The Blythlyway in Guyana

Monday, July 02, 2007



Miriam Adelaide and I, on the 3rd Anniversary of our wedding, having a picnic lunch in a central park of Georgetown, while Gandi marches on behind us.



Miriam in a sari at an event at Holy Cross Church.

Congo-Nya Town Hall New Amsterdam Family Cultural Event.
Three Members of Congo-Nya starting up the talking drums that would keep building with the addition of four more drummers and their leader on the Shaka-Shaka. It is almost hard to believe when you see actual musicians in New Amsterdam as opposed to electronic replay. It was a great priviledge to be the offical photographer of the whole day, using a new video camera that the band now owns. For years, over twenty-five years, people have been photographing and videoing the band and then leaving so that the band gets to see very little of the footage and never owns any of it. Now they can record their own gigs for future promotion, making videos or commercials, or just be able to see themselves perform. The youth drummer were particularly happy to see themselves on TV. I got to walk all over town and film everything, but I would never have done that if it was not that I was holding Congo-Nya's camera. In fact I got approached a number of times and asked in not exactly friendly terms who I was recording for, only to get smiles and blessings to continue when I told them it was Congo-Nya's camera.



The youth drumming band at town hall New Amsterdam. Everyone calls these youths with drums the Taliban, as in they will come in and take over if you don't watch out. And on practise days in Braks home, when the boys arrive they do creep in and take over everything. They also are pretty good musicians already and were the hit of the entire night. The bassist had to wrap his leg around his chair to get enough leverage to hit the drum and when he got up to drag it off stage it looked bigger than him. And they sung a version of a popular song called 'Poverty' that was potent.


Just got a copy of this photo of me walking with the band Congo-Nya in Georgetown during cricket world cup.



Joey up getting coconuts