Afro-Guyanese

Afro-Guyanese, also known as Black Guyanese, are generally descended from the enslaved African people brought to Guyana from the coast of West Africa to work on sugar plantations during the era of the Atlantic slave trade.

Coming from a wide array of backgrounds and enduring conditions that severely constrained their ability to preserve their respective cultural traditions contributed to the adoption of Christianity and the values of British colonists.

[1] The Dutch West India Company turned to the importation of African slaves, who rapidly became a key element in the colonial economy.

[2] Led by Cuffy (now the national hero of Guyana), the African freedom fighters came to number about 3,000 and threatened European control over the Guianas.

[4] The system of apprentice-ship was established to create a buffer period for plantation owners; to keep former slaves as labour but providing payment.

[4][5] Establishing small settlements provided the new Afro-Guyanese communities an opportunity to grow and sell food, an extension of a practice under which slaves had been allowed to keep the money that came from the sale of any surplus produce.

[4] Emancipation also resulted in the introduction of new ethnic and cultural groups into British Guiana,[4] such as Chinese and Portuguese indentured labourers, who upon completing their contracts, became competitors with the new Afro-Guyanese middle class.

It is also important to note that the Nduyka (Aukan) who inhabit the Western side of neighboring Suriname also are related to the Akans.

[14] In 2017, a United Nations expert group determined that Afro-Guyanese face discrimination in law enforcement, employment, and education.