Unsung Guyanese Hero: Eusi Kwayana

Did you know that one man had a hand in creating three major political parties in Guyana? Not only did he contribute to the pre- and post-Independence political history of Guyana, but he also sparked a cultural revolution that sent shockwaves through the nation. In this episode of For The Culture Guyana we will learn more about the legend you never knew: Poet, Writer, Statesman, and Cultural Activist Eusi Kwayana.

In history, some people have in their unique way made a significant contribution to the timeline of a nation. Unfortunately, their exploits are often quickly forgotten and underappreciated. For Guyana, One such person is Eusi Kwayana.

Early Life

Eusi Kwayana was born on April 4, 1925, at Lusignan, ECD as Sydney Evanson King. At a young age, his family moved to Buxton, where he became a very well known and respected member of the village. Hence the Sage of Buxton name in his later years. At 15, he became a teacher. If that wasn’t impressive enough. In 1956, He founded the County High School in Buxton at the age of 31.

However, his first brush with national politics came when he joined the Political Action Committee, founded by the late Cheddi and Janet Jagan, both of whom would go on to become Presidents of Guyana in their later years.

Early Politics

So the PAC was the forerunner to the People’s Progressive Party, a party he helped establish in 1950. In April 1953, while still a British colony, Guyana held an election in which the PPP/C won. Eusi then became a member of Dr. Jagan’s cabinet, serving as Minister of Communication and Works. Unfortunately, this didn’t last long.

Why? Cause COMMUNISM. Yes, the Cold War was in full swing, and the PPP’s leftist ideology did not sit well with Britain. After only 133 days in office, In October 1953, the British government suspended the constitution and kick them out. Then out of fear that they would spark political unrest Kwayana and others were detained by the British Army. In 1957, he left the PPP over disagreements Guyana choosing whether or not it should join the West Indian Federation. He was a deep supporter of the concept as he was also one of the original intellectual authors of the Pan-African movement in the Caribbean. So much so that in the 1960s he founded the first pan-Africanist organization in the Caribbean. ASCRIA African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa. Because of the Peoples National Congress’ Afrocentric stance, the ASCRIA joined forces with them until 1971 when he was expelled from the party.

Unite or Partition

Why was he expelled? Because he called for shared governance, a word that is thrown around a lot these days. He called for a new political system of joint ruling between the leaders of the two major ethnic groups, Indo and Afro-Guyanese; with partition along ethnic lines as a last resort if such negotiations failed. But, by recognizing that a racial divide even existed in Guyana the PNC subsequently accused him of being racist and dismissed him and the idea.

In 1974, ASCRIA joined forces with the Working People's Vanguard Party, the Indian Political Revolutionary Associates, and Ratoon to create the Working Peoples Alliance, a political pressure group that became a political party in 1979.  This is the party that famed Pan-African scholar the late Walter Rodney eventually joined. Kwayana served in Parliament for several years before he retired in 2002 and migrated in June of that year San Diego, California. At 99 years old Eusi Kwayana he still lives in the US.

Legacy

Perhaps one of Eusi Kwayana’s least known accomplishments is the fact that he wrote the anthems for the PPP, “Oh Fighting Men”; the PNC, “The Battle Song”; and the WPA, “People’s Power”. As a writer, he also had a pivotal role in the founding of each party’s newspapers as well. However, in a tribute to Eusi Kwayana WPA executive member Dr. David Hinds said that his impact in Guyana went well beyond politics he said,

“When African-Guyanese now give their children African names and Guyanese no longer make fun of those names, we must trace that back to Eusi Kwayana who through the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA) launched the Cultural Revolution that introduce the level of self-love that African Guyanese now take for granted. When we celebrate Emancipation Day as part of the national norm in Guyana, we must know that that celebration as an institution is the result of Kwayana’s cultural revolution.”

With the nation experiencing such racial divisiveness, suspicion, and vitriol it is good for us to remember persons who have made positive contributions to the culture of Guyana.

So If you’re reading this and you know the man personally tell him we want to meet him. We’ll be sure to thank you on the show. Because of this and more, I think he deserves more recognition than he gets.  What do you think? Leave your comment below. Also, if you have someone who you think we should feature let us know in the comments. Until next time, if you’re contributing to your nation’s history. You’re doing it for the culture.