Being Guyanese 
Being Guyanese they judge me on the colour of my skin,
For who’s to say, they might have liked me if I were paler, you know – with just a little less melanin.
But then again, thinking back to Guyana’s rich history, even if I were paler, they would still look down,
And frown?
After all status is just everything…
Being Guyanese they judge me based on the texture of my hair,
When it’s knotty, they say I’m Rasta,
When it’s straight, they say I’m coolie, chinee even,
When it’s curly, they say I’m black, no dougla, no potugee.
This segregation of
Our nation,
Our people,
Our culture,
All because of hair?
Being Guyanese they judge me based on my speech,
If I stammer once, just once,
Then that’s not the eloquence they seek,
I can’t help it if Creole is what I reek.
Being Guyanese they judge me based on my supernatural beliefs,
But how sure are they that a fireball didn’t visit them in the dark of the night yesterday?
Being Guyanese they judge me on the size of my extended family,
On the fact that just like that – I’ve got uncles and aunties, even distant cousins talking to me!
But the judgement’s even worse if I live with someone knowing my family won’t agree.
Being Guyanese they judge me even on the food I eat,
Apparently having everything mixed up isn’t their pot of cook up,
But mixing it up is what we Guyanese do!
It’s engrained in our every nerve and sinew.
Being Guyanese they judge me on my behaviour – no, my attitude – No! My entire demeanour!
You see they can’t take my Guyanese nature.
Being Guyanese they judge me and I honestly don’t care,
Because even back then on the plantations,
Life just wasn’t fair.
Hannah Singh
(Diploma in Creative Writing, NSTAD, 2019)
Last week we traced the advancement of training in creative writing in Guyana from the social gatherings of readings and private discussions in British Guiana, through attempts at formal training in public workshops and classes after independence, until the full formal programme and historic certification at the Institute of Creative Arts (ICA) that exists at the present time.
The ICA, founded in 2014, offers now established training in five disciplines at its four schools: the National School of Dance (training and certification in dance), the E R Burrowes School of Art (fine arts), the National School of Music (music), and the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama (drama, and creative writing since 2016/2017). The matter of formal training and certification became topical because of the Sixth Convocation of the ICA which graduated 63 fledgling artists in the five disciplines last week.