The People of Guyana
Amerindians
Amerindians (indigenous people)- consists of Arawaks, the Wai Wai, the Caribs, the Akawaio, the Arecuna, the Patamona, the Wapixana, the Macushi and the Warao.
The Kalina, also known as the Caribs, are indigenous to the northern coastal areas of South America. These people lived a life that we don’t know much about until the European settlers arrived. They studied these people for a short amount of time. The Kali’na people were greatly impacted by diseases brought to their country by the Europeans. Today, the Kali’na language is a common Amazonian language that is still spoken by more than 10,000 people in South America.
Stephen Campbell. He was an Arawakan Guyanese politician and political activist known as being the first Amerindian member of Parliament in Guyanese history. He is regarded as a hero among Amerindian communities in Guyana. As a part of Amerindian Heritage Month, his achievements are celebrated every year on September 10.
Guyanese of African ancestry
These people were originally brought to British Guiana as an ensalved people from Africa. The British Colonies later abolished slavery and the enslaved people from Africa were freed and built small villages together. They were not given any land as compensation for their work as slaves. When the Indo-Guyanese were given that compensation, ethnic tension began.
Rihanna. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide since her debut in 2005 with her hit Pon de Replay. She has had 14 number 1 singles in the US on the Billboard hot 100 chart. Rihanna's mother is Afro-Guyanese.
Leona Lewis. Her song "Bleeding Love" was the best selling single of 2008. She is the best-selling artist to emerge from The X Factor. Although she was born and raised in London, England, her father is Guyanese.
Photo by Daniel Suarez
Photo by Carlo Congedo
Guyanese of Indian ancestry
Under British rule in the 1800s, the economy became very sugar-based. Because of this, the British imported people from India to work the plantations. These people came as indentured servants, unlike the Afro-Guyanese who were brought as slaves. These Indo-Guyanese indentured servants signed a contract to work at the same plantation for 5 years while earning a fixed daily wage. After those five years, the people had another 5 years of industrial residence in Guiana. Finally, they would have the choice of either returning to India or stay in British Guiana. Those who stayed received land and money to start businesses. Because the Afro-Guyanese people were slaves, they received none of these benefits, which caused ethnic tension.
Deborah Persaud. She is a virologist who primarily works on HIV/AIDS at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. She was born in Guyana, but migrated to Brooklyn, US at 16 years old. As a result of her work, a baby was cured of HIV by giving it anti-HIV drugs. She won the Elizabeth Glaser Scientist Award and was nominated to be one of the world’s 100 most influential people for 2013 from Time Magazine.
Guyanese of Chinese ancestry
Similar to the Indo-Guyanese, the Guyanese Chinese were also brought to the country as indentured servants. When the Africans and Indians were released from slavery or their contracts, there would be another shortage of servants. This was why 14,000 Chinese people (85% men) arrived in British Guiana between 1853 and 1879. Unlike most overseas Chinese communities, the Guyanese Chinese quickly abandoned their customs, religion, and language. These people eagerly accepted Christianity because most of them had already been Christians in China and the rest quickly converted.
Arthur Chung. He was the first president of Guyana from 1970-1980. He earned Guyana’s highest national award, the Order of Excellence. Although he was born and raised in Guyana, he was the first ethnic Chinese head of state in a non-Asian country.
Guyanese of European ancestry
Guyana had just gained its independence when Dutch settlers established a trading post there in 1616. The native people (Carib and Awarak) were killed by disease or in a war over land. Enough British settlers came to Guyana that Dutch rule ended and was awarded to Britain in the second half of the eighteenth century. While the British ruled over what then became British Guiana, many European settlers came to the new British Colony.