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12A SUNDAY STARBROEK, February 13, 2022 Review: Inside Guianame [Inside GUIANAME, Bi- National Magazine, Donald Sinclair and Sean F Taylor (Eds.), Vol.01, No.
Kristina Taylor
March 22, 2023
Page: Blog/News
12A SUNDAY STARBROEK, February 13, 2022
Review: Inside Guianame
[Inside GUIANAME, Bi- National Magazine, Donald Sinclair and Sean F Taylor (Eds.), Vol.01, No. 01, George- town, December, 2021. 94pp.]
The Republic of Suriname carries deep and varied meanings for the people of the Republic of Guyana. It is a country that stands out prominently in the popular consciousness of Guyanese, as a close neighbour and friend, both in governmental diplomatic terms and in the common daily communion between people on the ground. Yet there are times when the name Suriname evokes fury as a foe claiming ownership of Guyanese land-space in a centuries- old border controversy which still spells harassment for fishermen on the Corentyne and neighbouring waters.
But the bonds are ancient and deep, going back to a history when the entire north-eastern shoulder of South America known geologically and geographically as the Guiana Shield and culturally as the Guianas, knew no boundaries.
Several migratory Amerindian nations moved freely across what they called Guiana, before the advent of European colonial occupation which carved up the area into British Guiana, Dutch Guiana and French Guiana.
It is a story of forced migration and bonded labour, of colonialism and independence, of the beauty of landscape and Amazonian rainforests, of myth, literature, art, traditions and social history. Throughout all of this, there has been one continuing theme – the quest for untold wealth through the discovery of gold, first embarked upon by Sir Walter Ralegh in 1597. It seems though, in a way, that mythical and elusive reward has been turned into a reality with the publication of Inside GUIANAME in December, 2021.
Inside GUIANAME is what the publishers call a Bi- National magazine edited by Donald Sinclair and Sean F Taylor, with Volume 1, Number 1 coming off the press a few weeks ago, published in Georgetown and Paramaribo. It is an extremely attractive, polished, neatly put together, voluminous and rich glossy publication of some 94 pages of material.
Its contents link the neighbouring countries of Guyana and Suriname and may be regarded as a substantial collaboration with feature articles, academic contributions with information about both countries and possibilities for bilateral cooperation, told in tautly edited text illustrated by clean, striking and breathtaking photographs. It is impressive, and makes an impact.
Inside GUIANAME has content, packaging and appearance that will appeal to a range of audiences, interests and disciplines. While it will, undoubtedly, adorn offices for the casual leafing through by visitors, it is too weighty to be called a coffee-table magazine. It demands the attention of those with an interest in Guyana and Suriname as countries with incredible natural beauty, scientifically significant landscape, traditions, colourful people and ancient historical ties. This volume will appeal to the curious, but includes content of great value to tourism, including eco-tourism, nature and cultural tourism and national heritage. It also covers travel, academic articles, social history, geography, indigenous studies, food and the visual arts. Apart from the strong tourism connection, the magazine has a studied focus on the Indigenous presence which is so important in both Suriname and Guyana.
The magazine was founded by Sinclair, an academic, former sportsman, former diplomat and specialist in the field of tourism, who has served as national director of tourism and head of department at the University of Guyana. He is editor of the publication ReJoyce: A memorial celebration of the life of Joyce E. Sinclair, and the concept behind the founding of this bi-national magazine is further proof of the breadth of his imagination.
The magazine’s co- editor is Sean F Taylor, a Guyana-born educator working and managing an academy in Paramaribo. The title is an obvious coinage that integrates the names of the two nations with the concept behind the magazine.
According to the Foreword: A Guyana Perspective, by Sinclair, “Inside GUIANAME focuses upon the Guyana-Suriname space, bringing to prominence all that defines and sustains the connections between the two countries and their inhabitants. For many decades Guyanese and Surinamers eyed each other as distant relatives; speaking different languages, governed under different political systems, practising different cultures but enjoying a strange bond, with many interests in common. The editors of Inside GUIANAME see this bond evolving as a synergy.”
The Foreword also has a twin – A Suriname Perspective by Vijoya Da Vita of Suriname, who observes: “Inside GUIANAME is being launched at a time of extreme change. We are reminded every day of our own mortality, of the fragility of our shared ecosystems. Our efforts are valuable. But our greenness is invaluable” as she stresses the value of the shared ecology in the nations of the Giuanas.
What proves to be very important in this inaugural issue, is the background to the Guianas, provided by historian Tota Mangar, to start off with an understanding of the area “of approximately half a million square miles . . . that stretches between the Amazon and the Orinoco” where the social focus of the magazine lies. The brief historical account is fairly thorough, including the interesting theories about how the area got its name, with possible origins in the languages of both the Arawaks and the Warraus. Interestingly, the common belief about a word meaning “land of many waters” might just not be entirely accurate. But Mangar’s history enlightens the reader about the colonial period right up to the present.
Thus armed with a preliminary historical introduction to the three Guianas, the readers have a minefield of knowledge to look forward to in the other articles. The strong tourism constituency is served by a number of contributions, foremost among them being the interventions of UG’s Head of Tourism Studies Camille Ishmael – “Linking Tourism Education and Training”, an input on “Iwokrama – River Lodge” from Dr Raquel Thomas, “Wilderness Explorers” by Claire Thorne and Sinclair’s Viewpoint, “Guianame a Single Destination”
However, what is there from a few travel writers helps to reinforce that theme as well as provide further valued information. For instance, there is “Nickerie – Berbice Business Corridor” by Henry McDonald, which helps to fix a very distinct feel of identity to the magazine. The region known as Nickerie in western Suriname has always been treated as the poor stepsister to capital Paramaribo, but it nevertheless features prominently with people on the ground commuting almost daily between Berbice and
Nickerie which has been growing as an agricultural and commercial centre. Of similar importance is the feature on “Suriname – Diversity in Nature and Culture”.
Identity is indeed a strong point of the magazine, especially when one considers the testimony of Candace Phillips, “Growing Up Arawak”. She declares “I am a proud Lokono. A descendant of many who have walked before me”. It is a first person account of growing up in that area in Guyana’s North West around Santa Rosa, Moruca, and Mabaruma.
Language is an issue in most of these Lokono regions, and Phillips mentions some of the reasons why the native language is threatened. Linguistics is among the most rewarding studies across the Guianas, except for the anxiety surrounding moribund mother tongues. It is therefore of great interest to find that Inside GUIANAME carries a feature on Sranan, one of the national indigenous languages of Suriname. This one, however, is a creole language that is not in danger of disappearing. It certainly fortifies the magazine’s keen sense of identity, and carries even greater weight because the editors saw the value of including a translation of the article in Sranan. It is quite a study, with a history of the language, which benefitted from a published Sranan-English Dictionary (by C L Schumann) as early as 1783.
One area not overwhelmingly covered is culture – to be more precise, literature. There is, however, a feature on visual arts and articles on sports. It is rewarding to see “Art- Splash – MURUSCAPE: The Splendour That Is Suriname” in which the paintings of a Surinamese artist are featured. Unfortunately, the artist is not named. It is said that the selections are from watercolour paintings done in 2014 on the bank of the Suriname River in Paramaribo and printed from the collection owned by Dr A Murugesan. The non- identification of the painter is a glaring omission.
The inaugural appearance of Inside GUIANAME is important in a climate in which periodical magazines and journals have a reputation of not appearing after volume 1, or suffering discontinuations after a few issues. Fortunately, it appears that Inside GUIANAME has so far proven to be commercially viable and page 94 of Volume 1 Number 1, has already announced and named some six “Second Issue Highlights” expected to appear in the already planned Volume 1 Number 2 in July/August, 2022. The magazine’s Paramaribo office is scheduled to be formally opened on March 22, and the third issue is slated to be presented in December, 2022. Inside GUIANAME seems to be here to stay.
For the excellent quality of its production, the coverage of a few areas of interest and its creation of a bi- national identity, it is definitely worth reading and can be recommended.
12A STABROEK WEEKEND, June 9, 2024
Inside Guianame:
A cultural treasure
One could see the beauty of the body But could only feel the beauty of the soul But what does it matter
True love is blind
Feeling is her seeing eyes
Ivan Forrester
[Inside Guianame, 4TH Edition, Spring, 2024, Guyana and Suriname, 2024; 120pp., also www.guianame.com]
You cannot pick up a copy of the magazine Inside Guianame without being impressed that you hold in your hands a cultural treasure – social and literary, even scientific, superstructural manifestation in art and letters of the ancient mysteries of the landmass called The Guiana Shield, known today as The Guianas.
This magazine is a printed representation of that corner of the earth on the north-eastern shoulder of South America once transmigrated by peoples who recognised no boundaries until the arrival of Europeans with a sense of territory, who introduced division into the three Guianas- British, Dutch and French. The ensuing history of conflicts and immigration had one single beauty – the creation of societies of ethnic and cultural plurality, to go along with geology, landscape, rainforests and waterways to fashion realms of unsurpassed and breathtaking magnificence.
Inside Guianame has the distinction of bringing to readers, visitors, researchers, explorers, travel writers, scientists and anthropologists visual manifestations of the results of that history, that cultural beauty that repose in those throe teritories British Guiana, Dutch Guiana and French Guiana. It actually focuses on two of them, now the independent Republics of Guyana and Suriname. The magazine brings out what unites the two neighbouring nations, redoing much of what was undone by the forces of history – the wars, colonisation and immigration, slavery and indentureship. Yet those same forces, which were as much instruments of plunder as they were of creation.
The concept of “Guianame” suggests a combination of the two countries, bringing to the fore much of what they have in common and covering several fields and areas of interests. In a sense it unites two nations divided by the mighty Corentyne River, which carries in its streams and on its banks factors of history, politics, geography, language and culture that are agents of separation, and even conflict. But the same river is a uniting phenomenon, testifying to two peoples brought together by matching factors of social interaction, politics, culture, geography and economic life.
Thus, the magazine is a recognised cultural treasure for the pictures and words within its printed pages and for its own polished, glossy, spectacular appearance. It is very well edited and produced, and possesses depth of content in a wide range of interests and areas that are covered in its articles and photographs.
Inside Guianame: Means Business, Spring 2024 is the Fourth Edition of this magazine edited by Donald Sinclair and Sean F. Taylor and published in both Georgetown and Paramaribo. While its main language is English, it contains features in Sranan, Sarmami, Creole (Ayiti), French and Dutch. These languages are a crucial part of the flavour of the publication and the mandate that it has given itself – to reflect the culture of the two countries. English is a major national language common to both, while Sranan is a creole language nationally recognised in Suriname, where Dutch is an official language and the minor creole Sarnami is also spoken. The Creole Ayiti is common to Haiti and French Guiana, whose official language is French.
The magazine, carries articles by sundry writers and main contributors in several disciplines and subjects. It is strong on the arts, and there are poems, selections of prose and scores of colourful photographs that illustrate articles, but include those that are, independently, works of art. The volume also has a major focus and theme, resulting in the sub-title “Guianame Means Business”.
According to Co-Editor In Chief Sinclair this edition lays bare the energy, passion and dedication that drive entrepreneurship in Suriname and Guyana. Different from other publications, or from many mainstream organs, Inside Guianame 4 directs attention to
those off-the-beaten track business endeavours and enterprises: the smaller entrepreneur who is making a quiet difference in the life of the community around him or her. While we are eternally grateful for, and will always applaud, the enterprises of the grand players – Fernandes, Yokohama and the like in Suriname; Banks DIH, Demerara, Distillers Limited, Gafoor’s, John Fernandes and others in Guyana, our focus is upon the smaller players whose presence in the business landscape is just as vital.”
Appropriately, there is a section of more than 20 pages in which “some of the bold entrepreneurs of Guyana and Suriname” are “saluted”. The collection of stories and interviews, “Saluting Our Entrepreneurs” is introduced by the editor in chief and features a number of owners of small businesses, one of whom, has founded and owns as many as six businesses. Interestingly, Dr Kiven Pierre is an academic, featured in this interview as “The Serial Entrepreneur”. However, this theme of entrepreneurship occupies a significant number of articles with such sub-titles as “Financial Literacy” – with the pun “Money Matters”; Business & Nature: Business and Cuisine: and The Beauty Business, Many articles focus cuisine and foods with another equal number on nature, the environment and eco-tourism and the way all of these inspire different kinds of business concerns.
Sometimes connected to these is the area of tourism and hospitality, both of which are linked to cuisine, nature and the environment. But other contributions help to reveal wonders of the Guianese landscape and natural beauty. Going through the magazine, there is always quite a strong sense of those.
There is also a spotlight turned on education, including entre- preneurship in the field of education. There is attention to the AlphaMax Academy, a school in Paramaribo,. in an article which links it as well, to tourism and hospitality. What helps to lend the publication some depth is this close attention to context and theme with that ever-present sense of a geographical region.
In addition, regardless of any specific theme, volume 4 of the Guyaname periodical pays clear attention to the arts. There is a segment on the visual arts and selections of poetry. The new Haitian Cultural House in Paramaribo is a major feature – “The House of Culture”, fully printed in both English and French, which further illustrates the magazine’s artistic/cultural identity that it demonstrates in its foregrounding of spoken languages. The article speaks to a “culture haitienne” which is “riche et
diversifiee” just as the magazine itself is and just as the two countries Suriname and Guyana are. It tells about the opening of the first Haitian Government House of Culture in Suriname”, established on February 29, 2024 in Paramaribo.
This attention to art starts with a short feature on a Guyanese artist who centres his work on the calabash or krabasi. The cameo is called “Daniel Ramiah: Krabasi Artist Extraordinaire” and gives a snapshot of Ramiah, who was born in Vreed-en-Hoop and how he crafts the calabash.
It continues with “Art Splash” details of Art Expo 23” an exhibition of Surinamese and Guyanese art exhibited in Suriname at the AlphaMax Exhibition Hall in Suriname, It shows an extraordinary collection of paintings and drawings by many artists, each with a line of introduction. They include the Guyanese painter (autodidactic artist) Pe-Kah-lah James, Maharanie Jhillu, founder of Artful Expressions and Secretary of the Guyana Women Artists Association, Cosmata Lindie and Roberto Teekah , also of Guyana, as well as Surinamese Lyroy Caupin, Raymill Nerkust, Sophia Naarden, Saskia Pinas, Renoucka Dipoiko and Cliff Rasidin.
Samples of the work considerably adorn the pages of the magazIne and there are also several pictures taken from the exhibition. Elegant photo ops, but there is nothing printed to give any information about this show for which Guyanese artists traveled to Suriname. It would have helped readers, particularly those interested in art, and researchers, if the occasion was placed in at least archival context.
The arts continue with a piece on Sonny Khoeblal, “A Musical Maestro From Suriname” and an insight into poetry from both countries. Inside Guianame’s “Featured Poet” is Ivan Forrester, known as “Farro” (or “Farao” as the magazine has it), also a visual artist and hydro-meteorological technician, and a famed friend of Martin Carter. There is a narrative from Forrester’s daughter, Jackie Forrester. A priceless document is the printing of four of his poems – three love poems and patriotic verse. Of interest – Forrester’s mother was Surinamese.
Of interest, as well, is “Jit Narain: Poet in the Grip of Sarnami” which presents Surinamese poet of Hindustani ancestry who is deeply concerned with the history and afternmath of Indian immigration into Suriname under indentureship. He is a medical doctor who has been writing and publishing in the Sarnami language.
The finishing polish is the poctry of Ivan A, Khayiat, who we might jokingly call the poet in residence of Inside Guianame. His poem “Hold Steadfast”, also titled “Hori Ati” is printed in addition to three others, one of which is a reference to the tragic fire at a boarding school in Mahdia, Guyana. True to the linguistic preoccupations of the magazine, Khaviat’s poetry is translated into Sranan by d. france olivieira.
Inside Guianame 4 appeals to a general audience and will have features of value to a number of special interests as well. So far it seems to have proven itselt to both readers and advertisers, to cultural and business interests in both Guianas- the English and the Dutch.
Publication Information?
Please send us an email at inside@guianame.com
From the vibrant music and art scenes to the delicious food and festive traditions, we explore the unique expressions of creativity and community that thrive in the midst of cultural fusion.
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From the vibrant music and art scenes to the delicious food and festive traditions, we explore the unique expressions of creativity and community that thrive in the midst of cultural fusion.
MARKETING & SALES
Manoj Daryanani +597 8570892 (Suriname),
Joyanne Ramnauth +592 677 7567 (Guyana)
DISTRIBUTION
Mensah Fox (Guyana),
Manoj Daryanani (Suriname)