The origin of CARIFESTA '72, the Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts held in Guyana from August 25 to September 15 lies in history. Two successive Conferences of outstanding Caribbean Writers and Artists in 1966 and 1970 recommended to then Prime Minister of Guyana, Hon LFS Burnham that they would welcome the invitation to an annual Festival of the Arts.

Prime Minister Burnham had related his vision of a cultural mecca for the Region's people. It was a vision of peoples with roots deep in Asia, Europe and Africa coming together to share, to perform their art forms. The dream embraced the literature inspired by our peculiar Caribbean temperament, paintings inspired by our tropical jungles and art visualising our forefathers in the distant past.

WHO CAME TO CARIFESTA '72?

More than a thousand creative artists drawn from the peoples of more than 30 Caribbean and Latin American countries displayed the creative activity of music, dance, drama, folk art, painting, sculpture, photography and literature. Thousands of visitors were attracted by the art forms of the peoples of the wider Caribbean and reveled in the cultural cosmos of lore and legend mixed with the gay spontaneity of the Caribbean and Latin America peoples.

The programme included the folk chants and movements of the Conjunto Nacional of Cuba, the exotic Ibo dancers from Haiti and the sophisticated National Dance Company of Jamaica.

Masquerade bands and Steel bands from participating countries led the masses in Caribbean style through the streets of the capital of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Participants also included the colorful of Djuka and the Javanese from Suriname, and the unique Rastafarian folk artists from Jamaica.

Guyana, the host country, spared no resource and energy and achieved a Festival of unprecedented standard.

Theme Song. WELCOME TO CARIFESTA

The song "Welcome to CARIFESTA", composed and sung by popular Guyanese calypsonian Malcolm Corrica (Lord Canary) was chosen as the CARIFESTA theme song.

STAMP

The CARIFESTA '72 Stamp, was designed by Guyanese artist George Bowen, and was released on the first day of CARIFESTA.

Persons interested in the collection of philatelic souvenirs were able to buy first day covers in eight, twenty-five, forty and fifty cents denominations from August 25, CARIFESTA's opening day.

The CARIFESTA symbol, main feature of the design of the new stamp, was created by Billy Ryan Enterprises, an Antigua based advertising agency.

FESTIVAL CITY

Visiting guests and artists were accommodated at Festival City - 250 houses constructed out of Guyana's world renowned Greenheart timber - in North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The houses were furnished with Nibbee living room suites woven by Guyana's Amerindians. The entire decor is local, making use of Guyana's woods, her flowers, etc.

Festival City had its own Bank and Post Office, Resident Doctor and nurses on duty, Police Station, Fire Service, Laundry, restaurants, shops and a transportation pool.

COUNTRIES INVITED

Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, St.Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, Surinam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela.