Wordsworth McAndrew: 2008

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Nine-night celebrations for Mac

From Vibert Cambridge, camp Georgetown...

Greetings and best wishes from GT. The "9 Nights" for MAC held last night at the Umana Yana was a success. Terry Holder and Allan Fenty were responsible for a memorable and participatory evening. There were testimonials, poetry, short stories, proverbs, humor, a chutney performance, dances from the National Dance Company, drumming, and a Kwe Kwe finale. Francis Ferrier (read "Ole Higue" and a short story), Henry Rodney (lead the Kwe Kwe session with Eze Rockcliffe), D'Ivan (sang the "Typee" calypso) were there also. The evening ended with refreshments--Mauby, pone, channa, barra, etc. The feeling was that Mac would have approved of the evening.

The Minister of Culture was there. An announcement was made about the 2008 Folk Festival Symposium (August 15 & 16) and Festival of Folk Games (August 17) to celebrate Mac's life. These are now seen as pre-Carifesta events. The formal Call for Participation will be issued over the weekend.

It was pleasant to see many of the McAndrew awardees there and to hear the many positive references to the Guyana Cultural Association/Guyana Folk Festival.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

ORDER OF SERVICE FOR MAC

Celebrating the Life of a Guyanese National Treasure
Wordsworth A. McAndrew
1936-2008

PARTICIPATING SPIRITUAL LEADERS
Host Pastor
Rev. Wesley Daniel
Union United Methodist Church
Brooklyn, New York

Reverend George Frederick
Calvary-Roseville United Methodist Church
East Orange, New Jersey

Rev. Rodwell Thom & Rev. Prashad
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church
East Orange, New Jersey

Rev. Dr. Evelyn R. John
Pastor, The New Life Center of Truth, Brooklyn, New York

Father Lloyd Andries
Brooklyn, New York

Imam Haji Zakir – to be confirmed
Spiritual Leader, United Muslim Organization of New York

Pandit Ramlall
Spiritual Leader,
Arya Spiritual Center, Queens New York

Dr. Juliet Emanuel
St. John’s Episcopal, Brooklyn, New York

Pastor Kwesi Ojinga
Pastor, New Life Ministries, Silver Spring, Maryland

HONOR GUARDS
GUYANESE ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Guyana Cultural Association New York/Guyana Folk Festival
Guyana Day Celebration Committee
Caribbean Media Enterprise
Guyana Broadcasters of New York
Guyana Tri-State Alliance
Nritya Kala Kendra International Academy
Rajkumari Cultural Center

THE ORDER OF SERVICE

Musical Prelude – Hilton Hemerding
Accompanists – Avis Joseph & Dr. Keith Proctor

Worship Leader
Malcolm Hall, President, Guyana Cultural Association/Guyana Folk Festival
Dr. Juliet Emanuel

CALL TO WORSHIP

PROCESSIONAL Clergy & Family

SOLO “My Way” Trenton Mack

HYMN “Hymn For Guyana’s Children”

PRESENTATION OF THE NATIONAL COLORS & HONOR GUARD

HYMN FOR GUYANA’S CHILDREN
Valerie Rodway

With humble hearts and heads bowed down
In thanks for each new day of toil
We kneel before Thine altar, Lord
The children of Guyana’s soil.

Great is the task that Thou hast given:
Thy will to show, Thy truth to find:
To teach ourselves that we are one
In thy great Universal mind.

But not in vain we’ll strive to build
A new Guyana great and free;
A land of glory and of hope,
A land of love and unity.

O children of Guyana, rise,
Rise up and sing with happy tears:
And bless the land that gave you birth,
And vow to serve her through the years.

THE INVOCATION Rev. George Frederick

WELCOME Rev. Wesley Daniel, Host Pastor

SONGS OF PRAISE Winston “Jeggae” Hoppie

SCRIPTURE READING Hugh Hamilton

PRAYER OF COMFORT Rev. Rodwell Thom

SOLO Trenton Mack

“Scouta Mac, the man, his life his words” Roy Brummell

MESSAGE Ambassador Bayney Karran

READING OF THE OBITUARY John Rickford

TRIBUTES
Wilton McAndrew, brother
Roseanne Zammett, daughter
Beverly Allen, niece
Ingram Lewis, friend
Francis Yvonne Jackson, friend
Duke Lambert, friend

HYMN Adaptation of “This is My Song” tune Finlandia

This is my song, Oh God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
Guyana my home, the country where my heart is;
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

Guyana's skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on green leaves and on vines.
But other lands have sunlight too and green leaves,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh hear my song, oh God of all the nations,
A song of peace for their land and for mine.

May truth and freedom come to my Guyana
May peace abound where strife has raged so long;
That each may seek to love and build together,
A land united, righting every wrong.
A land united in its love for freedom,
Proclaiming peace together in one song.

PRAYER Rev. Dr. Evelyn John

EULOGY Pastor Kwesi Ojinga

PRAYERS OF COMMENDATION Rev. Dr. Lloyd Andries,
Imam Haji Zakir,
Pandit Ramlall
Arch Bishop Cicil Mercurius

SOLO Trenton Mack

BENEDICTION Rev. George Frederick

RECESSIONAL I’LL FLY AWAY
Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away.
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away.

Chorus:
I'll fly away, O Glory, I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.

When the shadows of this life have flown,
I'll fly away.
Like a bird thrown, driven by the storm,
I'll fly away.

I'll fly away, O Glory, I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.

Just a few more weary days and then,
I'll fly away.
To a land where joy shall never end,
I'll fly away.

I'll fly away, O Glory,
I'll fly away.
When I die, Hallelujah, bye and bye,
I'll fly away.

Wordsworth McAndrew - A National Treasure
Friends and representatives of Guyanese Organizations present flags in honor.
Guyana Cultural Association New York/Guyana Folk Festival
Ingram Lewis, Roy Brummell, John Rickford
Guyana Day Celebration Committee
Caribbean Media Enterprise
Guyana Broadcasters of New York
Guyana Tri-State Alliance
Nritya Kala Kendra International Academy
Rajkumarie Cultural Center

Farewell Scouta Mac Choruses led by Winston
“Jeggae” Hoppie, Hilton Hemerding, Wrickford Dalgetty and ensemble of Drummers

REPAST
You are asked to join the family at the repast immediately after the service in the Felowship Hall.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is with profound gratitude that we acknowledge the outpouring of kindness and warmth from the friends and community at large. We are especially thankful for the Guyana Cultural Association and The Folk Festival for uplifting Mac and treasuring his contribution to the Guyanese society.
Mac has lived a unique life and has always treasured his independence, however, we have come to understand the impact he has had on the Guyanese society and the spirit with which his quest to be distinctly Guyanese has set him apart yet identified him as a Folk legend.
We further extend our gratitude to all who, during his final years helped to sustain him and provided comfort to the end. To Ingram Lewis, we will always be in your debt for your dedication and for the love you extended to Mac. To Reverend George Frederick and Dr. Corte, thank you for your intervention and generosity of spirit and also to the wonderful Guyanese nurses at East Orange General and at the Nursing Home who took such great care of Mac. To those of you who have traveled from far places to celebrate his life, we are particularly grateful for your thoughtfulness. To the Broadcast and Journalism community of which he was proud to be part, we extend our gratitude.

Thank you to the Pastor and Board of Trustee of Union United Methodist Church, to the His Excellency, the Honorable Bharat Jagdeo for his words of sympathy, Ambassador Bayney Karran and to all other religious leaders present here today. We thank also all those who participated in this celebration of Mac’s life.

May his soul rest in peace...

The McAndrew Family

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Wordsworth McAndrew - Guyana's Son

Born in the Land of the Mighty Roraima and the Kaieteur Falls

Wordsworth Lives On...

In our hearts, in our memories, in symbols signifying our national heritage ( theatre guild, coal pot, carbolic soap, bush tea, plait bread, butter flap, pone, brukkup, ol' higue - did we say ol'higue)

OL' HIGUE
by Wordsworth McAndrew

Ol' woman wid de wrinkled skin,
Leh de ol' higue wuk begin.
Put on you fiery disguise,

Ol' woman wid de weary eyes
Shed you swizzly skin.

Ball o' fire, raise up high
Raise up till you touch de sky.
Land 'pon top somebody roof
Tr'ipse in through de keyhole - poof!
Open you ol' higue eye.

Find de baby where 'e lie
Change back faster than de eye.
Find de baby, lif de sheet,
Mek de puncture wid you teet',
Suck de baby dry.

Before 'e wake an' start to cry
Change back fast, an' out you fly.
Find de goobie wid you skin
Mek de semidodge, then - in!
Grin you ol' higue grin.

In you dutty powder gown
Next day schoolchildren flock you round.
"Ol' higue, ol' higue!" dey hollerin' out
Tek it easy, hold you mout'
Doan leh dem find you out.

Dey gwine mark up wid a chalk
Everywhere wheh you got to walk
You bridge, you door, you jealousie
But cross de marks an' leh dem see
Else dey might spread de talk.

Fly across dis window sill,
Why dis baby lyin' so still?
Lif' de sheet like how you does do,
Oh God! Dis baby nightgown blue!
Run fo' de window sill!

Woman you gwine run or not?
Doan mind de rice near to de cot.
De smell o' asafoetida
Like um tek effect 'pon you.
You wan' get kyetch or what?

But now is too late for advice,
'Cause you done start to count de rice
An' if you only drop one grain
You must begin it all again.
But you gwine count in vain.

Whuh ah tell you?

Day done, light an' rice still mountin'
Till dey wake an' kyetch you countin'
An' pick up de big fat cabbage broom
An' beat you all around de room.
Is now you should start countin'

Whaxen! Whaxen! Whaxen! Plai!
You gwine pay fo' you sins befo' you die.
Lash she all across she head
You suck me baby till um dead?
Whaxen! Whaxen! Plai!

You feel de manicole 'cross you hip?
Beat she till blood start to drip.
"Ow me God! You bruk me hip!
Done now, nuh? Allyou done!"

Is whuh you sayin' deh, you witch?
Done? Look, allyou beat de bitch.
Whaxen! Whaxen! Pladai! Plai!
Die, you witch you. Die.
Whaxen! Whaxen! Plai!

Wordsworth McAndrew Lives On...

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The Antilles - weblog of the Caribbean Review of Books

Saturday, 26 April 2008

R.I.P. Wordsworth McAndrew, 1936-2008

The Guyanese writer, folklorist, and broadcaster Wordsworth McAndrew--"one of the most influential advocates for the collection, preservation and celebration of Guyanese folk life", as today's Stabroek News puts it, in some ways the Guyanese equivalent of Louise Bennett--died yesterday in New Jersey, at the age of 72. The Signifyin' Guyana blog has posted a tribute to McAndrew by his friend and colleague John Rickford:

I learned a lot from Mac over the years. He had an absolute love for Guyanese "culchuh" as he put it--and an infinite interest in every variant of every tradition (queh queh, obeah, cumfa), song, story, game, way of cooking, eating, celebrating, and so on that Guyanese and West Indian peoples of every ethnic group had inherited and transformed. I learned a lot from him about how to do fieldwork well. For instance, if someone said they played a game called "Airy Dory," and asked if he'd ever heard of it, he'd either say "No," (although I knew he had heard several accounts of it already) or otherwise indicate that he wanted to hear this particular person's version. Invariably, some new detail, some local variant would emerge in the course of the narration, and his understanding of the full range and complexity (and perhaps history) of that cultural institution would be enriched in the process.

PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana pays tribute to Mac

The President of Guyana, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo, in extending a CARIFESTA tribute for Wordsworth McAndrew, has said that the government will pay special homage to the folklorist during the staging of the tenth Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA) this August.

“I express profound sadness at his death and extend deepest sympathies to his family, relatives, friends and to all those who share in his bereavement,” the President said in a statement yesterday.

The President said McAndrew’s passing was ill-timed given the preparations for CARIFESTA, but said “a special homage” will be paid during the festival to the contributions of “this exemplary Guyanese.”

“Wordsworth McAndrew was a trailblazer in the study and understanding of local folklore. Through his explorations of this subject, he helped us to celebrate our common roots. Through his work on oral traditions, literature, music and on radio, he has grounded us in our rich and diverse cultural history,” the President said.

The foundation that he laid in the field of local folklore is of inestimable value; his work timeless, standing not only for his own generation but for all times, the President added.

“For helping to define those common threads that form part of the fabric in which we are all adorned, Wordsworth McAndrew will remain an example for all, showing the importance of folk culture in the quest for national identity and cohesiveness.”

Pritha Singh on Mac

Wordsworth McAndrew, in his abundance of joy, optimism and courage, has left an indelible mark on those who knew him and had the privilidge of being alive when he "owned" the streets at the birth of our nation - Guyana . As a youth in the 70s, I remember him in visiting Rajkumari in the "writers salon". In New York, when he lived in Richmond Hill, my brother Gora, myself and the whole troupe walked through the streets as "de after party", making up songs about the people and things we saw along the way. I called him "Words" - He made everyone feel special by his attentive warmth, enthusiasm and zest for life, even though he was carrying a lot of pain and disappointment inside. I offer this lotus to you, Words, from all of us with love and shantih!
Pritha Singh, Executive/Artistic Director
E: rajkumari@verizon.net P: 718.846.5431

John Rickford on Mac

A Tribute by John Rickford

(L-John Rickford, R-Wordsworth McAndrew, May 2003)

I got to know Mac quite well from about 1974 when I returned to Guyana to teach at UG and do fieldwork in Better Hope and other rural areas. He accompanied me on several occasions, joining in the interviewing about language, folklore, folk life and culture with great interest and delight, and branching into other areas (like the Kali Mai Puja ceremonies held weekly at the house of Dora, a Better Hope/East coast legend). Some of that material found its way into his radio show, "What Else?" and into the slim but informative "Ooiy!" magazine he published.

He also participated in the "Festival of Guyanese Words" conference that we held in Georgetown, featuring research presentations by students and faculty and others, but with valuable feedback from non-academics whose expertise as farmers, stevedores, or just a native Guyanese qualified them to extend and challenge our findings. He contributed a paper on Guyanese folksongs, with a short example from each "chapter" of the folksong book, as he put it ("Representational," "Congo," "Queh-Queh," "Pork-Knocker," "Ring Play," "Cumfa" and "East Indian Rhyming Song," which he described repeatedly as the newest chapter in the folk-song book, and the one that was being augmented most extensively). And he helped immeasurably with proof-reading, the word-index, and other aspects of the publication that resulted from that conference, and he even stood with us on street corners to sell the publication. (Thanks in part to his street smarts, the first edition of 500 sold out in one week.)

I learned a lot from Mac over the years. He had an absolute love for Guyanese "culchuh" as he put it--and an infinite interest in every variant of every tradition (queh queh, obeah, cumfa), song, story, game, way of cooking, eating, celebrating, and so on that Guyanese and West Indian peoples of every ethnic group had inherited and transformed. I learned a lot from him about how to do fieldwork well. For instance, if someone said they played a game called "Airy Dory," and asked if he'd ever heard of it, he'd either say "No," (although I knew he had heard several accounts of it already) or otherwise indicate that he wanted to hear this particular person's version. Invariably, some new detail, some local variant would emerge in the course of the narration, and his understanding of the full range and complexity (and perhaps history) of that cultural institution would be enriched in the process.

I also learned, from observation and practice, the importance of lavishing time and attention to people in the course of fieldwork--taking time not only to ask them about the particular things you were interested in, but just to "lime" with them, take a drink and eat some food with them, show them that you cared about them as human beings. I contrast this, when I teach my own fieldwork course, with the experience the author Studs Terkel reports in one of his books in which an interviewee asked him to stay and shoot the breeze after he'd conducted an interview. Because he had another interview across town, he said he couldn't stay, But the interviewee rebuked him: "Hey, how's it gonna sound--this guy, Studs, comes to my house, gets my whole life on tape, and says he's gotta run?" As Terkel put it, afterwards, he cancelled his other appointments and spent a memorable evening at the guy's home. But in retrospect, he wondered how he could have been so thoughtless. Wordsworth, who thoroughly enjoyed human interaction (even when it involved arguing about something, for the sheer love of argument) helped me avoid that kind of mistake. I always thought his name was well suited to his love of words, and wrote "Words worth it!" on the title page when I gave him a book of mine one year.

I could go on and on about Mac's other skills as a folklorist and culturologist and radio broadcaster and personality and his power as a poet and performer (anyone who has ever read his "Ole Higue" poem or heard him perform it will know whereof I speak), and about my other experiences with him (like the memorable "Turn back the clock" party he held in the late 70's when Burnham decided to change Guyana's time).

I hope someone will establish a website soon on which we can trade and exchange our stories about Mac and what he meant to Guyana and to us. There will undoubtedly be other occasions for us to reflect on his significance and celebrate his life orally and in print. I also hope that some of his recordings and notes and articles will find their way into the University of Guyana or a similar library or archives for future generations of Guyanese scholars to study and future generations of Guyanese to enjoy. For the moment, and for a start, I merely wanted to share some of my thoughts on the passing of Guyana's greatest folklorist.

Walk good, my friend, or as our Surinamese neighbours say, Waka bunu.

Wordsworth McAndrew