Emancipation celebration at Eversham Village

Dear Editor,
On Saturday, August 1, 2026, thousands of residents from the Macedonia Joppa district and neighboring villages celebrated Emancipation at Eversham Village, East Corentyne, Berbice. It was the largest all-day celebration on the Corentyne, sponsored by the Macedonia Joppa Voluntary Committee (MJVC), a registered non-profit organization located at Eversham Village.
The day’s activities began at 7:30 AM with a two-mile male and female road race, followed by breakfast and several other activities including a domino and card games competition.
The highlight of the day’s activities was a two-mile road march that began at 4:00 PM from Brighton Village and ended at the Eversham Pavilion. Thousands of children and adults from the Macedonia Joppa district and elsewhere joined the road march under the theme “UNITED FOR A BETTER GUYANA.”
Participants in the road march were decked out in a dazzling array of colorful African attire of red, black, yellow, white, and green, portraying the colors of Guyana’s flag, the Golden Arrowhead, and depicting Guyanese culture, lifestyle, and heritage.
Residents of all ages and from all walks of life from the Macedonia Joppa villages of No. 35 and 36, Brighton, Kiltearn, Eversham, Epsom, Bengal, and No. 43, and neighboring communities lined both sides of the roadway to view the colorful display of African costumes and the rich and gorgeous Afro-outfits as the revelers danced to the rhythm of the lively and customary Soca music supplied by the dynamic and popular Natural Vibes Entertainment Sound.
Lunch was served at 2:00PM to more than 2,000 residents of the district and neighboring villages. After lunch, a number of children participated in several cultural, social, and educational activities, including the recital of poems, singing of folk songs, playing games, and dancing to a variety of African songs.
The day’s activities were capped off by a stunning beauty pageant that began at 7:30 PM with six beautiful and charming teenage contestants from various ethnic and social backgrounds from different villages vying for the Miss Macedonia Joppa title.
The beauty pageant was hosted by the most experienced, talented, and flamboyant MC from the Corentyne, Linden Murray, and was judged by three highly skilled and accomplished individuals.
Denica Henry, who hails from Bloomfield, East Corentyne, was the chief judge and brought a wealth of experience to the pageant. Ms. Henry is a model, a former pageant queen, Miss Exquisitely Conscious 2019-2020, and currently a Youth Ambassador and an advocate for Betterment.
Judge Rayaan Liverpool from Chesney Village, East Corentyne, is an exciting and amazing judge who has participated in more than half a dozen pageantries. The third judge was Colin Moore from Nurney Village on the Corentyne.
Moore has an abundance of experience in pageantry and has always been thrilled to watch young and beautiful ladies compete for beauty titles. For the last four years, the Macedonia Joppa Voluntary Committee has made Emancipation an annual and the largest celebration on the Corentyne.

Sincerely,
Dr. Asquith Rose,
MJVC Chair