Slave masters prohibited the slaves from participating in their own religions and various cultural practices on the plantations. Also, the plantation owners Christianised the slaves. As time passed, the slaves mixed the culture that they brought from Africa with the new culture they learned on the plantation to form their own hybrid culture.
A lot of these cultures have been suppressed and have eventually died. However, in Guyana there are a few of these practices that have survived the test of time. New celebrations have also been added to help commemorate African heritage.
Wakes
The wake is a gathering that is held the night before the funeral for the deceased. People would gather at the deceased’s house and yard and would sing hymns, folk songs and play games.
A game that used to be played was ‘Nancy Na Get Bad Word’. Anything said in ‘Nancy’ was considered proper. Even swear words were considered proper. Persons participating created bizarre slanders about the dead or the living. Young people took delight in being able to use curse words around elders with no consequence. It was all done out of joke and fun.
Nowadays, a wake can go for many nights before the funeral. Some wakes begin with the singing of hymns and other gospel songs. Then they would proceed to play music while patrons would play cards or dominoes. Food and drinks would also be served. Cookup is the normal food that is served at wakes. Coffee is sometimes served at the wake to keep patrons awake. Various fruit and alcoholic beverages are also served at wakes. It is noteworthy to point out that the observance of wakes is not restricted to Afro-Guyanese only. Almost all Guyanese observe wakes for their deceased.
KweKwe
The kwekwe takes place the night before the marriage of an Afro-Guyanese couple. It is an evening of singing, dance, eating and drinking. The purpose of the kwekwe is to celebrate the new union that will solidify the relationship between the bride and groom. Also, the kwekwe will provide instructional and psychological preparation for marriage.
At the start of kwekwe, participants arrange themselves outside of the bride’s home or a mutual spot and sprinkle rum on the floor and around the doors and windows, inviting the spirits of the dead to join in the celebration. The leader sings the solo parts of the songs which are sung in a call-and-response pattern.
Some of the songs include the greeting song “Good Night Ay”, a general invitation “Come to My KweKwe”, and others such as “Show Me Yuh Science” and “Las Wan, Las Wan”.
A short while after, the groom and his “nation” come to the kwekwe to find his bride. The family of the bride hides her, and it is the duty of the groom to find her. When he finds her, the songs continue to flow, along with advice on matrimonial matters. There are also calls for a mock demonstration of the couple’s sexual skill.
The ability of the groom is scrutinised and if good, admired. However, virginity or purity on the part of bride is even more prized.
The songs and merriment continue all the way to the end of the kwekwe, which usually goes into the wee hours of the next day.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration that honours African heritage and is celebrated from December 26 to January 1. The word “Kwanzaa” comes from the Swahili phrase that means “first fruits of the harvest”. Celebrations around this time include feasts and gift giving. It is celebrated by persons of African descent from around the world.
Maulana Karenga – an African-American professor of Africana Studies, activist and author, and a major figure in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s – created Kwanzaa in 1965 to help persons of African descent to connect with their African culture and heritage. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966–67.
Kwanzaa has seven core principles (nguzosaba). Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to each principle. Umoja (unity) isto strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Kujichagulia (self-determination) is to define yourselves, name yourselves, create for yourselves, and speak for yourselves. Ujima (collective work and responsibility) is to build and maintain your community together, and make your brothers’ and sisters’ problems your problems to solve them together. Ujamaa (cooperative economics) is to build and maintain your own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. Nia (purpose) isto make your collective vocation the building and developing of your community in order to restore your people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (creativity) is to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave your community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Imani (faith) is to believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contribute to community building and reinforcement. The basic symbols are:
- Mazao (The crops): These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labour.
- Mkeka (The mat): This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.
- Kinara (The candle holder): This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people – continental Africans.
- Muhindi (The corn): This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.
- MishumaaSaba (The seven candles): These are symbolic of the seven principles and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by.
- Kikombe cha Umoja (The unity cup): This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
- Zawadi (The gifts): These are symbolic of the labour and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
The procedures can either be done in the homes of individuals or at a church of some kind. First, a central place for the Kwanzaa set and the symbols of Kwanzaa are chosen. A table is then spread with a beautiful piece of African cloth and the mat is placed for the other symbols. Next the kinarais placed on the mat and the candles are placed in the kinara.
The colours of Kwanzaa are black, red and green: black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. Therefore, there is one black candle, three red and three green candles. These are the seven candles and they represent the seven principles. The black candle represents the first principle unity and is placed in the centre of the kinara. The red candles represent the principles of self-determination, cooperative economics and creativity and are placed to the left of the black candle. The green candles represent the principles of collective work and responsibility, purpose and faith and are placed to the right of the black candle. The black candle is lit first on the first day of the celebration. And the remaining candles are lit afterwards from left to right on the following days. This procedure is to indicate that the people come first, then the struggle and then the hope that comes from the struggle.