Exploring “Transactional” Sex
Recall that last Friday I tickled Afro-centric representative organizations and other leaders of the “black” Afro- Guyanese community to reveal whether they are bothering with the traditional February–Black History/African Heritage Month observance.
Whenever I dare to “intrude” upon ethnic-specific “African” issues I attract either mild criticism and debate or robust objections from those who feel either ashamed or ridiculed, or just exposed. For doing very little. Many transmit their responses via the internet these days.
(Incidentally, the Blackman channel TV9 is presenting relevant documentaries as one type of contribution to Guyana’s Black History Month.)
Now today I dare to contextualize and situate a concept of “Indianisation” within the history and reality of Guyana’s African heritage.
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Guyana’s African Heritage
Here follows a layman’s/students’ narrative of the socio-political history and composition, along with implications and consequences, of this country’s African Presence.
The story’s basics are fairly simple: thousands of African slaves were forcibly brought to early Guiana Colonies to work on coffee, cotton, sugar plantations owned by Dutch and British Europeans primarily. In the context of slavery they were treated as animal-related property, just kept healthy enough to produce. Until varied reasons influenced the British to end slavery.
It is easy to comprehend that at one time in our history then; Africans were overwhelmingly the majority in this place. So what has “the black man” bequeathed to today’s Guyana? Before and after slavery?
Here’s a powerful sampling: his forced labour produced enough sugar to help Britain stay “Great”; his undiminished longing for liberty produced the earliest slave rebellions, testimony to his spirit of dignity. One rebellion in 1823 contributed to eventual Emancipation just fifteen years later.
Slaves, directed by the Dutch, laid out today’s Sugar estates, were responsible for agriculture’s husbandry, then after 1838, established a sound Village Movement replete with co-operatives to provide economic support. Of course, Africans preceded all others to man and sustain the professions, trades, arts and sport. (Their role in commerce and industry needs vital “explanation”). It is successfully argued that even African Emancipation caused Indian arrival. So enter now, Guyana’s Indians from the east.
Arrival, Patronage, Take-over
It is now even more argued and accepted, that the intention to emancipate and the 1834 – 1838 event itself was the primary cause of the so-called “arrival” of substitute–labour immigrants to the colony. One historian of some prominence reports that “Guyana/BG was the recipients of 239, 909 Indian immigrants up to the termination of the apprenticeship system in 1917”. Hindus were dominant among the coolies who were brought, then Muslims, with even a sprinkling of Christian indentured souls.
The soft, decent, even accurate historical record will tell of the Indo- sugar plantation labourers enduring near slavery conditions to survive than prosper. One reads about how they were granted many socio-cultural privileges that the African enslaved knew not about; how the Indians were even given house lots and farm lands in lieu of return passages when they indicated a desire to return to their Mother India.
Other records, over the last six decades or so, now routinely trumpet the triumphs of the earliest immigrants and their descendant–citizens of today.
Frankly speaking, it might not be completely ridiculous to state that today’s Indo- Guyanese control the “commanding heights” of the nation’s economy! (Okay, factor in the assumption that their favoured Party or administration “manages” the major economic enterprises here.)
There are few areas of national economic life that Indo-Guyanese do not now dominate. How did that come about?
My own, considered view(s): residing in some religions is the injunction to acquire then share; many “Indians” are acquisitive; they love to own, save, keep, expand; they have respect, even reverence for land/agriculture even when others threw that away before now understanding the importance.
Indian-descended Guyanese suffer(ed), silently, withstanding temporary hardship for later, long-term benefits and the “good-life”; they even turned Burhamesque torment and denial of rights into American/Canadian acquisition success; early thirst for education and skills catapulted the immigrants’ descendants into Guyana’s trades, commerce, industry, arts and professions; the camaraderie, communal co-operation and cliquism afforded collective economic success.
Then yes, from the British Planters’ offers of land to the patronage, nepotism, favouritism and corruption of the past two decades, Indo- Guyanese seem to have benefited far more than other groups.
Guess who owns the largest swathes of agricultural and mining lands, the grants, timber lands and sand-pits, the economic enterprises which control the unsightly capital city; even the slums the factories, the new investments.
“Indianisation” ?
In this Black History/African month, I try to recall when I first heard or read the expression Indianisation. Was it during Desmond Hoyte’s Presidential tenure? Or after October 1992?
I know the term referred to a real or an alleged take-over, a transformational system whereby power, influence, authority, positions and opportunities were all transferred from an original group to “Indians”. So by implication, to have “Indianised” something, was to have taken it from some earlier or original source or owner. Is that what really occurred in this land?
An interesting Court Case is now engaging the attention of one judge and the whole society. The defendant is accused of unfairly describing a former President of rampant (ideological) racism. I find the defendant’s evidentiary submissions bold and interesting. But further I could say no more at this time. Could there be such a phenomenon as Guyanese Africanisation,? Sometime? Remember Guyanisation Under Burnham?
Transactional Sex …
Oluatoyin Alleyne’s last Sunday Stabroek piece featuring the views of the Director of the Guyana Sex Work Coalition captured my attention.
I found the nature and description of one category of “domestic” prostitution – Transactional Sex – to be “disturbingly profound” another sad society reality check – and blot. The Director said that transactional sex is where “young people do not go out onto the streets to solicit, but take on several partners in order to maintain themselves”.
In other words, too many young ladies (especially) feel forced/obliged to enter into necessary, economic transactions, whereby they trade sexual favours for survivalist reward. She did develop this type of “sex work” further. I can’t here. But I’ll return to the issue. If only because I experience some approaches by needy young females which I find profoundly unfortunate. One senses the quiet desperation, the parental neglect, the hopelessness. I fully understand how vulnerable the poor – and the immoral greedy – can be. Much more later, I promise.
Ponder
*1) The Community Police Station – I’ve advocated modern facilities for all such outposts. But allegations abound – brutality, favourites, non-response. What is to be done?
*2) The truth behind the parade: the Big Bands too often determine how late they’ll start off to be fully seen – Congestion, security lapses, chaos.
*3) At Sunday’s American Super Bowl, the Super Dome wanted Guyanese visitors to feel at home. Hence the Blackout!
’Til next week
(allanafenty@yahoo.com)
