The National Anthem and a sense of patriotism
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
June 3, 2004
A nation’s coat-of-arms and flag, a people’s national anthem and motto are necessary symbols of a country’s pride of heraldry and help impart what the poet Wordsworth calls “the heroic wealth of hall and bower” to a nation’s consciousness. Just ten days ago, Guyana ushered in the 38th of Independence with a number of flag-raising ceremonies and cultural programmes in various townships and villages. Of course, the premier celebration was enacted at the National Park, the original site of the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead on May 26, 1966. This year’s observance, deemed as one of the best seen, featured among other things, a crisp military display by contingents of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force; a beautifully choreographed display by the nation’s youths; dramatic skits; a cross-cultural drumming session; a feature address by President Bharrat Jagdeo, a fantastic fireworks display and the hoisting of the Guyana pennant commemorating the birth of the nation 38 years ago.
We are of the view that just a few among those who participated in or witnessed these commemorative events would not have experienced a sense of belonging, or better still, a warm glow of patriotic pride at being a Guyanese whatever social or economic challenges they face on a daily basis. For those few hours of celebration there was a coming together of minds, bodies and spirits in a demonstration of unity that belied the reality of daily existence, in which pinpricks of political adversaries and the barbs of ethnic opponents called a temporary truce. The bands rendered melodious national songs, the children and youths danced joyfully together, and the older folk reminisced with moist eyes about that emotion-charged night in May 1966, when Guyanese and their hundreds of invited guests witnessed the symbolic birth of this wonderful nation, whose motto says it all – One People, One Nation, One Destiny.
However, not many young Guyanese know that the music for the country’s National Anthem, “Dear Land of Guyana” was approved by the then House of Assembly on Thursday, April 21, 1966, or that the words were written by the Reverend A.L. Luker, an Englishman residing in this country, while the music composed by Guyanese musician Mr R.C.G. Potter. The princely sum of G$500 constituted the cash prize for this most important composition. And unless these young people have done some enquiring they would hardly know that the Golden Arrowhead, that proud and most distinguished flag was designed by American Mr Whitney Smith and was submitted in 1960 to the then Premier of British Guiana Dr Cheddi Jagan. This was six years before Independence.
A dossier loaned to the ‘Guyana Chronicle’ by the late Ms Lynette Dolphin, some 11 years ago notes that in 1965, the then Minister of Education Ms Winifred Gaskin made the selection of the Guyana National Anthem a priority task for the newly formed History and Arts Council. That body decided to hold one competition for the words of the Anthem and another for the setting of those words to music. The guidelines for the composition of this so-very-important song indicate how sensitively the committee approached its mission. While space does not permit us to list all aspects of the process, the following points illustrate this sensitivity to the nation’s ethnic make-up and the religious persuasions: “It (the National Anthem) should preferably be short; it should have dignity, and should encourage a feeling of patriotism. It should be simple in conception so that a child might understand it immediately but should lend itself to occasions, which may be splendid and glorious. It should be singable in a rousing and even a robust manner. It should, if possible, project an image of the country, especially its peculiar qualities and attributes. It was also agreed that as far as possible, the winning entry should not make undue reference to matters such as slavery, the concept of the six races, the recent disturbances, matters of ideology, political party slogans (patent or latent), the names of personalities at present in the political arena, and that as far as possible it should bear no resemblance to other national anthems, hymns, etc. Bearing in mind the religious distribution of the population, in Christian, Hindu and Muslim persuasions, it was agreed that as far as possible, although the idea of God was desirable, the National Anthem should avoid distinct religious references in denominational terms.”
Whether executed by voices alone, or by voices accompanied by orchestra, the composition, “Green Land of Guyana” still possesses the power to infuse patriotic pride in the breasts of Guyanese 38 years after the attainment of Independence.