GCA FOLK FESTIVAL HONORS THIRTEEN UNDER CARIFESTA BANNER

By Staff Reporter

Richard Van West Charles, Jr., grandson of L.F.S. Burnham, replying at the GCA Awards ceremony after receiving the Caribbean Award for his late grandfather, who was honored for his contribution to Caribbean art through his support and promotion of Carifesta. In the background is a replica of the award which was created by Ivor Thom

Some of the honorees pose with their awards (from left) Avis Joseph, Bob Mitchell (representing LaParkan Group), Sammy Baksh, Roy Brummell (Exemplary Award), Rev. Dr. Evelyn John, Karen Gray (representing Sir Ian Valz), Tangerine Clark, Dale Edinboro (representing Ivor Thom) and Dr. Cecily Rodway]

The colorfully decorated Union Temple Hall in Brooklyn captured the essence of Carifesta, under whose banner the Guyana Cultural Association Folk Festival kicked off its season with a gala awards presentation that honored 13 Guyanese with the 2008 Wordsworth McAndrew award.

The Sunday, June 22, event handed out awards to: Sammy Baksh, singer; Tangerine Clarke, journalist; (Cultural Enabler); Impressions Dance Theatre Inc., (Dance, Youth Award); Dr. Evelyn R. John, (singer, Cultural Enabler); Avis Joseph, (Musicology); Laparkan Trading Ltd. (Business, Cultural Enabler); Bill ‘Crooner’ Newman, (singer, Composer); Ivor Thom, (sculptor) and Sir Ian Valz, (playwright, actor).

Themed, Caribbean People in Harmony Through Culture, the organization also recognized Caribbean Heritage month in June, with a GCA Caribbean award, designed by sculptor Ivor Thom, and presented posthumously to former president of Guyana, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnhman, who facilitated the first Carifesta in 1972.

Richard Van West Charles Jr., was on hand to accept the award on behalf of the family of the deceased former leader.

The Jonathon Locke designed Life-time Achievement Award, went to Dr. Gordon Rohlehr, who pioneered the academic and the intellectual study of calypso and the calypsonian, tracing its history over several centuries.

The Exemplary Award was presented to folklorist Roy Brummell, who took folklore to the people in his radio program, "Ganga Time" and "Heroes." Like his friend Wordsworth McAndrew, Brummell traveled the countryside of Guyana interviewing pork-knockers and farmers.

The Entrepreneur, Cultural Support Award, went to Laparkan Trading Inc, while Impressions Dance Theatre, received the Child Development honor.

Council Member, Dr. Mathieu Eugene, lauded the honorees for their outstanding work in the community, before presenting them with City Council Citations.

Also on hand to present the honorees with their awards, was Haitian Council General to New York, the Honorable Felix Augustin.

President of GCA, Malcolm Hall, congratulated the honorees, saying. "We are grateful for those who nominated our awardees and applaud the recipients and their families."

He added, " Today, here in New York, we experience the joy of celebrating some of the legacies of the past festivals, and the contributions of those who helped to pioneer its development, and those who sustain it through their work."

Hall reminded the expatriates that, "we have brought our culture with us and true it is now marbled by our experiences in the world outside of Guyana. Nevertheless," he added, "it is recognizable and proudly Guyanese."

The organization planned a dynamic program that began with a procession of the honorees, before an invocation, the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by High School graduate Taylor Lewis, and the Guyana National Anthem, that was sung by members of the diverse audience accompanied by musician Hilton Hemerding.

Members of the Guyanese, Grenadian, Barbadian, Haitian, Vincentian and Trinidad and Tobago communities, represented the blending of cultures, fueling the audience to enjoy an evening of vivacious dance by Impressions Theatre and the Nritya Kala Kendra dance school, comedic drama by the Caribbean Culture Theatre, and a tribute to the late Wordsworth McAndrew’s poem, ‘Ole Higue,’ by Chuck Gerard.

Poet James Richmond, and Akoya Rudder collaborated in a drum and poetry mix that spurred loud applause from the audience.

Using his resonant voice, Emcee Kishore Megnaugh did a magnificent job in guiding the four-hour program that included a cultural presentation titled, Carifest in New York, that highlighted the festival’s return to Guyana from August 22 to 31.

Members of the organization all played parts in the success of the awards presentation. Claire Patterson-Monah who acknowledged the special invited guests, Sybil Chester and Lorna Welsh-man-Neblett, Rose October-Edun, Co-host, and Dr. Juliet Emanuel for the vote of thanks.

Other members of GCA present included, Donna Fleming, Ashton Franklin, Muriel Glasgow, Pearl Miles, Edger Henry, and Edward Meertins-George.

GCA thanks presenters, Councilmember Sandra Harte, Roy Singh and Rodrick Daley, as well as the Contemporary Dance Theatre of Medgar Evers College, Janelle Braithwaite, Isaiah Springer, and Derek Noel.