Cultural Icon, Ameena Gafoor passes on

Aug 27, 2024 News

Cultural Icon, Ameena Gafoor

Kaieteur News – Author, cultural icon, and philanthropist, Ameena Gafoor passed away at the age of 83 on Monday after a period of illness.

Mrs. Gafoor, wife of businessman Sattaur Gafoor has been described as someone who came from humble beginnings. In a statement, President Irfaan Ali hailed Mrs Gafoor, as a truly extraordinary woman whose contributions to our nation, and especially to the literary arts were exceptional. “Ameena’s kindness and generosity were unmatched, touching the lives of many through her consistent support for various philanthropic endeavours, particularly in the promotion of the literary arts. Her efforts nurtured and uplifted the talents of writers, poets, and artists across Guyana, making a lasting impact on our nation,” the President said.

He said “Ameena will be remembered not only for her profound influence in the literary world but also for her humility and warm-spiritedness”. “Her gracious nature and compassionate heart made her a beloved figure to all who knew her. In her passing, Guyana has lost a true literary luminary and one of its kindest souls. On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, I extend our deepest condolences to her husband, family, and all who mourn her loss. May her example continue to inspire kindness, generosity, and a love for the arts in all of us. May Allah’s divine blessings and mercy be with her.”

Mrs. Gafoor founded The Arts Journal, Gafoor of which she was the editor and contributed significantly to Caribbean cultural history. She also co-founded the Gafoor Foundation with her husband, Sattaur Gafoor. The foundation over the years has assisted scores of Guyanese. Back in 2020, Mrs. Gafoor established the Ameena Gafoor Institute for the Study of Indentureship and its Legacies at Cambridge University. She was Secretary of the Arts Forum Inc (2002; a cultural platform that claims space for invisible artists in society), Editor of The Arts Journal (2004- present), and director of the Guyana Book Foundation. Ameena was also Chairman of the Doobay Medical and Research Centre Board of Directors. She was the Founder and Administrator of the Gafoor Foundation which supports organisations like ChildLink;  Step-by-Step Foundation for Autism; The Blind Institute; the Palms; a retirement home for the elderly; and the Dharm Shala.

Back in 2020 Dr Vishnu Bisram in a letter to this newspaper praised the work of Mrs. Gafoor Saying that she boasts an impressive record of supporting public service, promoting the arts, and scholarly research work. “She is highly respected by Guyanese in the diaspora for her work. It is hoped that the Ameena Gafoor Institute on Indentureship will encourage research to fill the void of limited research on indentureship. Such an Indentureship institute is long overdue. No such institute exists anywhere in Guyana or the Caribbean. There are state-sponsored institutes and research projects on the legacies of slavery but none on indentureship or the Indian experience. The governments in Guyana and the Ministry of Culture have not been very supportive of programmes or activities pertaining to indentureship,” Bisram wrote.

He noted then in his letter that indentured servants from India accounted for 90% of the indentured labourers in Guyana post-slavery and 95 percent in Trinidad. However succeeding governments in Guyana and in the Caribbean have not shown much interest in, or been forthcoming with sponsorship of projects relating to indentureship.

He said scholars on indentureship told him that an Institute to examine the Indian legacy in Guyana and elsewhere is welcomed. “The Gafoors are applauded for conceiving this indentureship Institute. It is fitting to start it now since this year marks the centennial of the official end of indentureship. The recruitment of indentured labourers ended in March 1917 and the inhumane practice of indentured servitude came to an end on January 1, 1920.

Ameena Gafoor is saluted for her leadership and commitment to conceiving this worthy institute. The institute is urged to provide college scholarships for underprivileged high school students, especially from neglected rural areas to promote research into the history and culture of Indian indentureds. It is expected that this Gafoor Indentureship project would fund research of new and experienced academics and that it would help to produce budding scholars on the indentureship experience like the internationally acclaimed David Dabydeen, Clem Seecharran, Baytoram Ramharack, Basdeo Mangru, Rhyaan Shah, Gaiutra Bahadur, and Ameena Gafoor, herself, among others. It is hoped that the Ameena Gafoor Institute on Indentureship would also produce outstanding new scholarship (research) and that it would help to make a positive impact on Indo-Caribbean people.”

• Ameena Gafoor, Cultural Icon