http://www.baiganchoka.com/videos/video.php?next=watch

 

CaribPR Newswire, New York, NY, June 2, 2008: Guyana`s Golden Arrowhead is flying high above New York`s financial district after being raised there for the second consecutive year on May 31st by the Committee to Celebrate Guyana.

The flag of the South American nation will fly for one week above the Big Apple in honor of Guyana`s 42nd anniversary of independence from Britain. The second flag raising event, a brainchild of Hard Beat Communications CEO, Felicia Persaud, was preceded on Saturday by a VIP reception and cultural presentation at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House at Bowling Green.

Rain forced the event indoors and the GSA administration graciously closed off their magnificent rotunda for cultural performances by several Guyanese artists. The event opened with a word of praise by Rev. Dr. Evelyn John before Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs of New York City, Guillermo Linares handed over a proclamation by York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, declaring Saturday, May 31st, `Guyanese Independence Day` in New York City.

Almira Brasse again lent her operatic voice to the event as her rendition of the Guyana national anthem, accapella style, in the magnificent rotunda, left the crowd speechless with pride. A representative from the Brooklyn borough President`s Office also declared `The Republic of Guyana independence day in Brooklyn` before Menses the Griot and the Shanto drummers brought the rotunda alive with a cultural rendition on several magnificent drums, including the Trinity drum.

Deejay Praksh added a chutney flavor while the S.T.A.R.S Teen dance group of Brooklyn brought an element of hip-hop to the event. Emcee Bobby Veira, of One Caribbean Radio, then turned the ceremony`s focus on the 2008 honorees, who included Hollywood Actor Marc Gomes, introduced by Committee member Don Profitt; Laparkan CEO Glen Khan, who was introduced by Committee member Chuck Mohan; and Leena Jainarine of Tota`s Bakery, introduced by Allison Skeete, also of the Committee to Celebrate Guyana.

The Committee`s first `Friend Of Guyana` awards were also presented to Western Union, introduced by Irwine Clare of the Caribbean Immigrant Services; and to the chair of the Bowling Green Association, Arthur Piccolo.

As the awards concluded, King Raj, of The Indo Caribbean Star Finals Competition, took the mic and brought the audience alive with his upbeat tempo rhythm that brought several into the rotunda to `party.` Other notable performances came from Sammy Baksh, Marlon Jardine, who performed `Small Days,` Harmonica Man from Venezuela; Junior Kulcha; veteran Guyanese singer Cliff Joseph and his daughter Coriena and reggae stars H20 Wata Flo.

The Committee to Celebrate Guyana was founded last year by reaching with nationals like Chuck Mohan, Ron Bobb-Semple, Allison Skeete, Roger Gary, Don Proffit, Rickford Burke and Marina Sahadeo among others last year.
 
The inaugural event in 2007 featured cultural performances came from many Guyanese artists including Slingshot Drepaul, Courtney Noel, Almira Brasse, The Triad Group, the Verna Walcott, Deeraj and dance groups, drummer Akayo, poets James Richmond and Francis Quamina Farrier and musical saw player Moses Josiah.

Thousands of Guyanese gathered near The Bull in Lower Manhattan to celebrate the 41st anniversary, including Guyana’s ambassador to Washington, Bayney Karran, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and several other elected and appointed officials, Hollywood actor Sean Patrick Thomas, boxer Vivian Harris, Bollywood actor Kumar Guarav and movie producers, Rohit Jagessar and Mikey Nivelli.

PHOTO: Actor Marc Gomes and Committee to Celebrate Guyana founder, Felicia Persaud, r, with Colonel Hartley Liverpool, l., prior to the raising of the Golden Arrow Head.

CaribPR Newswire, New York, NY, May 29, 2008: New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, has declared Saturday, May 31^st, `Guyanese Independence Day` in New York City.

 

The mayor issued the proclamation to the Committee to Celebrate Guyana, which is set to mark the country`s 42^nd anniversary of independence on Saturday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the financial district of Lower Manhattan, at  One Bowling Green (at the Bowling Green Park, in Lower Manhattan across from Battery Park).

 

The event is a brain child of Hard Beat Communications, CEO Felicia Persaud, who formed the Committee to Celebrate Guyana last year by reaching out to nationals like Chuck Mohan, Ron Bobb-Semple, Allison Skeete, Roger Gary, Rickford Burke and Marina Sahadeo among others last year.

 

The mayor lauded the contributions of the over 100,000 Guyanese who call the city home and

Said the city is proud to join the Committee to Celebrate Guyana `in a citywide salute to this nation’s heritage.`

 

“As the Golden Arrowhead waves over Bowling Green, all New Yorkers recognize the great strides made by the Guyanese community in their native land and throughout the five boroughs,” the proclamation added in part.

 

New York`s Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs, Guillermo Linares, will attend the event and officially hand over the proclamation.

 

Some of Guyana`s outstanding folk musicians are set to also perform including Guyana Master Drummer, Menes Griot & The Shanto Troop, featuring Harmonica Man from Venezuela; Junior Kulcha and the `King Of Folk,` Marlon Jardin; veteran Guyanese singer Cliff Joseph and his daughter Coriena; rising chutney and reggae stars, DJ Prakz and H20 Wata Flo, respectively; the S.T.A.R.S Teen dance group of Brooklyn is also set to perform while King Raj Of The Indo Caribbean Star Finals Competition are set to add their own flavor to the celebration while Almira Brasse is again set to lend her operatic voice to the national anthem of Guyana.

 

Hollywood actor Marc Gomes, of SueThomas FBEye fame, is set to join the celebration and will be honored along with Laparkan CEO Glen Khan, Western Union and Tota`s Bakery founder, Indra Jainarie .

 

The inaugural event in 2007 featured cultural performances came from many Guyanese artists including Slingshot Drepaul, Courtney Noel, Almira Brasse, The Triad Group, the Verna Walcott, Deeraj and dance groups, drummer Akayo, poets James Richmond and Francis Quamina Farrier and musical saw player Moses Josiah.

 

Thousands of Guyanese gathered near The Bull in Lower Manhattan to celebrate the 41^st anniversary, including Guyana’s ambassador to Washington, Bayney Karran, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and several other elected and appointed officials, Hollywood actor Sean Patrick Thomas, boxer Vivian Harris, Bollywood actor Kumar Guarav and movie producers, Rohit Jagessar and Mikey Nivelli.

 

For more information, log on to: www.celebrateguyana.wordpress.com.

 

 

 

 

 

GUYANA MASTER DRUMMER MENES GRIOT & THE SHANTO TROOP FEATURING HARMONICA MAN FROM VENEZUELA

 

Menes the Griot and the Shanto Drummers pride themselves on their long history of cultural celebration of Guyana’s heritage. The group has performed for many Guyanese leaders as well as across the world and the Caribbean, where they continue to preserve African culture and traditions and history through the drums of their ancestors.

 

 

 MARLON JORDIN/KING OF FOLK

Marlon Jardine has toured The Caribbean, U.S.A., Canada and Cuba as the Musical Director of The Yoruba Singers Band. He has produced songs like Granny Fit and Sharon Sharon by Mark Brian and now the Re-mix of Guyana Lookin’ Jus’ Like China, which is a fusion of Reggae and Shanto Music.

 

DJ PRAKSH

 

Sankar Singh, also known as Prakash became DJ PRAKZ at age 17. He’s now become widely popular for the songs Guyana Under Water and Nani And Nana.

WATA FLO

 

Uuven Sukhoo aka “H2o Wataflo” has become popular for ‘Baby Tell Me’ and ‘We Na Beg Dem, No Friend.’ 

 

 

THE S.T.A.R.S TEEN DANCERS

 

The S.T.A.R.S. Teen Initiative is a group based out of Brooklyn, NY consisting of over 40 young men and women who take dance to a whole new level.

 

JUNIOR CULTURE

Junior Culture has made popular the songs Bad Man Na Laugh, Jah, Jah Da Ruler and Culture Talking on the Grifter Recordings label.

 

 RAJ SINGH

 

Raj Singh aka “The King Raj” from Jersey City is a recent finalist of the Indo Caribbean Stars Finals contest.

 

  

CLIFF & CORIENA JOSEPH

Cliff “Love” Joseph and Coriena Joseph are father and daughter performers.  Cliff is largely known for the hit “Don’t Blame Me For Your Mistakes.” He recently teamed up with daughter Coriena Joseph on his record “Cliff Joseph At His Best.`      

 

 

ALMIRA BRASSE

 

Is known for her extraordinary voice which continues to make the anthem of Guyana sound as sweet as the sugar cane for which the land is known.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/committeetocelebrateguyana/

 

See Video at: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=33025826

 

 

CaribPR Newswire, New York, NY, May 2, 2008: Some of Guyana`s outstanding folk musicians are set to lift their voices in Manhattan later this month, as the Guyana flag is again raised for the second time in New York`s financial district on May 31st, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Bowling Green Park, in Lower Manhattan.

Guyana Master Drummer, Menes Griot, who just returned from Trinidad where he performed for the Reconnection Festival, & The Shanto Troop, featuring Harmonica Man from Venezuela, have joined the cultural line-up along with Junior Kulture and the `King Of Folk,` Marlon Jardin.

Menses and his troop of folk singers and drummers can only be described as a cultural icon in the Guyanese community, keeping Guyana folk music alive despite very little financial support. The troop and their Griot have performed around the world and at top U.S. venues including for many of Guyana`s leaders. They form part of the group that continues to preserve the folk songs and culture of old.

Menses recently performed at the Reconnection Festival in Gasparillo Santa Cruz Trinidad. He will be performing with the traditional ancestral drum, the trinity drum made in South Africa.

Junior Kulture will best be remembered for songs like `Bad Man Na Laugh,` `Jah, Jah Da Ruler` and `Culture Talking` while Jardin, former musical director the Yoruba Singer may be remembered for the song `Guyana Looking Like China.`

The event, to mark the 42nd anniversary of Guyana`s independence from Britain, will also feature veteran Guyanese singer Cliff Joseph and his daughter Coriena, rising chutney and reggae stars, DJ Prakz and H20 Wata Flo, respectively. The S.T.A.R.S Teen dance group of Brooklyn are also set to perform while King Raj Of The Indo Caribbean Star Finals Competition, Anand Kishore and the Inner Power International Band are set to add their own flavor to the celebration.

Almira Brasse is again set to lend her operatic voice to the national anthem of Guyana while dancehall fashion designer Goldteeth Lance is set to also showcase his men`s wear at the event.

Hollywood actor Marc Gomes is set to join the celebration this year, a brain child of Hard Beat Communications, CEO Felicia Persaud, who formed the Committee to Celebrate Guyana last year by reaching out to nationals like Chuck Mohan, Ron Bobb-Semple, Allison Skeete, Roger Gary, Rickford Burke and Marina Sahadeo among others last year.

`The aim of reaching out to a diverse group of people, whose political and racial identities are as different as night and day, was largely because of my belief that Guyana needs to move to a higher height; where nationals begin to see the power of viewing themselves as Guyanese first and moving beyond the huge racial and political divide that continues to hamper progress in the country,` said Persaud. `It is time nationals see the bigger picture and understand that especially in New York City and the U.S., unity is our strength and the divisive tactics of racism and politics only continue to foster the disrespect we largely suffer, despite being the fourth largest group of foreign born in this city.`

The 2008 event is being presented by Western Union in association with Admiral Couriers` Ray Rafeek, RK Office Supplies in Long Island, the Bowling Green Association and media partners, CaribWorldNews, CaribPR, The West Indian newspaper, Caribbean Spotlight TV, GEM Magazine, RBC Radio and One Caribbean Radio.

The inaugural event in 2007 featured cultural performances came from many Guyanese artists including Slingshot Drepaul, Courtney Noel, Almira Brasse, The Triad Group, the Verna Walcott, Deeraj and dance groups, drummer Akayo, poets James Richmond and Francis Quamina Farrier and musical saw player Moses Josiah.

Thousands of Guyanese gathered near The Bull in Lower Manhattan to celebrate the 41st anniversary, including Guyana’s ambassador to Washington, Bayney Karran, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and several other elected and appointed officials, Hollywood actor Sean Patrick Thomas, boxer Vivian Harris, Bollywood actor Kumar Guarav and movie producers, Rohit Jagessar and Mikey Nivelli.

Nationals of Guyana account for the fourth highest number of the foreign born population of New York City foreign and continue to make great strides as entrepreneurs and homeowners. In one area of Queens, NY alone, their annual earnings are more than both native born black and white Americans according to the US Census’ recent American Community Survey report.

To see video scenes from last year log on to: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=278192014

 

 

 

 

 

 AND:

CLIFF & CORIENA JOSEPH

 

THE S.T.A.R.S TEEN DANCERS

INNER POWER INTERNATIONAL BAND

& MORE