Guyana or Guiana, is a small coastal country on the northern end of South America. Like many other South America nations it was formally a European colony that employed the use of indentured servants and slaves. Despite having Spanish and Portuguese neighbors, it does not share this Hispanic culture with it. Guyana is considered by many as a West Indian or Caribbean nation. It is the only country in South America to have English as its national language. Two major points in Guyana’s history are the arrival of Africans and East Indians in Guyana and its establishment of political parties. Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese are the two largest ethnic groups in Guyana. Both entering the country as a laboring class. However, in modern Guyana violence …show more content…
between both groups is an ever present problem. Each side believing that there side is correct one to lead Guyana and that attacks against the other are justified. What I plan on examining is the role of former colonial control as well as ethnic and political differences in shaping this relationship and Guyana. Even though commonly referred to as a British colony, parts of modern day Guyana were actually founded as a Dutch colony that was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814.
A coastal nation rich in sugar and bauxite made it profitable piece of territory to have at the time. During this time it was known as “British Guiana.” To support its abundant sugar plantations slaves were imported from Africa. Slave labor was used to support the British colonial class and work in the sugar plantations. On August 18th 1823, the Demerara Rebellion occurred where over 10,000 slaves revolted against their masters. It only lasted two days before the government quelled the resistance. Even though the nature of the protest was non-violent over 200 slaves were killed in the process and many were hung in public areas to serve as a sign to others that would attempt such actions. However, multiple reports conflict with the claim that it was non-violent and that may Africans immediately attacks their masters. It was not until 1833 with the British Slavery Abolition Act that freed these people from confinement. However, rather than give these people a place in society and allow them to work for pay, the British obtained indentured servants from India to
work. On July 12, 1838 the Council of Britain allowed for indentured immigrants to travel to Guyana. With the arrival of East Indian laborers as a replacement to paying slaves, that began tension between both groups. Other than Indian and African laborers there were other ethnic groups in Guyana as well. There was a small population of Chinese immigrants as imported workers. Portuguese business owners from surrounding the surrounding colonies like Brazil and Venezuela. “Amerindians”, were descendants of the countries indigenous population that also found work. At this time racial purity was a major defining point maintain order and denoting power. Local whites and lighter skinned Africans were often in higher positions than their darker counterparts. This is an example of colorism, which is racial discrimination against people with darker skin. This color based hierarchy further played former slaves and other ethnic groups against each one another. Forcing these two ethnic groups against each other laid the foundation for a hotbed conflict. This mixture of colonialism and exploitation continued until 1966 when Guyana was granted independence from Great Britain. However thirteen years before that, great strides were made by the working class by establishing unions and political parties. In 1953 21-year olds were granted the right to vote. This substantial event gave many Guyanese citizens to play a role in their government. During the 1950’s West Indian nationalist leaders began looking to America to gain support for jobs. Most of its sugar and bauxite facilities were owned by Canada and Great Britain. Guyana also lacked the tropical tourism that made many other Caribbean nations so popular. Its vast portions of the Amazon were also uninhabitable and difficult to enter which also removed that chance for tourism. These are reasons why certain political parties believed the US wanted nothing to do with them. This soured these groups on the thought of international relations, which began an anticapitalistic sentiment in nationalist movements. Various working class ethnic groups across Guyana grew dissatisfied British rule in Guyana. Anti-colonialists wanted the British gone and felt that Guyana should belong to the people that built it. This belief then shifted into Guyanese nationalism. Two labor unions, the British Guiana Labour Party and the Political Affairs Committee combined on January 1st, 1950 to form the People’s Progressive Party or PPP. A nationalist driven party that was for the rights of African and Indian Guyanese people. Its leader, Cheddi Jagan identified as a Marxist and would late become the first elected prime minister of Guyana. The goal was to establish an independent socialist state, “Recognizing that the final abolition of exploitation and oppression, of economic crises and unemployment and war will be achieved only by the socialist reorganization of society…” (Hintzen 112) African and Asian Indian workers, two groups that made up a majority of the country’s population, were under one party and united for a cause. Anti-capitalist and ant-imperialist, this was a party that wanted to create a Guyana that could stand on its own. Then in 1953 it became a national party due to the people’s new found ability to vote. The socialist nature of the party was another point driving point against US interest, which upset many wealthy Portuguese, Chinese, and African land owners. Removing the Jagan became vital to certain parties who still hoped to garner US support, which Guyana desperately needed. The US and British government feared Guyana was going to become a communist country under the PPP. When Britain allowed for elections in 1953, they decided to not recognize it as the national party. A new party, The People’s National Congress or PNC, took control with international assistance. In the 1964 election the PPP won the majority vote with a 46% vote and the PNC at 41%. However, the PNC formed a coalition with the United Force, the party that won the other 12%. Which allowed for them to win. With a party in control that would maintain international relations with Britain and other foreign governments, independence was granted to Guyana in 1966. The PNC was a party that broke off from the PPP and was headed by Forbes Burnham. Burnham being one of the founding members of PPP. When he started this group most of the African members of the PPP left with him, leaving it a primarily Indian organization. The PNC was made up of Africans from rural communities and the proletariat. Burnham led the party and the nation from 1964 to 1985. Burnham undid the PPP’s work it did with helping rice farmers, he removed funding that was going towards improving crop yield. As well as reducing the pay to farmers and forcing them to pay for fertilizer and other materials that the government would have covered. This was considered an attack against the Indian, because their working class was made up of primarily rice farmers. In 1966 he passed a “National Security Act”, which gave the police the ability to search someone and detain them without a trial. This led to a mass exodus of Indian people that could, to leave to Canada, America, and even Britain. In 1971 Guyana severed ties with Great Britain further by ending trade with it. Then declaring itself the Co-operative Socialist Republic of Guyana. The “Feed, Clothe, and House Ourselves” program was an attempt to end the need for western imports. This proved to be a failure due to Guyana’s extremely limited resources. From 1975 the PNC shifted towards a more socialist policy which the PPP would support. This re-opened trade with China, Cuba, and parts of Eastern Europe. Even with these changes the country was close to economic collapse. Struck with high unemployment rates and foreign debt. Dissatisfaction from the people lead to anti-PNC groups being formed that combined efforts with the PPP. One of significance was the Patriotic Coalition of Democracy. After Burnham’s death in 1986 he was replaced by Desmond Hoyte. As the new Prime Minister he attempted to help the economy by seeking funding from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. This was also done to remove institutions put in place during Guyana’s socialist era. “This was the harbinger of the end to the era of anti-capitalist nationalism.” (Hintzen 120) With the IMF and other international financial institutions in Guyana, its former want to be a self-sufficient nationalist country had been downplayed. Neoliberalism and economic liberalism had replaced the former anti-capitalist sentiment. After the 1992 elections which were run without suspicion of fraudulence, the PPP had returned to power with Jagan as the president of Guyana. Of course this was met with violent resistance by the PNC, which led the PPP to retaliate. For the next 20 years elections would be met with violence from both sides. Accusing the other of rigging votes and inciting violence to dissuade the other. As of May 16th, 2015 the PPP was removed as the leading party and was replaced by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). David Granger’s platform is based on serving as a moderate to the PPP and PNC. Attempting to encourage dialogue between both and not concede to one more than the other. As a result of colonialism and fighting off international advances Guyana is a nation that has developed in particular way. Unlike most former colonies that were racially heterogeneous, having two primary ethnic groups created for issues in running it. Differences in culture and political beliefs furthers segmented the population. I believe that Guyana serves as an example to what too much foreign influence in country’s government can do to it.
As these sources have illustrated due to the high demand for free labor, slavery became a prominent problem through this era. However, African enslaved did not simply obey their capture. The primary source The Slaves Mutiny written by in 1730 by William Snelgrave focuses on another aspect of slavery that the other sources didn’t quite touch on, or go into much depth, and that would be slave revolt or mutiny. Author Snelgrave explains that “several voyages proved unsuccessful by mutinies.”# As author Snelgrave states upon ““what induced them (the African slaves) to mutiny? They answered, “I was a rogue to buy them, in order to carry them away form their own country, and that they were resolved to regain their liberty if possible.”# Author Snelgrave states, “They had forfeited their freedom before I bought them, either by crimes or by being taken in war, according to the custom of their country, and they now being my
The complex nature of ‘agency(or agencies) of change’ in Guyana in the 1960s must be underscored. The new forces that were emerging and stimulating breaches with the past arose out of earlier divisions and pre-independence deformations whose origins are located in t...
The Caribbean is comprised of a group of island. Jamaica is one of the greatest Antilles. It has a tropical climate. Each country has its own culture, Jamaicans is not an exemption, and they have an assorted and distinctive one. “Their culture is a complex mixture of African, Arabic, European, East Indian, and Chinese roots combining together to create a rich, dynamic heritage” (Gall, 2009).
Guyana, South America is South America’s monarch. It is located on the northern border of South America and is also part of the Anglophone Islands. After Jones and his flock moved to this country, he started a cult. He named this the Peoples Temple.They were located in the jungle of Guyana. In this community, Jones proclaimed that all men, except for him, were homosexual. He...
...course of the colonies’ existence, both indentured servants and African slaves played a major part in maintaining a successful colonial economy. , the Indentured servants, given decent rights and legal privileges, remained under control for the most part, and were able to be productive laborers, helping the economy before receiving their own freedom. African slaves, although coming with the risk of rebellion due to their lack of rights, proved to be extremely efficient workers, helping to create the bustling agricultural economy of the southern colonies. Without the introduction of foreign labor, the colonies would be left with empty plantations, and a stand-still economy forced to import all its agricultural goods. The use of numerous indentured servants and African slaves in the colonies helped to stimulate the economy through their work throughout every colony.
The Caribbean, a region usually exoticized and depicted as tropical and similar in its environmental ways, cannot be characterized as homogenous. Each individual island has their own diverse historical background when it comes to how and when they became colonized, which European country had the strongest influence on them, and the unique individual cultures that were integrated into one. The three authors Sidney W. Mintz, Antonio Benitez-Rojo, and Michelle Cliff, all and address the problem of the Caribbean’s identity. They each discuss how the Caribbean’s diverse culture was created and molded by each individual island’s history, how its society was molded by the development of plantations, how the Caribbean dealt with the issue of slavery, and how miscegenation and the integration of cultures, as a result of slavery, contributed to the region’s individualism in regards to culture. Colonialism and acculturation and their impacts on the Caribbean islands were also important issues discussed by Mintz, Benitez-Rojo, and Cliff.
In 1791 revolution broke out in the French colony of Saint Domingue, later called Haiti. The Haitian Revolution resounded in communities surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. One of the wealthiest European outposts in the New World, the Caribbean island's western third had some of the largest and most brutal slave plantations. Slave laborers cultivated sugar, coffee, indigo, and cotton, and they endured horrible death rates, requiring constant infusions of slaves from Africa. In 1789 roughly 465,000 black slaves lived in the French colony on the island, along with fewer than 31,000 whites. In addition, there were about 23,000 free blacks and mixed-race people called gens de couleur, who might own land and accrue wealth but had no political rights. In 1791 this tense racial situation exploded.
“Nuh ebery thing dat ave sugar sweet” is a jamaican proverb which means not everything which has sugar is sweet or, don’t be tricked by an appearance. Jamaica definitely won’t fool you. Jamaica to tourists, is like a paradise. In the end, every place is unique in its own way and Jamaica is no exception. In this essay you will read about the following topics: Jamaica’s Geography, Jamaica’s History, The Lifestyle of Jamaicans, The Different Jamaican Cuisines , Music of Jamaica, and finally The Festivals of Jamaica.
Guyana, South America is located in the northern part of South America bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, bounded by Venezuela on the west, Brazil on the west and south, and Suriname on the east. (The World Fact Book) Guyana is about the size of Idaho and has a population of over 735,000 and is the only country in South America whose official language is English. Guyana’s economy and main source of incomes comes from exporting sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice. (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs: Fact Sheet) The reason for selecting this country is because of an old Army friend of mine named JJ who was born and raised in Guyana. JJ and I met when we were stationed in Germany. JJ and his family wanted to leave Guyana for a better life so they moved to New York where he enlisted in the Army. After several years of serving in the Army he applied for citizenship and eventually got accepted. JJ is one of many Guyanese who have migrated to the US since the 1970’s.
The Slave Revolution in the Caribbean Colonists in the eighteenth century created plantations that produced goods such as tobacco, cotton, indigo, and more importantly, sugar. These plantations required forced labor, and thus slaves were shipped from Africa to the new world. “The Caribbean was a major plantation that was a big source of Europe’s sugar, and increasing economic expansion. The French had many colonies, including its most prized possession Saint- Domingue (Haiti). ”
Fiji is a beautiful country that consists of 322 individual islands. Fiji is located off the coast of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. Of the 322 islands of Fiji 106 of the islands are inhibited. If you were to place all of the islands of Fiji together it would make up the total land mass of the state of New Jersey, which is about 8,700 square miles of beautiful lush tropics. After 96 years of being apart of Britain, Fiji gained its independence and now is a Republic Government. The capital of Fiji is Suva. Among the population of Fijian 94% of the adults are literate. The spoken language of Fiji is English but in some parts the language is Fijian. Fiji is known for its tropical weather, sandy beaches, rainforest and clear blue water. Fiji is also known for the beautiful mountains that surround the majestic views of the clear blue waters. The coral reefs that surround the island are a diver's
Costa Rica is part of Central America. It is located south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. Their national language is Spanish, but they also speak English. In some cities they speak a mix of English and Spanish together. The capital is San Jose. Most of the ethnicity is white and mestizo which is a mixed between Native American and European. The population is 4.94 million. The total area is 19,730 which is little more than Hawaii and New Jersey combined. The official Costa Rican motto is pura vida which means pure life. They have a very laid back way of living. As of 1948 they have no military. This information is provided by Fact Monster, Trading Economics and Paradise Hunter.
Europeans came into contact with the Caribbean after Columbus's momentous journeys in 1492, 1496 and 1498. The desire for expansion and trade led to the settlement of the colonies. The indigenous peoples, according to our sources mostly peaceful Tainos and warlike Caribs, proved to be unsuitable for slave labour in the newly formed plantations, and they were quickly and brutally decimated. The descendants of this once thriving community can now only be found in Guiana and Trinidad.
...e French influence that it has received, and is still getting through its departmentalization. In certain ways, Martinique looks a lot like the Westernized world and Europe; this can be seen in it’s economy, race relations, social welfare programs, and cultural norms. However, while colonization played a huge role in making Martinique what it is today, it’s native roots are still visible in much of the demographics of the country and the Creole presence within the department. Martinique is a unique Caribbean island in the sense that it never fought with its colonizers for independence, but it still has managed to blend the French, with the African, with the native, with the West Indian and has used different aspects of each of these cultures to ensure that no other place would be able to replicate Martinique in demographics, economy, culture, geography, or society.
Costa Rica lost more than one-third of its rainforest during the booming 20th century to cattle ranching, agriculture, and logging. Since the 1990’s, when it had one of the worst deforestation rates in the Americas, 26% of its territory has been protected, and it has increased its forest cover to over 50%.1 By pursuing a number of bold conservation policies, by establishing and managing national parks and reserves, and by promoting ecotourism, the country has reversed this trend of deforestation. In fact, Costa Rica continues to combat encroaching forces of development successfully, now serving as a leading practitioner of afforestation, reforestation,