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Short Biographies
Edits by Claire A. Goring and Ronald H.Lammy
IVAN VAN SERTIMA
 Ivan Van Sertima has spent nearly a generation’s time through
scholarship asserting the truth of African civilizations. He has
established himself as a literary critic, a linguist, and an
anthropologist. His stated position is to “emphasize what Africa
has given to the world, not what it has lost " and to document “
the contribution of Africa to the achievement of man in the arts and
sciences.” One of his celebrated writings is “They Came Before
Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America”. Dr Van Sertima
contends that “The African presence is proven by stone heads, terra
cottas, skeletons, artifacts, techniques and inscriptions, by oral
traditions and documented history, by botanical, linguistic and
cultural data."
Born in Guyana Ivan Van Sertima, was educated at the School
of Oriental and African Studies at London University where he
graduated with honors. He came to the United States in 1970, where
he completed his postgraduate studies at Rutgers University in New
Jersey. Dr. Van Sertima began his teaching career as an instructor
at Rutgers in 1972 and later became Professor of African studies in
the Department of Africana Studies.
EDWARD R. BRAITHWAITE
E.R. Braithwaite is best known for his
autobiographical work, To Sir, With Love and the movie of the same
name, which tells the story of a black teacher in the East End of
London during the 1950s. He has had a successful career as an
educator, a diplomat and an author. His numerous writings have
primarily dealt with the difficulties of being an educated man, a
black social worker, a black teacher, and simply a human being in
inhumane circumstances.
Mr. Braithwaite was born in Guyana in 1920. His
mother and father both graduated from Oxford University. He attended
Queen's College in Guyana, City College (now City University of New
York) in 1940, and Cambridge University in 1949, where he received a
Master's degree in Physics. He has had a long and international
career as an educational consultant lecturer for UNESCO, Paris;
permanent representative from Guyana to the United Nations; Guyana’s
ambassador to Venezuela; and teaching English at New York
University.
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BRINDLEY HORATIO BENN, SNR
 Brindley Horatio
Benn has spent decades of his life confronting political issues in
Guyana. In the earliest formative years of Guyana, he held positions
of influence and proposed a vision for the country. His work as a
cultural enabler is most outstanding. Brindley Benn composed the
national motto of Guyana: "One People, One Nation, One
Destiny" and it is likely to be his most admired and enduring
contribution to our country. The motto is singular in its conception
and as an ideal. His role as a national cultural enabler is
manifest from the establishment of National History and Culture Week
and the National History and Arts Council during this tenure as
Minister of Community Development. Those institutions have spawned
many of the cultural activities across Guyanese life.
CY GRANT
 Cy
Grant’s career and interests portray him as a trailer blazer:
aviator, lawyer, stage and screen actor, broadcaster. He was born in
Beterverwagting, Guyana and migrated to the UK before World War II.
He became one of the first black pilots with the Royal Air Force
during WWII and spent two
years in Germany as a prisoner-of-war. Later he qualified as a
Barrister at Law in London but found great success as an actor and
singer in theater, radio, television and film. In addition to
singing folksongs and calypsos in nightclubs, he appeared in A
Man from the Sun (1956), a BBC television drama about Caribbean
life in London, and starred in Calypso (1958), an
Italian/French movie that was shot in the Caribbean and featured
calypso and Latin music. He also acted in the films Shaft in
Africa, Sea Wife and At the Earth's Core, and was
the voice of Lieutenant Green in Captain Scarlet and the
Mysterons, a popular animated children's television show in
Britain. His theatrical work ranged from the role of Othello in a
BBC television production to a one-man production of Aime Cesaire's
Return to My Native Land, which toured England. Mr. Grant has
published two books: Ring of Steel:
Pan Sound and Symbol and his
autobiography-Blackness and the Dreaming Soul.
EUSI KWAYANA
 Eusi Kwayana is a poet, playwright, singer, and lyricist. He is not
well known for his role in the performing arts of Guyana but, here
too, he has an indelible imprint. He wrote the lyrics for the songs
of the People's Progressive Party (Oh Fighting Men), the People's
National Congress (The Battle Song), and the Working People's
Alliance (People's Power). His early musical influences included
the folk songs of Guyana that portrayed characteristics that would
inspire his political thinking and actions. And even as he changed
his political stance over the decades, his librettist works convey a
consistent theme: observe the song titles of his major compositions.
In this regard, he may well mark a unique position in Guyana’s
history.
GEOFFREY PHILLIPS - THE MIGHTY REBEL
 Geoffrey Phillips had two important celebrations in early 2007. As a television personality, his show “Culture Talk “ marked its tenth year. Mr. Phillips, the calypsonian, The Mighty Rebel, won his fifth calypso monarch crown. He has become accustomed to winning now after carrying the unofficial title of ‘permanent second’ for nine such placings in local competitions. His television productions and his calypso career have a common feature: perseverance.
Raised in Goed Intent, West Bank Demerara where he still resides, “Geoffrey’s singing career started with the West Bank Demerara band ‘The Hermits’ “ and lasted thirteen years.
In 1979, he registered as calypsonian ‘The Might Rebel’ for that year’s Mashramani competition. His repertoire has been mostly social and political commentary described as “topical and incisive”. His winning rendition this year is of that character and titled “Is we put you deh”. But the Mighty Rebel has a broader range and some performances are likely to be acknowledged well into the future. He has recorded with steelpan accompaniment, a likely innovation for Guyanese calypsonians. Another noteworthy performance is his tribute to Eddie Hooper. The Mighty Rebel sings the culture too.
PAULINE THOMAS - AUNTY COMESEE
 Auntie Comesee had her formal coming out at a
Theatre Guild Christmas party in 1968 in Georgetown. She was new to
the Guyanese audience but that persona must have been developing for
decades in the mind of its creator. Pauline Thomas started her
performing career when she was three years old. Her early tutelage
in singing and reciting came from her mother. Formal voice, stage,
piano and dance lessons followed, as did a career in teaching.
Considering that as teacher she would always speak formal English
her Spoken Word Folklorist performance would be even more striking.
Her use of Creolese was born of her conviction that Guyanese
should know “about their folklore and respect it”.
The name Comesee is
most likely derived from the Guyanese vernacular: ‘come fuh see’.
Auntie Comesee came, saw and commented. Sustaining this character
on stage and radio for over a decade is a testimony to Pauline
Thomas’ dedication and love of learning. She demonstrated these
attributes through observing the society to be Aunty Comesee, and
academically. After a full life of motherhood, a working as a
teacher, a civil servant and a performer, Pauline Thomas entered the
University of Toronto and graduated in 1999 with a B.A. degree. She
was 78 years old on graduation day.
PETAMBER PERSAUD
 Petamber Persaud
has developed his childhood interest into a career focused on the
promotion of Guyanese literature and enhancement of literacy. In the
last decade, Mr. Persaud has pursued his passion with gusto. Self
described as a writer, television producer, columnists, literary
activist, editor, and publisher, the records concur. He has been
prolific in his various vocations. Notable among his work is the
production of the television programme, Oral Tradition, “an
adventure in literature”, and his role as coordinator the first ever
three-day-recital - An Odyssey in Guyanese Poetry - at the
Umana Yana, in Georgetown.
Petamber Persaud
works hard to sustain literary traditions and for four consecutive
years, he was editor of The Guyana Annual, a Guyanese
literary publication started in December 1915. His letter writing
campaigns to local newspapers are numerous as well as his other
writings. Among them are three collections of poems, edited, and
published as an anthology of Guyanese Short Stories. He has written
two novels and two collections of short fiction that are
unpublished. These circumstances are indicators, perhaps, of his
decade long “call for a publishing house for the Caribbean” He knows
the need.
THE PAUL BROTHERS
 Many children are reared in a household where a parent sings or
plays a musical instrument. The Paul Brothers, sons of Una and
Trenton Paul of Guyana had an unusual, early exposure to a range of
musical talent. They had a mother who was an accomplished pianist
and a father who played the organ, harmonica, violin and sang in the
St Andrews Church choir in Georgetown. Welcome to the world of the
musical Paul Brothers. The four sons: Deryck, Reggie, Keith
(Lauwata) and Terence (Xola) would take their childhood
nurturing into professional careers and move beyond the borders of
Guyana.
Over four decades, one or two and sometimes all four would
perform together in Guyana, the Caribbean and North America. Their
talent as singers and instrumentalists would place them in groups
associated with musical excellence. For example, Deryck sang with
the Telstars in its golden period in Guyana. Reggie, a guitarist,
has played with the Tradewinds and the Dennis DeSouza ensemble.
Lauwata joined Tom Charles and The Syncopators at age fifteen,
becoming the youngest professional musician at the time. In 2006,
the four Paul Brothers produced their first joint recording and its
release is eagerly anticipated. The Paul parents would no doubt be
proud, too, of the work they have wrought.
TOTS AND TEENS IN FOCUS
 Healthy child development programs take various forms. Tots & Teens
in Focus is a cultural and educational organization. Its
concentration is on children of all ages, preparing them to meet the
challenges of life, and influencing their lifestyle choices. It
produces and hosts a weekly Television Program on Brooklyn, New
York; conducts activities including an annual parade, plaiting of
the Maypole and crowning of the May Queen and King; a Dinner
and Awards Gala; a Summer Fiesta and a Christmas Party. These
activities contribute to the physical, language, cognitive and
social/emotional areas of the participating children’s development.
The Tots & Teens
organization was started in Guyana in 1992 and expanded to the
United States. Maintaining the link to its founding place provides
other notable opportunities for development of its children members.
They have visited Guyana to conduct community work at various
orphanages. They have taken on Children with HIV/AIDS as their
platform and work with hostels in Guyana where young people with the
disease are cared. The NY organization lends assistance to its
sister group in Guyana through donations of educational material and
toys at Christmas. It has adopted the Alpha Children’s Home in New
Amsterdam and the Convalescent Home in Durban Backlands, Georgetown
and supports them with gifts such as beds. The collective work of
Tots and Teens impacts the participants in several commendable ways
including learnings in adult – youth relationships, leadership
skills, positive behavior, and social competence at the peer level.
Tots and Teens in Focus, a positive influence through culture and
education.
VIBERT BERNARD
 Pioneers in business can create paths difficult for others to
follow. Add to that condition the general patterns of
inter-generational transfer of management in family-owned
businesses. Vibert ‘Cookie’ Bernard is to be commended for
successfully carrying on his mother's entrepreneurial spirit. Sybil’s
Bakery and Restaurant of New York under his management has attained
admirable heights and broad dimension. He has expanded the product
range and increased the number of locations where Guyanese and
Caribbean cuisine are served. A full vegetarian service is now
available in addition to the traditional West Indian fare.
Another
extension of his mother’s legacy is responsiveness to the people of
the community. Vibert Bernard has developed Sybil’s Bakery and
Restaurant’s corporate philanthropy. He has established a
stakeholder’s approach that is confirmed by the company’s favorable
reputation both as an employer and supporter of cultural events.
Vibert Bernard took over the leadership from his mother after her
unexpected passing, faced the advancing competition, survived the
onslaught, and has made the business a highly recognizable name in
the North American Caribbean Diaspora.
MENES DE GRIOT
 Menes De Griot is a
phenomenal Master drummer and Kwe Kwe specialist who feels
responsible for maintaining the African culture in the various art
forms.
Known as the Shanto Man, De Groit is a captivating
presence in the community. His outstanding performances have been
recorded on the prestigious stages of New York's Lincoln Center, and
the celebrated halls of the Kennedy Center. His trek to the Monument
Mall in Washington DC, with the Million Man, and the Million March
is a testament to his commitment as both a performer, and community
activist.
De Groit has also excelled on the drums to
entertain audiences at Cuffy Square in Georgetown, and for three
presidents in Guyana. He has performed for the opening of a Yankees
game, and for a South African delegation at Brooklyn Borough Hall. A
sincere brother of African Guyanese indigenous music, De Groit wears
his African dress with pride, and chronicles his life as an
herbalist and drummer through lectures to organizations. For this,
De Groit was honored with proclamations from Senator John Sampson,
and numerous others for his outstanding work in the community.
After Menes migrated to the United States, he
joined the US Army as a medic. For the past twenty - five years he
has been promoting the traditions and culture, especially the
healing arts, in Africa, Canada, North America, South America and
the Caribbean. His herbal store - Cosmic Enterprise is popular with
residents in the community. |
