-Loving Guyana from afar, Mosa.
Hello friends y’all be tolerant. Because as I proceed rather swiftly – chronologically and mentally(?), – I miss things these days. So forgive me for hearing, reading only now about an International Women’s Month! I knew only of one day (March 08). As is its habit – mandate?? – the United Nations declared the March 08 date to honour and celebrate woman and womanhood.
Where would the world of men be without them? Helpmates, bearer-of–children, chefs, teachers, nurses, judges. And from vendors to Prime Ministers and Presidents.
But from whence came woman? Why was she created? Meaning, why was/is she amongst us? So for this month of celebration I offer friendly, even intellectual, provocations. Since millions believe in the Christians’ Holy Bible, I re-visited its first Book Genesis which is really a powerful rendition of God-the-Creator’s initial activities on this portion of his Universe – Earth. (For those who actually believe. And for those who appreciate real creative tales.)
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The Creator- God, Man, then Woman.
Who dares to accuse God of making a mistake in creating woman/females? I’m too puny to even attempt that heresy. But the little brain he loaned me permits me to wonder, to be curious, to question.
Genesis is profoundly descriptive with what must be Christian/Biblical/Divine reportage: Chapter Two is replete with the details of God making/creating the first man from “The dust of the ground” then putting him in a garden (Vs 5-8) and from verse 20 through 25, God’s removal of one of Adam’s Ribs to produce Adam’s “helpmate” – the first woman!
(I must note that the first two chapters of Genesis solidifies God as the first fussy environmentalist and climate expert. Read every line.)
So note that the “making” of the Bible’s first woman was left for last. Her presence and persuading of Adam to be disobedient to God’s instruction about a now-favourite fruit resulted in what is now human-kind’s – history.
Now that all the world’s males are really missing one rib, we must reflect on what God’s response and generosity to Adam caused. As for me, as I witness the male/female reality amongst all living creatures, I’m incapable of imagining this world without contentious, troublesome, talkative, beautiful productive women. They “hold up half the sky” and must be welcomed, treasured, assisted – and sometimes tolerated!
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Wonderful pioneers – and heroines
This here is my most brief tribute to Guyanese women – and womanhood; their arrival presence, influence, vital contribution to a still evolving nation.
Firstly, I turn to Jamaican historian Professor Verene Shepherd for the names of slave-women who were aggressive in backing their insurgent, revolutionary men during Guyana’s earliest rebellions against the European Oppressors. (Young journalists should pursue this during this month and beyond! They’ll discover how the 1763’s Kofi untilised female skills to feed and care the Berbician Rebels; how he “took Amelia George to wife” as his secretary and sent his first written correspondence to Dutch governor Van Hoogenheim with one of his captives a Mrs Schreuder.)
Some fighter-first-ladies: Sussana, Phati, Comba, Nellie, Lucretia, Amba, Lena, Mary Chisholm (who baked bread in her baker shop as the 1823 Success rebels plotted their uprising!), Jacuba Rachel; Amba carried a musket during the 1823 East Coast Rebellion encouraging and even goading the men: “You allow one Backra man to knock down so many of you?”.
From colony to independent nation, Guyana could boast of its massive promotion and inclusion of females in every aspect of political, socio economic-cultural evolution. Even a Parliamentary formula.
A mere sampling: Politics/Government – Anne Jardim, Winifred Gaskin, (The 3 jays: Janet, Jessie, Jane) Gertrude Collins, Shirley Patterson-Field–Ridley-Green, Etal. Judiciary – Shirin Edun, Desiree Bernard, numerous others. Now you-all research our female pioneers in manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, medicine/ health-care literature, arts sport, entertainment – and education. Again I query: Frankly Speaking, where would we be without their feminine gender, presence and contributions?
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So true, dear Mosa…
Last Saturday (Mar.06), young female Guyanese; creative mind and SN columnist, Mosa Telford penned these sentiments: “It takes courage to live in Guyana. For too long we have been given a modicum of what we need as human beings to survive the times in which we exist. We have been conditioned into a state of acceptance with little to no resistance. We give incompetent overseers chance after chance. The quality of life for the majority is a smidgen of what an acceptable standard of living should be, but many only occasionally voice their discontent while others choose silence.”
Well my dear Mosa. For decades I’ve been one to “occasionally voice… Discontent.” Perhaps I was part of the problem during my PNC -1973 to 1997 – years but I never hid my discontent with bad policies and programmes.
You’re so right dear younger sister: Guyanese have – perhaps unknowingly, willingly (/) – adapted a fatalistic, pessimistic, subservient, defeatist mindset and culture- “Wha-come-so-do.”
Successive regimes recognized this mentality as the tribal race-card strategy is also accepted by a majority. So from the disgrace of a national urban cemetery to a disorderly, smelly capital to the poorest of customer public service, we’ve been bludgeoned into accepting low standards, last- class existence.
Even watchdog organisations have been victims to political friendship. But the yearning for standards has led to exit/migration. Enjoy other people’s excellence. Until we return to “love our Guyana” with American passports and pensions earned.
I know you are accurate Mosa: No oil wealth can change attitudes without faith, morals, parenting, role-models. But I still hope your DOT.com generation can salvage some standards of excellence as I approach the departure lounge.
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Just ponder, consider…
1. Last week I wrote about the young lady with cocaine in and about her person. Now its cocaine for Miami in salted fish bones! What’s next? It’s a never-ending industry here.
2. I’ve grown to accommodate same-sex relationships. But assist me: what do males who prefer males think of women?
3. Speakers, writers, let’s play this game: try not to use the following words for two weeks – sanitise, protocols, proved futile, you-guys, journey.
Til next Friday
