[My first post on this blog was an identity piece on the term "Afro-Guyanese." When I wrote it, I invited friends, colleagues, family members to comment and share their own thoughts on identity. So from time to time, as they slowly (but surely) respond to my invitation, I will post what they send to me. The following is of such. At this point, I am extending my invitation to all those interested in sharing their views about identity.]
Afro-Guyanese:
I have travelled quite a bit, thanks to my former employer, and have been constantly in the company of Africans. One of the lesser offensive names that they call us Caribbean people is "sugar cane boys/girls." Trust me, they call us many other names, none hints at descendants of African slaves.
My great grand parents, with the exception of one who came from Karachi, were all born in Guyana. That makes me at least a fourth-generation guyanese. When did I become Afro-guyanese? People have you ever heard a Jamaican call himself or herself, anything else but Jamaican (even though he might look like he just hopped off a plane from Beijing)? Let's take a positive page from our fellow caribbean people.
On the funny side - When a guyanese was arrested for planning to blow up JFK, the brief statement uttered by our President was to emphasize that the person was a former member of the PNC(R). Guess what? Every news release on that incident reported him as a Guyanese. How much further will we fragment our nationals? Afro-guyanese, Indo-guyanese, Dougla-guyanese, PNC(R)-guyanese, PPP(C)-guyanese, etc. etc.
WAKE UP MY FELLOW GUYANESE.
