…Amerindian Heritage
We’re smack in the middle of observing Amerindian Heritage Month and by pure serendipity (?) IDPADA-G invited a Dutch-born historian to tell us the story of Koffi and the 1763 Rebellion in Berbice. The connection with that seminal event in our history – ending with Koffi being declared our “National Hero” in 1976 – and Amerindian Heritage – as the historian reminded us – was the role Amerindians played during the Dutch phase of our history, which lasted for some two hundred years.
Unlike the Caribbean Islands where the native people were practically wiped out by the European invaders and settlers with “guns, germs and steel”, on our Wild Coast, our Amerindians were cultivated by the Dutch as partners in trade – and just as significantly – as partners to maintain their system of slavery that used Africans dragged across the Atlantic. This is part of our Amerindian Heritage. For the trading aspect, believe it or not, some Amerindian tribes like the Caribs raided other tribes and sold the captured souls to the Dutch as “Red Slaves” – for guns and other European goods!!
Yes, Dear Reader, the Dutch also had Amerindian slaves – for a while. But the greater part of the trading was in tropical products like annatto –an orange-red dye used for colouring foods and clothes. And with all of this trading heritage, our Amerindians have a reputation today as not being proficient in business!! But the most significant role played by the Amerindians was to hunt and track down runaway enslaved Africans – since they knew the jungles which at that time completely covered our coast and were being cleared for the plantations along the river banks and Atlantic coast. When those enslaved Africans rebelled against their privations, the Amerindians were called upon as allies to buttress the Dutch forces and quell the rebellions. This was the case with Koffi’s rebellion.
Now some might say that in the present, we shouldn’t bring up these uncomfortable aspects of Amerindian Heritage – but your Eyewitness disagrees. The point – as stressed by the Dutch professor – is that wherever and whenever the Europeans tried to colonise, they played off one group against the other. And as for the moral aspect of assisting enslavement – as mentioned – the Amerindians didn’t mind enslaving their own peoples!! They had nothing against the enslaved Africans per se – and we shouldn’t project our modern sensibilities into the matter. After all, the enslaved Africans were captured by fellow Africans from other tribes and sold to the Europeans!!
So while we may not want to CELEBRATE this aspect of Amerindian heritage – we must acknowledge it and address any lingering tensions that may persist in the present. Ditto for other divide-and-rule tactics that may’ve also been used!!
…Mad Maduro’s machinations
Well, we all know dictators are prone to megalomania. Didn’t we experience Burnham’s Mass Games where as kids, thousands of us had to march in the sun to create portraits of Burnham with flashcards?? Anyhow, Mad Maduro just topped that excess by miles when he announced that this year, he’ll be changing the date of Christmas to October 1st!
That’s right!! The birthday of Christ in a Catholic country can be changed at will by this mad man!! Guess he figured if the date could be changed by the Byzantine Pope to Jan 6 back in the day, he can do the same since – unlike the pope he has troops to back up his decrees!! But you ask why Mad Maduro would bring forward the date of Christmas??
Well, the denunciations of his election rigging are growing; the economic implosion is now augmented by protests; the US is tightening the screws – and the masses gotta be distracted!!
Early Christmas will be their circus – sadly, there’s no bread!!
…the Venezuelan Opposition
Let’s spare a thought for Opposition leader Edmundo González of Venezuela – for whom Mad Maduro’s issued an arrest warrant. Brazil and the US have condemned this action – but Ralph Gonzalves and most in Caricom are silent!!
