Brooklyn: West Indian Day Parade on Eastern Parkway
September 2, 2008
West Indians all know that Carnival is a time to Party. Every Year on Labor Day, West Indians living in New York gather in the thousands on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn to share their unique culture and embrace the similarites that make us one caribbbean people. This year 2008 was no different. What I wittnessed was cultural cummunion like no other. The breathtaking costumes and soca/reggae music, are two of the unique aspects that are are Caribbean centric in nature and can only be found where West Indians are gathered. The folllowing pics were taken by Annand who is a member of the Baiganchoka Team. He told us that he was gettin’ on bad in the middle of the crowed while snapping those pics. Read more
Cuba: Photos from Havana
September 2, 2008
There is nowhere in the world like Havana. From the resplendent Spanish colonial architecture of the Old Town, to the spectacular dilapidation of Havana Centro, a city of stalwart survivors and masterful musicians rocks indefatigably to the syncopated beat of the rumba. Havana remains characterful, safe, and packed with a plethora of interesting museums.
In 1514 conquistador Panfilo de Narvaez founded a settlement named after a local Indian chief, San Cristobal de Habana. The settlement had to be moved a number of times because of mosquito infestations, but settled on the west side of Havana bay in 1519.
The Baiganchoka Team would like thank some wonderful friends in the Cayman Islands for lending us these photoes of Cuba.
Cuba: A Pictorial Glimpse Continued
September 1, 2008
Cuba has a mixed population, with one percent Chinese, eleven percent black, thirty seven percent white and a major fifty one percent being mixed black and white, mulatto. The female population is 5,580,500 while the male population is around 5,597,233. The birth rate of Cuba at 9.88 births per thousand is one of the lowest in all of the Western Hemisphere. The population rate has stopped in the last few decades, though the total population has increased from seven million to around twelve million since the sixties.
Cuba has socialist principles and has a state controlled economy. The government controls the major means of production. Most of the labor force is employed by the state. The private sector is just starting out. The main industries in Cuba are the petroleum, tobacco, nickel, cement, steel, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals and the sugar industries. The Cuban GDP is around $32 billion. Cuba’s major agricultural products are tobacco, citrus, rice, potatoes, beans, livestock and sugar. The currency of Cuba is the Cuban Peso.
In February 2008, an aged and ailing Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba’s president, ending 49 years of uninterrupted rule. He named his brother, Raul, as successor.
Cuba: A pictorial Glimpse
September 1, 2008
Cuba is the most populated country in the whole of the Caribbean. The official name for Cuba is Republic of Cuba. The Tropical Island extends 750 miles (roughly the size of Pennsylvania) and is a beautiful mix of mountain ranges and plains. There are over 200 bays and 289 sun drenched beaches to explore. The City of Havana, located on the northern coast, particularly allures tourists with its architectural riches, the treasures of Old Havana and the cosmopolitan nature surrounding it.Like its population, Cuba also has a smattering of religions, making it a very diverse cultural place. The most prevalent faith professed in Cuba is Christianity. Cuba also has Protestants, Jews, Muslims and members of the Bahai faith. Another unique religion that is rampant in Cuba is Santeria, a mixture of Catholicism and other African faiths.
Wow! What took them so long?
August 25, 2008
All CARIFESTA X venues except the National Stadium now Ticket Free
THE CARIFESTA Secretariat yesterday announced that all CARIFESTA X performance venues except for the National Stadium will not require a ticket.
Persons are, however, advised that entry to events will be on a first come, first served basis.
This decision took effect from yesterday. - Guyana Chronicle
It seems like Guyanese living in Guyana can actually get to see and partake in some of the Carifesta festivities. But the question is how many will? According to our sources living in Guyana, Carifesta flames went up in smoke on Friday night where many across the nation and other parts of the Caribbean switched off their television sets in the midst of the proceedings. Moreover, it seems like the Guyana Chronicle and Stabroek News are at odds with each other. Both prints are running opposite stories. Guyana Chronicle staying on the positive side and Stabroek News on the negative side. What’s going on? That’s the question. I’ve watch a few of the videos on YouTube and Stabroek news, and the scenes were as ghetto as ever. If what I saw was not a display of disorganization then, I don’t know what is. But Guyana again is not ready to host any type of regional event at all and I hope other Caribbean nations have noticed the same too. What was Frank Anthony thinking when he thought he support an event of such magnitude? I do hope for the remainder of Carifesta, working Guyanese actually get to attend some of these events because is a time for all Guyanese to enjoy, not the privileged few.
Andrew
Photo Blog of Montego Bay, Jamaica
August 17, 2008
The Following photos were taken early February 2008 in Montego Bay Jamaica at the Holiday Inn all inclusive Resort. Jamaica, I must say is economically diverse like many countries in the Caribbean. Montego Bay like many world renowned beach destinations is quite wonderful with warm waters and pristine beaches. The town of Montego Bay carries its’ own identity by simply being graced with colossal mountains. You seem to feel as if you exist in a microcosm that is quite gratifying in many ways. On the flip side, poverty and drugs is quite apparent. From the moment you exit the hotel, you are more likely than not to be approached by a micro-dealer asking you to buy a bag of Ganja. But thats just the reality. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Andrew
Photo Blog From Caribana 2008 Toronto
August 8, 2008
If you missed Caribana 2008, don’t worry there will always be next year. We are happy to share so pics of beautiful costumes worn by women from various countries throughout the caribbean. Most of there individuals were part of the ceremonial walk prior to being scattered as the day proceeded. This event was a wonderful dispay of our caribbean/west Indian culture as we have adapted to the northern lifestyle. This event is the largest Caribbean festival that occurs anually in the North. It is nice to see that on that on those few days ofthe year, from mid July to the begining of august, caribbeanites come together to celeberate each other with songs, dance, and artistry that is just simply amazing when all put together. Read more
“Happy Emancipation”: Now who was the brain behind this in Trinidad?
August 7, 2008
Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe notes in his blog that “The Airports Authority’s emancipation exhibit in its atrium proudly proclaims, “Happy Emancipation” and informs us that “in 1985, Trinidad and Tobago became the first country in the world to declare a national holiday, Emancipation Day, to commemorate the abolition of slavery on August 1, 1834.” Read more
CARIBANA 2008
August 5, 2008
Caribana 2008 in Toronto was quite an artistic cultural experience. I was privileged to attend the parade at Ontario Palace, SocaVivor at Water World and part of the closing concert on Centre Island on Sunday August 4th. I first noticed how well the events were organized; the city of Toronto seems to embrace diversity in its’ truest form unlike some of the experiences I’ve noticed living in New York. Caribbeanites from all corners of North America during Caribana festivities take timeout from their busy schedules to embrace their roots with song, dance, and costumes. Read more
Press on Living Guyana Blogspot!
July 10, 2008
The team at Baiganchoka.com was pleased to see that livingguyana.blogspot.com was back up and running after a couple of monkeys hacked into the site that is being operated by Guyana Media Critic intending on erasing all content and ultimately destroying the platform. Fortunately, that did not happen. What happened to Living Guyana should be an example of how important it is for Guyanese speaking on Guyana to continue speaking out on subjects that affect the lives of so many at home and throughout the Diaspora. At baiganchoka.com, we believe that freedom of speech should not be granted because it was already given. No man has the right to censor that which is given. Continue the work Living Guyana! Read more
Must Read! AIDS in the Caribbean: The second-most affected region in the world.
June 12, 2008
At the end of 2007, an estimated 230,000 people were living with HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean. Some 17,000 people were newly infected during 2007, and there were 11,000 deaths due to AIDS.
In three of the larger countries in this region - the Bahamas, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago - more than 2% of the adult population is living with HIV. Higher prevalence rates are found only in sub-Saharan Africa, making the Caribbean the second-most affected region in the world. More than half of adults living with the virus are women. Read more
Coolies: How Britain Reinvented Slavery
June 3, 2008
Another exceptional documentary from the BBC. The documentary follows the recruitment of Collies (Indians) from Calcutta India to the Caribbean (Guyana and Fiji) and then to South Africa. Slavery was officially abolished, yet the Empire where the sun never sets found a way to work around the horrors of Slavery with another shameful practice, Indentured Servants. Read more
Take action! Learn how you can reduce your carbon footprint by making simple changes around you.
May 17, 2008
Would you like to have a better planet to live, of course you do. Who wouldn’t want to breathe cleaner air, play in better parks, drink cleaner water and preserve the earth from the destruction that man has caused? We all do want those things, don’t we! But realistically time and finances do not allow us such luxuries, well at least most of us who inhabit this beautiful and accommodating planet of ours. Read more
Caribbean Women and Present Health Concerns
May 16, 2008
The health of immigrant populations has been of great concern for many years. For the purpose this Blog, let us for a while focus on the health of the Caribbean immigrant populations, and get a little more specific with women’s health.
Caribbean immigrants make up 10% if the total incoming immigrants in the US. (Vital and Health Statistics. 369: March 1st 2006) .Many of the women who emigrate from the English speaking Caribbean countries are in the US with their, spouses and children, or alone as illegal immigrants, Immigration and assimilation to a different culture and way of life is an extremely difficult process and especially so for our women. It is a well known fact that even though white women are more likely to have breast cancer, more black women die of breast cancer, simply because more are diagnosed at a more advanced stage of disease with poor prognosis. According to the Cancer Awareness Network (Center for Immigrant Health) from the NYU School Of Medicine, invasive cervical cancer is usually diagnosed in more advanced stages, in Haitian and English speaking Caribbean women than in US born black women. Read more
The Surging Cost of Rice Globally: What might be the resulting implications for developing Caribbean nations.
May 9, 2008
Increasing starvation for one will be experienced across the Caribbean because rice as all caribbeanites are aware of is part of our staple diet. Like Haiti and now Africa, food riots are quite promising in the near foreseeable months in Guyana, Brazil etc. Read more