Guyanese people
Afro-American religions, Traditional African religions, Chinese folk religion (Taoism and Confucianism), Amerindian folk beliefs |
The people of
Located on the northern coast of South America, Guyana is part of the main land Caribbean which is part of the historical British West Indies. It is culturally similar to Suriname and nearby island nations of the Caribbean such as Trinidad and Tobago, and is a culturally Caribbean country even though it is not an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea.[5]
The national anthem of Guyana,
Demographics
Even though referred to collectively as Amerindians, the indigenous peoples in Guyana are made up of several distinct tribes or nations. Warao, Arawak, Caribs, and Wapishana are all represented in Guyana.[8]
Europeans arrived in the Guianas in the search for gold in the New World, eventually settling in and colonizing Guyana and the Americas. Starting with the Dutch, then English, the cultural presence of Europe has been a significant force in the country even though the population was always in the minority. French and Spanish also have a presence in the region.[9]
The climate of Guyana was deemed suitable for growing sugar cane, sparking a demand for labour unmet by the Europeans themselves or the local Amerindians, so slaves from Africa were brought into the country. The high mortality and low birthrate of plantation slavery was supplemented by bringing in more enslaved people until the slave trade was abolished in 1838.[10] Indentured labour contracts were made for Portuguese and Chinese people,[11] but the largest numbers came from India.
The diversity of the country is a point of pride as well as a challenge; conflicts along racial lines have been a source of significant social tension. Racism in Guyana has roots in the control of labour, so that plantation owners could maintain a stratified society of subservient workers and limit competition for the highest social class. Many segments of society are divided by race, such as religion, politics, even industries.[10]
Language
Guyana's culture reflects its European history as it was colonized by both the Dutch and French before becoming a British colony. Guyana (known as British Guiana under British colonial rule), gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and subsequently became a republic in 1970. As a result of Guyana's 170-year history as a British colony, it is a part of the
See also
- Culture of Guyana
- Guyanese Canadians
- Women of Guyana
- History of Guyana
- Guyanese Americans
- Indigenous peoples in Guyana
- Portuguese Guyanese
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Guyana – Emigrantes totales 2019" (in Spanish).
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (8 February 2017). "Census Profile, 2016 Census – Canada [Country] and Canada [Country]". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
- ^ "Antigua and Barbuda::Statistics Division/Redatam Webserver | Statistical Process and Dissemination Tool".
- ^ a b "Immigrant and Emigrant Populations by Country of Origin and Destination".
- ^ "Guyana – The World Factbook". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
- ISSN 2425-6250.
- ^ Agriculture, United States Congress House Committee on (1965). Amend and Extend the Sugar Act of 1948: Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Eighty-ninth Congress, First Session, on H.R. 10496. U.S. Government Printing Office.
- ISBN 978-0-7146-4030-3.
- ^ "Guyana – BRITISH TAKE OVER". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
- ^ a b "Guyana – Ethnic Groups". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
- ^ "Hailing contributions of Chinese, President says new arrivals welcome". Stabroek News. 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
- ^ "Of Creole language, dialect and literature". Stabroek News. 2018-05-13. Retrieved 2021-02-09.