|
WORDSWORTH McANDREW
a national treasure, a man who for
the past five decades dedicated his
life to creating, collecting,
preserving, and celebrating Guyanese
folk life, died today, Friday April
25, 2008 at seventy two at the East
Orange General Hospital, East
Orange, New Jersey after a short
illness.
THE ELDER STATESMAN OF GUYANESE FOLK
CULTURE, THE PILOT INTO OUR FOLK, IS
NO LONGER WITH US
Wordsworth McAndrew was born in 1936
to Winslow Alexander McAndrew and Ivy
McAndrew and grew up in Cummingsburg and
Newtown, Kitty. He attended Christ
Church Primary School and Queen's
College.
A Broadcaster, Folklorist and poet,
Wordsworth has been one of the most
influential folklorists in Guyanese
history and has been an unyielding
advocate for the collection,
preservation and celebration of Guyanese
folk life.
"There are some Guyanese when you
think about them, you have to think
in special terms. Wordsworth
McAndrew is one of them!
A Mighty, mighty movement
An unforgettable, indelible
movement
An essential Guyanese movement
Vibert Cambridge
2002
Guyana Folk magazine
Mac started me
off on a journey that has been
fascinating and refreshing! In this
journey, I have met with our majestic
myth figures - Old Higue and Moongazer,
Dutch Jumbie and Coolie Jumbie,
Massacuraman and Kainaima, Firebun and
Bacco. Mac opened up Guyana's mythscape
and helped us to understand that our
myths carry many levels of meaning. They
tell about our fears and gives us a snap
shot into life in past times. Mac helped
us to see our common humanity in the "rago"
and the "ustaf." He gave us a vocabulary
that has helped to make clear the
difference between "typee" and "totelotipo."
The thing about Mac is that he has
done it with deliberate simplicity!
The Mac
movement continues - a uniting impulse
for the future.
Thanks "Scouta Mac!"
Ken Corsbie
2002
Guyana Folk magazine
"One of the
enduring stories about Mac is that
he towed his bride-to-be to church
for the wedding ritual. True or
false, it doesn't matter, it's a
great Mac story and now entrenched
in Guyana folklore.
There should be a street or a tree
or even a rumshop named for him. His
very name WORDS WORTH describes him
well. His words were well worth the
listening.
Ian McDonald
Wordsworth McAndrew - A Guyanese
National Treasure
By Vibert C. Cambridge,
Ph.D. June 13, 2004
"One thing is
sure: a few of his poems will always
find a place in any Guyanese or West
Indian anthology of poems,"
said Ian McDonald.
Eusi Kwayana
Wordsworth McAndrew - A Guyanese
National Treasure
By Vibert C. Cambridge,
Ph.D.; June 13, 2004
In Gang Gang,
Eusi Kwayana identified McAndrew as
one of the Guyanese who helped to
give Guyanese creolese
respectability on the air.
Muriel Glasgow
Wordsworth McAndrew - A Guyanese
National Treasure
By Vibert C. Cambridge, Ph.D.
June 13, 2004
Over the
years, McAndrew has meant many
things to many people.
"He was a fiercely independent,
proud, absolutely brilliant man,"
said Muriel Glasgow. He is also
remembered as a fierce defender of
Guyanese cuisine.
Ronald Lammy
eCaroh Caribbean Emporium
A singular
distinction of Mr. McAndrew is his
daring identification and
celebration of Guyanese cultural
attributes.
Vibert Cambridge
When Guyanese meet in the diaspora
we generate many ideas about how we
should celebrate our heroes.
There
is no shortage of ideas about what
to do for McAndrew.
"I would love to have him
immortalized."
- "What of the Wordsworth
McAndrew Pavilion at
cricket/football?
- Wordsworth McAndrew Library in
the University of Guyana?
- Wordsworth McAndrew way (near
Bourda or Big Market)?
- Wordsworth McAndrew Cultural
Centre?
Or Wordsworth McAndrew
Auditorium in the Cultural Centre?
- We could also establish a
website which would be an online
tribute to the works of great men
like Wordsworth, those before him,
and those yet to be born."
Derrick Jeffrey
Thailand
Mc
is and will always be in the hearts and minds of those who
know him and enjoyed his works. In
so stating, he is the recipient of
the
"Living Heart Award,"
from
all his well wishers. Such award
can't be given by any government
regulated body but must be
transmitted through the positive
thought processes of the peoples'
wishes.
FUNERAL & MEMORIAL ARRANGEMENTS
TO BE ANNOUNCED
All of us at the Guyana Cultural
Association are saddened by
Wordsworth's passing. Over the years
he has been the inspiration
for our discussions on the mission
of the Guyana Folk Festival. We
pledge to uphold his virtues and
continue his work to propagate and
promote Guyanese folk heritage
through the Guyana Folk Festivals.
|
