The Power of the Older Generation

By Faith Greene

THEY say that children are gifts to their parents. It is the parents’ responsibility to teach them right from wrong andwhat is good and evil. They explain the facts of life to their offspring in preparation for their life as adults.

Some adults, however, cannot experience that gift, and some children are left without the guidance they need desperately. It is why in villages like Philadelphia, some older men and women adopt that parental role in the lives of many.

These people can be members of a religious organization, a religious leader, a community leader or just someone with a great deal of wisdom and no one to share it with.

Meet, ‘Uncle Alan’ (name given), one of Philadelphia’s oldest residents. Alan was at home with his family when the team dropped by. Uncle Alan revisited his youth and imparted the wisdom he has gained over the past decades on us.

According to the man, his grandparents arrived in Guyana from India many years ago. The man, now in his 70s, has lived in Philadelphia his entire life and grew up on a farm. Farming was one of the many providers of income at that time. He shared that his father had 10 acres of farmland, while he had seven. Together,they had approximately 17 acres of farmland.

Alan is the father of five children, one of whom was mur- dered by her husband some time ago.

When asked about changes around the community, Alan said that he sees changes all around. These changes, he said, can be good or bad. Quoting Lord Krishna, he said that whatever happened, happened for a good.

Meanwhile, the man’s daughter, Robeena (only name given) and her husband, who were visiting, shared that they have been married for four years now. Although she is a housewife, the woman says she sometimes goes to the back dam where her husband works on a rice field.

The husband CharakDoohuran, said that his interest in rice farming was stemmed from generations of rice farmers. He said further that he has two other workmen, who work the fields with him.

Philadelphia has a number of rice farms all around, with several rice pullers around.

In Guyana, there are over six thousand rice farmers whofarmers produce rice in Guyana, along with 43 licensed rice millers and 22 registered exporters.