided into three groups, doing their display.
They then slowly made their way from Manchester to view the Nurney Mandingo Group comprising 37 children, dancing to the beat of African music.
Meanwhile, social activist Mark Benschop who was honoured with a standing ovation as he proceeded to the stage, said seeing the crowd was an emotional experience because as a youngster growing up in Philippi he often went to the ground to play sports. He said he is still a “country boy” and would always be one and apologized to the people for not visiting earlier.
Benschop then challenged the audience not to disrespect themselves or their culture advising them that if they do, others will follow suit. “Do not allow people to degrade you” and more especially “do not do it to your children,” he said.
To explain he recalled an incident when he was a youngster where his father, because he was “a mannish boy” would scold him and tell him that “you goh end in jail.” He said that a parent’s words can be prophetic, therefore “do not say bad things to your children. Say good things so that good things can happen to them”.
He told his audience that during his incarceration on a treason charge “life in the cell was not easy”, but that he was glad for the experience because “I had an opportunity to reflect on how to become a better person.”
In keeping with this Benschop reminded the audience that their fore parents were enslaved and “although we are free people our freedom can be taken away.” He said being divided as people can make you weak and vulnerable but if they cooperated as they were at the Freedom Day celebrations, they can become stronger.
Benschop said it was because of togetherness that the enslaved forebears were able “to break the shackles of slavery, bought villages, and could still forgive the masters.”
