On August 4th, 2018, we had a grand opening of “The Buxton / Friendship Museum Archives and Culture Center” located at Lot 35 Buxton Middle Street (Lower Level) Buxton Village, East Coast, Demerara, Guyana.

Continuing, after our celebrations in Guyana at the Museum venue and the Tipperary Hall on August 4th, 2019; The Friends of the Villages Museum & Archives Inc. held its First Biennial Special Awards Dinner & Dance at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center in Laurel, Maryland USA on November 9th, 2019, with the theme “ Rekindling the Ancestral Fortitude and Resilience of our Village/ Villages” The keynote speaker for this event was Dr. Nigel Westmaas.

The evening started with music from Jimmy T Experience and catering was by the Taste of the Caribbean owned by Buxtonian Lorraine Newton and husband Stanley Newton. Our attendance came from a cross section of the community and out of state, New York, Delaware, Guyana,representatives of Cimbux Inc.,DCMCO, The Caribbean Council of Prince George’s County and the Prince Georges Multicultural Commission, our First Key Note Speaker in Guyana, Dr Barbara Josiah and Ms. Rebecca Alban Hoffberger – Founder & Director from the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. AVAM) and all of our board members.Decorations were done by Elegance Event Planning, LLC, Patricia Taitt, Manager and a new member of the board. Programs were printed by Landover printing, manager Jennifer Williams. This signature event began with welcome remarks by Sisters Denise Hazel and Patricia Taite, who introduced the Pastors wife and Pastor, Rev Oswen Cameron to bless the evenings' proceedings . After dinner the planned program was taken over by the Master of Ceremonies and the welcome address was delivered by the Vice President of the Friends of the Villages Museum and Archives, Inc. Mr Oscar Spencer. The program continued with the recognition of guests by the Museum's Founder Keith Easton who acknowledged and made made presentation of the “Founders  Special Awards” along with a framed picture of the Museum and Archives in Guyana to the following persons.

1. Mr Regon Martin - artist, welder businessman, inventor.
2. Mr Lyndon Barton- artist, Adjunct instructor and writer. Inventor.
3. Mr. Nigel Westmaas - Associate professor, researcher, writer and activist.

Mrs. Rebecca Alban Hoffberger was also acknowledged for the role her museum played in being the inspirational site for the idea to start BFMACC and giving advice to the Founder. She was also presented with a framed picture of the Museum and Archives in Guyana. Following up Mr. Arnold Bathersfield  introduced the Keynote speaker who travelled with his wife Halycon,  from upstate New York to attend the function and we are very thankful. Dr Nigel Westmaas is a Guyanese who teaches at Hamilton College in the United States.

Beginning his speech Dr Westmaas stated “Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, friends, I am humbled, honored and delighted to be here this evening at this fund raising dinner and dance for the Buxton-Friendship museum archive and cultural center. And knowing the unbounded pride and nationalism of this great, historic village I am even more honored to be asked to make these opening remarks First of all, it’s an open secret that I am not a Buxtonian and I must confess I feel like an interloper or illegal immigrant venturing into the sovereign state of Buxton.

I am however comforted by the fact that I think I have a fairly good visa for Buxton-Friendship on the basis of a long friendship with many Buxtonians and contact with the village over the years. Indeed, throughout my life, having been an active member of a certain political party, I have made friends with, worked with and intersected, with some of your great villagers inclusive of, only to name a few, Dr David Hinds, George Osbourne Hinds, Kwesi Easton, Nkewesi Wiggins, Kidackie Amsterdam, the late Floyd Andries, Deon Abrams, Donna Thomas-McDowell, Fitzroy Valentine, Oscar (Owen) McGarrell, Mboya Wood, Duncan Seaforth and the late Gordon Seaforth, Gem Grant, Curbette Victorine, and of course the legendary brother Eusi Kwayana.

So bear with me Buxtonians of the diaspora and friends of Buxton as I reflect briefly on this major development of the museum which is now active in Buxton, the capital of Guyana as Brother Eusi’s son Kofi so boldly proclaimed the village not so long ago. As I begin, I must first pay tribute to the drive, initiative and success of one of the key instigators of the Buxton Friendship museum on its first anniversary, brother Keith Easton, and to the other members of the Board of Directors Oscar Spencer, Candace Benn, Frank Luncheon, John Massay, Arnold Bathersfield and Raymond Talbot.

When, about two years ago Keith mentioned that he was planning to work with Buxtonians at home and abroad to build the museum, I was absolutely delighted. I thought immediately of one way I could assist, and I knew it would be in the field of historical documents from my Guyana collection. A lot of the material was accumulated over the years from the national archive newspapers in Guyana and now from microfilm available from inter library loan at my university.

These microfilm collections allowed me to peruse and collect newspaper articles with stories and information on a wide array of topics from the 19th century all the way up to modern times. My collection is exclusively connected to Guyana’s history. At one time these archives were extremely valuable for my own research and publications on the activities of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association in Guyana in early 20th century Guyana”.

”Finally, I would like to urge all, in the spirit of Brother Keith and other founders of this project – to read, support and give items to the museum and or ideas. I call on Buxtonians and friends of Buxton Friendship at home and abroad to pass over to the museum old letters from your families, church records of births and deaths, wills, diaries, coins, old photographs, ornaments, tools, and old newspapers(before someone thinks that old newspapers are junk or a fire hazard give them to brother Keith and the museum). Even the most unlikely items you have from homes – something like an old Lighthouse matchbox, old tools, paintings, indeed anything that you can measure as holding historical value, would be useful to the brothers and sisters who are keeping this Buxton-Friendship museum reality alive. Then of course there is oral history of Buxton-Friendship history through recorded interviews with older Buxtonians, which I believe would bring out some amazing social history.

So, in closing I can only wish, on my own behalf and on behalf of my charming, better half Halycon, all power to the initiative of the museum and the fund raising for the effort. I am so proud and honored to be given this invitation to address you, and I know my symbolic visa to Buxton-Friendship will never expire because I will continue to send historical documents to the museum as I continue my other archival work on Guyana.

May the Buxton-Friendship museum, archive and cultural centre go from strength to strength.

A salute to the organizers of this event. Thank you so very much.” A copy of his speech is enclosed along with pictures of the event.

Mr Frank Luncheon -Treasurer of the organization delivered the closing remarks.

During dinner we were entertained with poetry from a CD by Dr Owen Ifill of Buxton followed by dancing with music from Bobby’s Music Machine.
This was a very successful Event in the Fundraising efforts to preserve the history Of Buxton/ Friendship/ Annandale and its surrounding neighboring villages. See pictures enclosed.

Thanks to all our Financial Donors, Artifacts contributors, Sponsors and advertisers as shown in our booklet.

Following the Awards presentations and Keynote speaker address, attendees were entertained and danced to the music of Jimmy T Experience and Bobby's Music Machine , while some chose to meet and greet each other.

(Note: The Museum is only open Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 1. pm- 5 pm.)

Prepared by Keith Easton for FVMA