The Religious Climate in Guyana

Barbara Burrowes [van Praag]
August 1971

Guyana is peopled by six different ethnic groups, descendants of Indians, Africans, Chinese, Amerindians, Portuguese and Europeans. There are also six well-established religious ideologies not including tribal and primitive religions and cults. Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and followers of the Bahai faith are named in order of percentage of the total population.

The Hindus are numerous because the country has over fifty percent Indians from India. The Arians and the Sanatists are the two groups of Hindus, the former being representative of the higher castes. Two of the Hindu feast are celebrated as National Holidays: the purification or Pagwa feast, which is a feast where the participants dowse other with a reddish-colored water in this celebration, not only Hindus take part but also other Guyanese belonging to other religions and ethnic groups. The Diwali festival is the Feast of Lights. Homes and graveyards are decorated with small lights, this is the celebration of the triumph of good over evil.

The Christian population consists of more Protestants than Catholics, although the Catholics have increased over the recent years. There are over thirty different Christian sects, many of which are supported by American, Canadian and English missionary societies. The latest sect to be doing well here is the Assembly of God where people speak in tongues and roll down the aisles. Many of them have youth groups and some of the wealthier ones have established hospitals and schools. The National Council of Churches has done a good job at uniting the Christians here but there is no real broadening of the outlook and willingness to investigate new thought.

The Muslim community is mostly Indian and it is made up of the orthodox Muslims or Saunis and the Ahnadis. Two of their feast days are celebrated nationally: Youman Nabi (Mohamed's birthday) and Vidul Azah (the sacrifice of Isaac). This community although smaller is very active. The Maha is a very active Muslim organization.

The other religious groups are much smaller entities and have no unusual presentation to report.