Pakaraima Writers dined to poetic seconds

Not only a mountain range comes to mind or a famous hang-out in Georgetown resonates when Pakaraima is mentioned, but for many Guyanese in Canada it’s about writers and poets.

Last evening - November 3, 2007 - for the second year, members and friends of this fledgling Association gathered over a sumptious West Indian meal at the Scarlet Ibis Restaurant in Scarborough to enjoy poetry, short stories and other works as part of a fundraiser for PAKARAIMA’s new website, domained at www.pakaraimawriters.org

Regards were recieved from the Guyana Consulate, from whose office in Toronto this interest group was conceived. Monthly meetings move around at different places to accommodate members.

The night’s program included reading from Janet Naidu, author of Rainwater and founder and President of PAKARAIMA; Richard Rupnarain, Vice-President and author of Nightly Journey, Habeeb Alli, Passions of ElDorado CS, Peter Jailal, the maestro and Ed Yahp, the comedian and Roop Misir the social commentator. Others whose books were on sale includes Shirley Najhram, Layers of the Rainforest, Colin Ninvale’s Stereotypes and Lal Balkaran’s publications on Guyanese Amerindians.

The evening was attended by 36 guests who expressed their appreciation for such an occasion to get a taste of Guyanese writing in Canada. Some said that they want more Guyanese Torontonians to join in the literary hub next year.