A grand gala, a national concert, international exhibitions and 200 historical booklets are among the events planned to mark 400 years since Africans arrived in Guyana, under a year-long programme launched on Thursday by the African Cultural and Development Association.
The launch, held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, brought together cultural leaders, government officials, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders to outline activities celebrating African heritage and educating Guyanese about the contributions Africans made to the country’s development.
This year’s Emancipation Festival coincides with ACDA’s 33rd anniversary and marks the start of a wider observance that organisers say will honour the struggles, resilience and achievements of African ancestors over four centuries.
ACDA Executive Member Eric Phillips said the anniversary presents an opportunity to tell a more complete history of Guyana and recognise the role Africans played in building the nation.
“We want people to realise the lives and struggles of our ancestors. We want to deepen international understanding of the historical accuracy of Africans in Guyana. We want to recognise the resilience and contributions of African-Guyanese to the development of this nation,” Phillips said.
He noted that enslaved Africans transformed Guyana’s landscape, clearing thousands of square miles of land, constructing the country’s drainage and irrigation systems and building sea defences that continue to protect the coast today.
Phillips also highlighted what he described as one of the greatest achievements following emancipation: the purchase of more than 200 former plantations by freed Africans, which were transformed into villages and laid the foundation for Guyana’s village movement. He said more than 473,000 Africans lost their lives during more than 200 years of enslavement while helping to build the country.
Looking ahead to the 400-year observance, Phillips said ACDA intends to celebrate that legacy through a series of national and international activities.
“For 400 years, Africans will show agency and perseverance. We will build alliances and we will have activism throughout the year,” he said.
Other initiatives announced include monthly lecture series, youth programmes, online exhibitions, diaspora activities, and efforts to establish a monument worthy of UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
As part of this year’s celebrations, ACDA will again host its annual Main Street Bazaar, one of the festival’s signature events leading up to Emancipation Day.
ACDA representative Queen Mother Sister Penda said the marketplace has evolved into a major cultural and commercial attraction over the past two decades.
“We’re celebrating ourselves. We’re celebrating all of the hard work, all the sacrifices, all the serious pain our ancestors exhibited and went through for us. Without them, we would not be here,” she said.
Penda said the bazaar has experienced unprecedented interest this year. “The Main Street Bazaar has grown over the years. This year we’ve never seen anything like it.
Even before this launch we’re almost filled out in many sections,” she said, adding that patrons would find everything needed to prepare for Emancipation at the bazaar.
The Main Street Bazaar will run from July 13 to 31, ahead of the annual Emancipation celebrations at the National Park. This year’s festival will also include cultural performances, educational exhibitions, ancestral observances and other heritage activities.
ACDA said the wider 400-year observance will extend beyond Emancipation celebrations, with activities planned throughout Guyana and across the diaspora aimed at preserving African history, promoting historical justice and strengthening public understanding of African-Guyanese contributions to the country’s development.
