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Guyana.
Culture:
Guyanese culture reflects the influence of African, Indian, Amerindian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish cultures.
Guyana is one of a few mainland territories of South America that is considered to be a part of the Caribbean region. Guyanese culture shares many commonalities with the cultures of islands in the West Indies.
Cuisine:
Guyanese cuisine is very similar to the rest of the Anglo Caribbean. The food reflects the ethnic makeup of the country and its colonial history, and includes Ethnic groups of African, Creole, East Indian, Portuguese, Amerindian, Chinese and European (mostly British) influences and dishes. The food is diverse and includes dishes such as curry and roti, and cookup rice, the local variation on the Caribbean rice and peas. The one pot meal while not the national dish is one of the most cooked dishes. With its various versions, according to what type of meat, peas and other ingredients available, is a true reflection of the country.
Dishes have been adapted to Guyanese tastes, often by the addition of herbs and spices. Unique preparations include Guyana Pepperpot, a stew of Amerindian origin made with meat, cassareep (a bitter extract of the cassava), and seasonings. Other favourites are cassava bread, stews, and Metemgie, a thick rich type of soup with ground provision, coconut milk and large dumplings (called Duff), eaten with fried fish or chicken. Homemade bread-making, an art in many villages, is a reflection of the British influence that includes pastries such as cheese rolls, pine (pineapple) tarts, and patties.
Curry is widely popular in Guyana and includes most types of meat that can be curried including chicken, seafood, goat, lamb, and even duck. Guyanese style Chow Mein is another dish that is cooked regularly in many homes.
Caribbean ground provisions (known colloquially as provisions) are part of the staple diet and include cassava, sweet potato, and edoes. There is an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood on the coast.
Most individuals use fresh fruits to make their own beverages, which are called "local drink", which are made from readily available fruits or other parts of plants. Popular homemade drinks are Lime Wash (like lemonade), pine drink (from a pineapple)mauby, made from the bark of a tree; sorrel drink, made from hibiscus; ginger beer (made from ginger root), and peanut punch.
Fresh fish and seafood are an integral part of the Guyanese diet especially in the rural areas and small villages along the coast. Popular fish types include gilbaka, butter fish. tilapia, catfish, and hassa. The crab soups with okra from the Berbice coastal region resemble the Louisiana Creole soups like gumbo.
Christmas and Old Year's Night (New Year) is the most celebrated time for Guyanese for food and festivities. Advance preparation is part of the exciting pre-preparation for Christmas celebrations. It starts with the preparation and soaking of fruits and rum or wine for Black Cake weeks or sometimes months ahead to intensify the flavour. Local drinks such as ginger beer, mauby and sorrel are fermented and require a sitting (pre-preparation) period prior to making. Ginger beer is the Christmas drink of choice, similar to the popularity of eggnog in North America. Some dishes certain to be served are Guyana pepperpot, garlic pork, black cake, sponge cake and home-made bread. Some of the local drinks and food require advance preparation.
Guyanese style Chinese food and fried chicken are the most popular restaurant and take-out items, and are found in the bigger towns. Popular Chinese dishes include lo mein, chow mein, and "Chicken in the ruff" (fried rice with Chinese-style fried chicken).
Music:
The music of Guyana is a mix of Indian, Spanish, African, European and Amerindian elements. American, Caribbean, Brazilian, Argentinian and other Latin musical styles are also popular. Popular Guyanese performers include Terry Gajraj, Harry Panday, Eddy Grant, Dave Martins & the Tradewinds, (Johnny Braff, Ivor Lynch & Sammy Baksh) Aubrey Cummings and Nicky Porter, Shameer Rahman and Trinidadian chutney singer Ravi Bissambhar.
The Guyana Music Festival has proven to be influential on the Guyana music scene.
Ethnic Racial Composition:
* 43.5% East Indian
* 30.2% Black
* 16.7% Mixed
* 9.1% Native American
* 0.5% White & Chinese
People:
The present population of Guyana is racially and ethnically heterogeneous, with ethnic groups originating from India, Africa, Europe, and China, as well as indigenous or aboriginal peoples.
Indian Guyanese - Are Guyanese people who's ancestry comes from India. They are descendants of indentured labourers from India that came over in the mid 1800s. Most Indo-Guyanese are descended from Bhojpuri-speaking Bihari and Uttar Pradesh migrants. Many Indo-Guyanese are also Tamil speaking Tamils from Tamil Nadu, and Telugus of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Indo-Guyanese make up about 45% of the Guyanese population.
African Guyanese - Are Guyanese people that descend from people that came over from Africa. They descend from West African slaves that were brought over during the late 16th and early 19th centuries by the British, Dutch, and Portuguese slave traders. They established many Maroon villages and many were successful in escaping and avoiding being captured. The slaves had to work in the fields, houses, and mines. The most dominant known and recorded Africans brought to Guyana as well as genetic studies have shown that the Akan people from Ghana, Igbo's & Yoruba's from Nigeria, and many Bantu people's from Central Africa. Black Guyanese people make up roughly around 30% of the Guyanese population.
Native Guyanese - Are Guyanese people who's ancestors are native to present-day Guyana or South America before European contact. Guyanese Natives, like all Native Americans are descendants from bands of Nomads who made their way across to the Americas from East Asia from a land-Bridge connecting Siberia to Alaska known as Beringia. They may also have some small influences from Paleo-Americans that came from The Pacific. Native Guyanese people makeup about 8-10% of the Guyanese population.
It is estimated that some 15-20% of the Guyanese population are Racially Mixed. Other small minorities include White Guyanese that make up no more than 1% of the Guyanese population as well as the Chinese
Languages:
English is the official language of Guyana. They also have a unique English dialect when spoken informally and it is simply Guyanese English. Guyanese English has it's roots in Hiberno English from Southern Ireland, British-London English, and WestCountry English origin with some influences from East Indian and West African languages. There is also some Dutch influence as well as Native American depending on where in Guyana it is spoken. Other than English there is also 9 other languages known that are spoken throughout Guyana and they are of Native South American & Caribbean origin.
The 9 languages are:
Akawaio
Macushi
Waiwai
Arawak
Patamona
Warrau
Carib
Wapishana
Arekuna
Religion:
Christianity and Hinduism are the dominant religions in Guyana. According to the 2012 census, approximately 63 percent of the population is Christian.
Sports:
The major sports in Guyana are cricket (Guyana is part of the West Indies as defined for international cricket purposes), basketball, football and volleyball. Minor sports include softball cricket (beach cricket), field hockey, netball, rounders, lawn tennis, table tennis, boxing, squash, rugby, horse racing and a few others.
Guyana played host to international cricket matches as part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC 2007). The new 15,000-seat Providence Stadium, also referred to as Guyana National Stadium, was built in time for the World Cup and was ready for the beginning of play on 28 March. At the first international game of CWC 2007 at the stadium, Lasith Malinga of the Sri Lankan team took four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.
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