Christmas Day 4

And the Pepper Pot- close up- trying to identify the animal parts.

After we had eaten the main course, then the fruit cake and pumpkin pie (all home made) there was an elaborate charades/quiz/word game to be played, which got noisier and for some, more and more competitive with each round. (Our team came joint first!)

So Christmas Day ended with good food, silly games, friendship and a sense of making the best of what we have.
And as I had Skyped with my family too- it had been a good day.

Christmas Day 3

We did recover ourselves- with tea or something stronger according to taste.
A number of volunteers have previously worked in orphanages, either here in Guyana or in other developing countries.

Gradually the Christmas mood took hold, and the shared "Pot Luck" meal was enjoyed.
Each dish sort of complemented the others in a strange but tasty way. The Star Performer, as far as Guyanese tradition goes, was the Pepper Pot, a flexible simmered meat stew, prepared with assorted meats according to the buying/acquiring power of the cook. Interestingly, our offering included some of the cheaper cuts recommended- cow's cheek, ox tail, cow heel: I found the pepper sauce or gravy nicely savoury and tasty, but as there was so much tempting food on the table, I had to pass on the quivering piece of meat flesh on my plate!

Shared Christmas Day meal

Christmas Day 2

Our next appointment took us to a nearby orphanage.
As reported in previous postings, there is a significant proportion of orphans and vulnerable children in Guyana's under 18 population:- UNICEF surveys estimate about 11%.

While the orphanage was well run, with dedicated staff who commit to their work, for 39 years in the case of the matron, the low staff numbers mean that children lack the individual attention necessary for emotional development.
The children were all well fed and clothed.  There were plenty of toys and play facilities. The staff were pleasant and patient with the children.
As recommended, we brought a selection of picture books and simple readers,  but the children were far too excited and full of sugar to settle to listen, so we played group singing games, then went into the garden area.

A couple of us were allowed to visit the nursery where the babies and toddlers were being bathed, one at a time, and then settled for afternoon naps in rows of cots.
It was here that the realisation dawned that each child has no significant adult in their lives to give them the unconditional love and affection of a parent. I had to go to a quiet corridor to recover myself.

I can understand why travellers and those who work abroad in poorer countries sometimes return home with an adopted orphaned child.

Talking through, rationalising, theorising and resolving one's own actions are needed- otherwise anyone could be easily overwhelmed by the enormity of such problems.
Our return back to our apartments was much quieter than the journey out.

Christmas Day

"Tradition" is what you make for yourself.
Doing something because "we always do this" can become empty.
And making the best of whatever you have is, in itself, a fine tradition.

Happily, for families anywhere around the world, if there is access to some sort of internet link or decent phone connection, loved ones can be reached on Christmas Day and the unsettling yearning for contact is satisfied.

And so, on a bright and sunny Christmas morning, this was my first mission for the day:- my daughters Rosie and Clare, sister Denise and brother Paul all wished a Merry Christmas!

Then, it was back to making the best of the day.
Bearing the fruits of kind donations from back home in the UK and here in Guyana, a number of volunteers set off, some by taxi, others on bicycles, to our appointments at the rest home for the elderly and the children's orphanage.
Both the staff and residents at the home greeted us and after exchanging conversations in small groups, the matron led the carol singing and we all joined in lustily. There were no expressions of self pity, rather gratitude for having a roof over one's head and a single room. Our visit ended with a reminder that all the residents had grown up under British rule and sung "God Save The Queen" as children, but now we would proudly sing "Dear Land of Guyana" together.

The generosity of donations allowed us to buy gifts for the staff, and have a surplus of packages:- most have since been taken to another home for elderly residents; one was given to a member of staff, as a gesture of sympathy when we learned she had returned home the previous night to find her home burgled.

Ho Ho Ho 5

And finally- Santa Claus- and Mrs Claus.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ho Ho Ho 4

The Christmas school bag- with a message!

Ho Ho Ho 3

Christmas Parties

A number of VSO volunteers attached to government ministries are thereby invited to join the annual Christmas party. The pattern appears to be:- a tent is erected within the grounds of the office place, or a large venue hired; individual meals are pre-ordered,  official guests line a top table and open proceedings with prayers and speeches, karaoke is booked, later the bar opens and finally the dance floor is occupied. A dress code of "elegantly casual" is ordered, interpreted by the younger women to mean dressing in the manner of film/pop culture. ( The working dress code for Georgetown is very formal and smart)

Parties for children abound:- run by schools, church groups, charities and the like.
I was invited to one at a special school, hosted Radio's Needy Children's Fund. As a third of the country's population live in the Georgetown area, (population 250,000) the party made TV news and a camera crew was there to film. Everybody sand along to We Wish You a Merry Christmas and other well known favourites. Miss Guyana Universe spoke words of encouragement. The proceedings were blessed by a young pastor. Santa and Mrs Claus sweated in their red and white fur costumes. A teacher and pupils performed a silly dance routine. Each child received a boxed game and a school bag. The headteacher, on behalf of the staff and pupils, received a fridge freezer for the school kitchen. Everyone was happy with what they were given.

Pupils are captivated by performances at the party.

Ho Ho Ho 2

My work in Guyana takes me into the special schools, but my office base is within the Ministry of Education at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).
The SEN Unit was suitably decorated this year in a Calypso theme.
And on the last day, one of the parent helpers, here for the necessary hanging of clean office curtains and general sprucing up, set the mood beautifully.

Ho Ho Ho 2

Food plays an important role in defining any occasion. Garlic pork, pepper pot and dark fruit cake laced with rum are traditional Christmas day foods. Exchanging gifts doesn't happen- a lack of money sees to that- but packages of food items are exchanged between work colleagues and neighbours. We have been given slices of fruit cake and a bottle of home made spicy drink called Buko. We have taken bowls with pepper and tomato sauce and a chunk of banana cake to our neighbours.
In the past few days the limited number of supermarkets have been packed, the spending frenzy similar to the UK tradition. The open street markets, with the same displays of seasonal fruits, vegetables and limited non- perishable items are where the majority of people will shop. Here some dried fruits and nuts and expensive packaged western style processed foods are indicators of Christmas. The fresh meat stalls are crowded and business is brisk.
Decorations- far fewer than in the UK- are familiar enough:- they are`all made in China. By day they look dull in the brilliant sunshine under a cl;ear blue sky, but at night the festive lights are cheering and pretty to see.

As the grumbling controversy about the election results dies away, a main concern for many has been the Song and Jingle Competition- a TV talent contest judged by a panel of experts, with the viewers' votes deciding the results. Sounds familiar?  Brandon Harding won the English speaking element last Friday, while the Bollywood segment final takes place on the 30th. Each winner receives a Toyota IST car. The two strand competition reflects the African/Indian divide in Guyanese society.

Ho Ho Ho

"And so this is Christmas, and what have you done?" wrote John Lennon, reputedly as a reaction to the "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" sentiments.

Christmas songs have the capacity to be both profound, evoking strong memories and emotions, to be silly, sentimental, annoying and loved.
Georgetown seems to favour the Jonny Mathis "When a Child is Born", modern beat carols, the latest Soca and Chtuney offerings and a comedy number, now 30 years old according to U-Tube, which I have never heard before, which has lodged into the brain on auto-repeat:
"Grandma got run over by reindeer,
While walking home from our house Christmas Eve.
Some people say there's no such thing as Santa,
But as for me and Grandpa, we believe."
Catchy stuff!

In a country where many people actively practise their religious beliefs, I have been frequently asked why England is so secular?  While the Hindu and Muslim populations will not celebrate on Christmas Day, for Christians there are churches of many many denominations and national roots, of varying sizes and splendour or simplicity on every block in Georgetown and across the country villages. Spirituality is something people want to get into discussion about, even if they say " I don't celebrate Christmas."  Without the distractions and demands of the rituals of home:- the cards, the gifts, the buying, the calendared events- there is time for conversation and contemplation.

The requirement to clean and renew- rather like our Spring Clean regime- is maintained, and complained about by young and old alike. Memories of waking on Christmas morning to a home smelling of new wax polish and the Christmas cooking are recalled, while the burdens of actually cleaning, beating the rugs, taking down and washing curtains are all put off, or blatantly avoided by the younger adults still living at home.

Christmas cleaning- ouch!

Cricket- still the number 1 sport here.

On a Sunday afternoon, as I took the 40 minute walk to the swimming pool, I passed 4 "official" cricket matches, played on prepared pitches, with teams wearing recognisable strips, a hatted umpire and supporters around the club house and spectator stand. I also passed 7 mini-games: some with proper bats and the cork ball; others with a home-made piece of wood ; all using a rigid, one-piece stumps and bails wicket. Any spare ground will do: an empty plot of land on the corner of a street, a field where goats are grazing or an almost empty Sunday street.

This picture shows the street I live on. Each Sunday afternoon (except for the rare rainy day) about 20 men will gather for a noisy, friendly game of street cricket. The waiting batsmen are to the left of the camera, sitting on a wall. Fielders are scattered behind and over the crossroads.
On other days this road has constant traffic, but Sundays in Georgetown are like the Sundays I remember in the 1960s:- all the shops are closed, people stay at home, or visit relatives, go to their places of worship and play cricket!

And what about the women?- No where to be seen!
Nationally, women's cricket is gaining prominence, but continues to lack the status of the men's game.

The results of the Guyana General Election, held 28.11.2011

Today the new President of Guyana was sworn in with minimal pomp and fuss. Donald Ramotar, the candidate of the incumbent's party, the PPP/C will take control of the National Assembly with a minority government and 32/65 seats. Two opposition parties, who may or may not work in alliance, hold the remaining seats, the APNU with 28 and the AFC 5.
The PPP/C, which has held power for the last 19 years, traditionally attracts support from the Indo Guyanese communities, and has also given much assistance to the Amerindian communities in the remote regions.
The APNU, with successes in the Georgetown and Berbice and the inland region 10, had made a bid to voters of all races, but did include the main leaders of the former PNC (Afro Guyanese supported party)which had controlled Guyana amid controversy in the 1970s and 80s.

The counting of the votes (total cast 346,717, representing a 72.9% turnout), in a system which includes direct representation and a proportional top-up, took from Monday evening until Thursday afternoon when the results were announced.
The intervening period was tense in and around Georgetown, as the focus of opposition to the ruling PPP/C and support for the APNU alternative was here. The campaigning month had been marred by a few violent disruptions to party rallies, but apart from some challenges of unfair practices (unfounded), a few skirmishes and one large APNU motorcade which was stopped and dispersed by the army, there have been few reports of trouble.
After the results were given the leaders of each party made appeals for calm and an acceptance of the new situation. It will be interesting to follow the new appointments and divisions of responsibilities and powers as the National Assembly takes shape. There is a mood for change and optimism for a new beginning.

The VSO office here has exercised the cautious approach throughout voting day and the post election week. Because of the minor upheavals in a few parts of town, we have been advised to stay indoors- and now we all have cabin fever, very clean flats and up-to-date work notes.

Donald Ramotar