Acknowledgments
El Guanaguanare
Submission Guidelines
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Guanaguanare: the laughing gull bows low in gratitude to the spirits, living in the here or hereafter, whose works are posted on this blog. They have felt and thought deeply enough about this nation of Trinidad and Tobago to use their time and effort and creative talents to give expression to various perspectives and opinions.
Covering the gamut of approaches, from unfettered pride, thoughtful appraisal through concern and admonition to frustration, cynicism and alarm, what they all have in common is LOVE - conditional, unconditional, unrequited, serious tabanca, but love all the same, for this place we call home.
The blog's sidebar includes a listing of websites/blogs maintained by natives and non-natives of Trinidad and Tobago. Some of them focus on issues relevant to Trinidad and Tobago and I am pleased to include them also here and thank them for their voices.
Special, special, special thanks to the many persons, including TriniDesi, IsDePanInMe, izatrini, 0trini0, cool4rocknroll, kaiso22, Trinnilicious4life, wongkee83 and baidawi who upload the treasures that I link to on YouTube. Thank you for sharing Trinbago's gifts with the world.
Thanks to the photographers, including Gary Gibson and Maximilian Forte for kindly permitting the use of some of their images on this blog.
Thanks to Dr. Roi Guanapo Ankhkara Kwabena and Louis Sellier, whose generous spirits always accompany El Guanaguanare.
Last, but not least, thanks to the persons who drop by and take the time to leave comments. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
Thank You All.
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El Guanaguanare | Composed and performed by by Jesús "Chu" Ávila [1930-2012] | Uploaded by keysalmo
Who is the Laughing Gull?
Guanaguanare, the happy, non-threatening seagull hovers over this blog. This seagull symbolises something of the resilient though besieged natural spirit of the islands and many of its inhabitants...an aboriginal presence...a retiring, gentler spirit that does not seek heavy baggage and leaves a light footprint. The name Guanaguanare (most commonly pronounced "Wanna-wannare") is an Amerindian word for the laughing gull and you probably know that it was also used by the Amerindian cacique -Cacique Guanaguanare, who gave the Spanish the land on which they were to establish San Jose de Oruna or St. Joseph, the first capital of Trinidad.
From resources on Island Carib language, I created the site's rallying call:
Ahakutuwatiwa, alëlekatiwa, akuyawatiwa!
We awake, we laugh, we return!
It is meant to give hope to all people who are mourning the loss of a better quality of life. On another level, it is also addresses people with Amerindian ancestry who do and do not publicly identify with this connection. We are still here, sleeping maybe, but not extinct. Apart from its use to disprove the fact of a continuing Amerindian presence among us and in our veins, the extinction myth is also used to suppress so many other possibilities, to nip life itself in the bud. Someone decided that Hope is Extinct and people are despairing because they are beginning to believe the myths, that human kindness is dead, that the option of a simpler, less punishing lifestyle is a lost cause, that Trinidad and Tobago is going down the tubes, that law breakers and inconvenient human foetuses are better off dead, that all efforts to reverse the tailspin will amount to nothing.
The site belongs to everyone, all the spirits who fly through to contemplate or to leave their contributions to this conversation about Trinidad and Tobago. Even if you do not submit works, please visit to listen, to read, to reflect and, if you wish, to leave your comments. Looking forward to meeting you! Many blessings! ................................................................................................................................................................ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Greetings prospective contributor,
The purpose of this not-for-profit blog is to collect songs (audio files welcomed), lyrics, poems, short essays and maybe even graphics which portray the creator's impressions of Trinidad and Tobago. I am looking for works which focus on the broader topic of Trinidad or Tobago or which refer to Trinbago but I will post materials which fall outside of this description. Please visit the Index to get an idea of what has been posted so far: It would be a tremendous honour and pleasure to have your spirit join us here.
My Guarantees
The Laughing Gull guarantees that:
- Your work will never become the property of this blog. You retain all rights to your work and full credit will be given to you. This will be stated clearly and displayed in any format that you require.
- You decide for how long you wish your work to be displayed on the blog. Upon your request, your work can be removed promptly, no questions asked.
- Contributors preferring anonymity will be accommodated and are equally welcomed.
- Any edits that you wish to be made to your work will either be done by me following your directions, or upon receipt of an edited file.
- As a courtesy, I will also provide, at your request, any links back to your websites or announcements about your publications/performances.
- Finally, your work will be in the company of other works that are not hateful or violently obscene, or that obviously are intended to disrespect the rights of others.
Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.
Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare
