“To Sir with love” author for Inter-Guiana Festival

As the countdown to the Inter-Guiana Cultural Festival continues, organisers have confirmed that the legendary Earl R Braithwaite is expected to be in Guyana to grace the literary art segment of the festival, which is in its second year.
Braithwaite, who gained international acclaim for his novel, “To Sir With Love”, later made into film for the big screen, is a patron of the event and is expected to be on hand to meet and greet fans at several of the events surrounding the literary arts.
Arts Coordinator Alim Hussain told Guyana Times International that a number of other events are planned, including an exhibition of books displayed by the University of Guyana and the National Library at the International Conference Centre.
A number of other booksellers would also participate at the event, including the Guyana Book Foundation and Austin’s Book Store. “This exhibition will run throughout the festival starting from Friday, August 24 until Sunday, August 26,” Hussain revealed.
There will be books from Guyana classics, the Guyana Prize for Literature, children’s books, journals, rare publications and books by Guyanese authors in general.
A special exhibition will be held on the life and work of Earl R Braithwaite.
Hussain said there will also be books from French Guiana and Suriname accompanied by posters, pictures and audio/ visual materials on display.
“This will feature special authors such as Leon Damas from French Guiana, others from Suriname and so on,” Hussain said. The literary arts will also feature a caravan of performers travelling around the East and West Coast and East Bank Demerara, making stops at specified spots and market tarmacs to read poems, dramatic pieces and distribute literature from the three Guianas.
Another big event is the reading tent on August 24 in the National Library compound, which is targeted towards children and aimed at encouraging reading and promoting greater awareness of the literary arts.
There will also be a story telling event focused on oral folk traditions. Some of the stories that will be told include the baccoo, Anansie, ole higue, Balgobin, jumbie and Sensie Bill.
Hussain said that members of the general public who can perform riddles and are in possession of proverbs are also invited to this event.
The folk stories will not only showcase oral tradition, but there will also be a discussion on the meaning, context and history behind such narratives.
A workshop will be held on August 26, on the techniques of writing and performing poetry. This workshop is limited to 40 persons and is geared at attracting mainly literature teachers.
Meanwhile, Allied Arts Unit Administrator, Desiree Wyles-Ogle said that preparations are in place and plans are on stream for the performing arts segment of the event. Guyana is preparing a special welcome to the other two contingents when the opening ceremony commences at the National Cultural Centre on August 23.
Ogle disclosed that after the opening ceremony, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana will feature presentations with a special theme in mind.
“It’s going to be a spectacle, you can expect pageantry, you can expect dance, some amount of drama and all three Guianas will be involved in the opening ceremony.”