Category: Features

Lowland tapirs can restore degraded Amazonian forests by spending more time and spreading more tree seeds in areas that had been previously burned. This service provided by tapirs may be among the cheapest and easiest solutions for large-scale forest restoration, according to a new study conducted at Woods Hole Research Center’s research facility at Tanguro Ranch in Brazil. The team collected and studied almost 130,000 seeds representing 24 different species from tapir dung in degraded forests in Mato Grosso Brazil. The study, published in the journal Biotropica, shows that tapirs…

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by Petamber Persaud (Excerpt of an interview with Dr. Manu Chander, Georgetown, Guyana, March 2019. Chander is a Visiting Fulbright Fellow. Chander’s publications include ‘Brown Romantics: Poetry and Nationalism in the Global Nineteenth Century’.) PP: Very often when I’m asked about my Country, Guyana, I would direct the person or persons to our literature because our books since Raleigh’s book [The Discovery of Guyana] in 1596 to Evelyn Waugh’s books to Hudson’s Green Mansions even down to Rahul Bhattacharya [The sly company of people who care] acted as a sort…

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You know Phagwah is around the corner when you see brightly coloured powders for sale but nothing puts you in the mood better than hearing the distinctive voice of Bollywood legend Amithab Bachan singing “Rang barse bheege chunar wali, rang barse”. The song from the movie Silsila is synonymous with Ohagwah celebrations in Guyana and even further afield. Basically translating to “colours are showering,” rang barse is perhaps the most well-known phagwah song among Guyanese despite their ethnic or religious background. Phagwah is a community’s exuberant expression of joy to…

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By Lakhram Bhagirat Every year we hear of how much the celebrations surrounding the Festival of Colours have changed and that some of the long-held traditions are dying. But what exactly has changed and how much it has changed is a question with a variety of answers since change is the only constant in our lives. However, what has not changed is the spirit of the celebration. The very core of what Phagwah is about is very much alive and well. The triumph of good over evil still is the…

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The serene community of Rock Stone, in Linden, is filled with picturesque scenes and lots of outdoor activities to enjoy; perfect for a weekend getaway. It is also a major fishing and tourism hot spot. Ray Peters, realised that this tourism potential should be exploited and has ingeniously transformed himself into a self-trained guide providing tour packages to the many visitors flocking the community on weekends. He purchased a boat with financial support from his fiancée, Ulandy Marks who was a participant in the Hinterland Empowerment Youth Service (HEYS) programme.…

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By Lakhram Bhagirat The planting of the symbolic Holika, 40 days before Phagwah signifies the commencement of a period of celebration. One that allows us to overcome the evil within and around us and for many it signifies the start of a period of tracking back to our roots. The very roots that define us as people and connects us to the motherland of our ancestors. When our ancestors were brought to Guyana in 1838 from their motherland-India, they brought with them a whole host of things other than material…

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One of the foundational principles of Hindusim is good only beg otten good and it is instilled in the minds of all Hindus from a young age. They are taught to do good deeds as a way of life. They are taught that one’s soul only attains Moksha (liberation in this life) through good karma (deeds). Around this time, we are quite often reminded about the consequences of good karma with the celebration of Holi-the festival of colours. Holi or Phagwah as we know it is the Spring Festival celebrated…

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Dr Cheddi Jagan’s greatest achievement was the return of democracy – PPP The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Wednesday observed the 22nd death anniversary of former President and Founder of the PPP, Dr Cheddi Jagan. In a statement, the Party said Dr Jagan’s death saw Guyana losing a great fighter, politician, statesman and human being and March 6, 1997, is a day that will forever be remembered as one of the saddest in the history of the country.“Dr Jagan is regarded as the Father of the Nation for his relentless…

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“You gotta eat, ain’t no shame in the game because I come from a place where you can do what you wanna do and be what you wanna be. Nobody can’t stop you. You’re in control of that. Nothing is impossible. You are in control of your own destiny, the only person who can break you is you and first of all, you must believe in the Most High, the Father, and you can’t do nothing without Him. Just do you, follow your heart and be what you want to…

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