Powered By Blogger

Monday, September 30, 2013

Beyond Bentick Sancho, one hundred and fifty-two (152) years ago

I enjoyed a ninety (90) plus minutes’ conversation with Ms. Patrice Baird-Grandison. Our relative is a great granddaughter of Ms. Winifred (Sancho) Moore. Our common ancestor is her great great-grandfather Lammy Tuckness Sancho.
Ms. Patrice Baird-Grandison grew up in Ann’s Grove and Georgetown. She does not know me. She did not know Muriel Sancho. However, she was familiar with a number of the members of  the Sharper group of Sancho people. Of course, she is aware of Miss Annie Elizabeth Benn group of Sancho people especially those of Ms. Winifred (Sancho) Moore. She was stumped by the reference to Cousin Gwen Valentine  and Jocelyn Valentine - and also Cousin Phyllis Kendall. It seems Ms. Patrice Baird-Grandison accompanied her mother on rather brief visits to Golden Grove and Nabaclis.  Perhaps, she  visited with the Abrams’ sisters . . .  She accompanied her mother as she conducted real estate affairs at the  Village Office  . . .
Now here are  the real gems.  Lee is the only Johnson child. Her grandmother was thrice married. Ms. McKenzie, her grandaunt  is alive and well in the USA  . . . Well what do I know? I told her I thought only one female Sharper, three Grovesnor sisters and five Abrams sisters of my mother’s generation dwell in the physical realm of existence. She stated Sancho people have omitted the generations of Ms. Winifred (Sancho) Moore, from their focus and discussions. I told I did not know of their existence then certainly I won’t possibly be aware of their academic excellence. I admitted I knew Ms. McKenzie graduated at the top of her class at Howard University. I thought she was a pharmacist. However, a chemist seems to be a different field of study. I knew Ms. McKenzie had previously married I think Kenneth Barnwell considered a relative . . . Thus much against the wishes of her parents. Ms. Patrice Baird-Grandison told me three of Ms. Mckenzie’s children are an agronomist, a chemist and veterinarian. One of her grandchildren is a University trained professional musician.
Ms. Patrice Baird-Grandison promised to help set the record straight on the story of her immediate relatives.
I told her I was familiar with her Aunt.  Lee Johnson visited the Sancho residence at Nabaclis, perhaps more so with Edmond Sharper.  That’s where and how I met Lee Johnson . . . I also have a recurring memory of visiting with Lee Johnson in Lodge Village, East Bank Demerara. Lee Johnson has seven children. I knew the first child, Shondell. One of her daughters is either an international lawyer or studying international law. Another daughter is attending the University of Guyana. It is success stories in a Guyanese  society trending on the immoral behavior of “Africans-in-America” in the inner-cities of the USA in Guyana which I appreciate . . .  I simply love to hear about Sancho doing well and indeed Guyanese youngsters doing well.
Now I lamented the fact that Sancho has a traveling road show . . . Sancho family reunions nothing but a fashion show and picnic.  Sancho of this era, label such Sancho Family Reunion for the past twenty-four (24) years. Yet, the Sancho people haven’t moved onto some tangible programs.  How do those gatherings  benefit our people and  our future generations? I cannot associate with such gimmicks. I am past style. I am past materialism. I am past gossiping. I am past lip service.  I am about substance.  I am passionate about Sancho, Sancho legacy, Sancho lineage, Sancho unity,  Sancho kinship agenda and Sancho survival. I fear assimilation.  I witnessed  numerous Sancho people depart this world. I owe it to those who I bonded with to attempt to spread a social and cultural gospel of Sancho - a gospel of and historical truths. Agenda of  kinship based on self-help or do-for-self programs -  with  the vehicle being a  Sancho group of families’ Non-for-Profit family organization.
I charge; If you aren’t taking about a Sancho kinship agenda,  I swear,  you aren’t talking about nothing meaningfully . . . Perhaps even this practice of social networking is also meaningless and  without substance. I don’t get it. Sancho can run nonprofit in the name of an Iconic PNC leader,  benefitting PNC people, and other Guyanese  but Sancho will not do likewise for the benefit of their own heritage. I have issues with such behaviors. What are the agendas of  your nuclear family? What programs are you championing for the members of your nuclear family?  What are the causes beyond your nuclear family you are  championing? If its not championing the preservation of Sancho ancestral legacies and the future of Sancho; you are doing nothing . . . Land is freedom . . .  Sancho must own land and immovable property in Guyana, and wherever Sancho resides. What’s wrong with Sancho housing Sancho?  What’s wrong with Sancho making jobs available for Sancho? What’s wrong with  Sancho promoting academic careers of Sancho? Sancho you tell why you won’t support such an agenda?
Let Sancho move forward to great heights, to greater heights . . . Let Sancho surpass  the achievements of Bentick Sancho - if not achievements favorably  comparable to that of Bentick Sancho, one hundred and fifty-two (152) years ago . . .  Thanks for reading, sharing and caring - now show and prove  . . .

No comments:

Post a Comment