Tola posted:

My Albion school teacher David Latchana from Albion Front, used to have the entire class at his house in the evenings for extra lessons. More later

I knew David Latchana. He liked to sing and would ask me to play the guitar for him. He is responsible for my aunt sending me overseas to finish a levels. He was a chubby dark skinned guy.

Stormy,  I don't have the patience to go back and find what I wrote about David Latchana, so here goes from the start.

Its been over 40 years since we saw each other and we might connect in person this summer. I met his two sons  at York University in 1988 at the Indo-Caribbean conference , with Jagan, Sawh, Panday and historians  about the indenture  labourers program to Guyana and  Caribbean Islands.   

David Latchana [Toronto] of Albion Front and Harold Appadoo [I believe Buffalo NY] from Port Mourant were our teachers during our last forms at Albion school. They prepared us for our final exams  and David took  the entire class to his home in the evenings for extra lessons, at no cost to us.

I am very fond  of the book and movie 'Mutiny on the Bounty', that we studied for the exams. Decades later our son David did a book report on that book for a school project. We net Harold in Toronto  and David gave him a copy of the report, with his  comment that 'you did better than your Dad'.

The romance in the book was enhanced when two teachers at the school  were attracted to each other and as teenagers, this made our minds wild for the South Sea Island. That I eventually visited [Tahiti] when I worked on ships as radio officer. My final part of that journey is to visit Pitcairn's Island.     

David comes from a long family line of educators. As you might know, the Latchana family at Fyrish village  were well known for their compassion and kind heartiness. I knew Jack Latchana well who operated their rice mill at Hampshire, near our home at Belvedere. He has since passed on, but people still talk about his kindness.

It would  seem all the Latchana children [one whom I worked with at Albion estate office] were the quality of their parents kindness to others, whom  our parents knew and often talked about their generosity.

During my last visit to Guyana I was sad to see the demolition of the late Jack Latchana rice mil at Hampshire. It was a memorable place for local rice farmers  and I could remember the days when Jack sat with us under a tree, while the rice was drying on the concrete surface.

It does not surprise me that David Latchana assisted you with  your exams,  because that is what the Latchanas do for anyone.  

I knew a Doctor Latchana from Skeldon, one of his son was kidnapped and killed back in the 70's Dr. Latchana has long passed away, I believe he is related to the Latchanas, I cannot remember his first name.    

ball posted:

Dr. Latchana has long passed away, I believe he is related to the Latchanas, I cannot remember his first name.    

First:  Someone named Latchana has to be related to the Latchanas.

Second:  Dr Latchanas first name is Dr.

Glad to be of help.

Thanks I are not no wuh ah wud do without yu hay so. 

I must say this was a good read. I loved to read or hear long time stories. My MIL still talks about the logie days, her parents logie was separated with a wall from my grandparent's. Long time everyone used to live like family. I knows all my husband aunts and uncles and cousins from his mother side, except him 

Until one of his cousin introduced us.

sita posted:

I must say this was a good read. I loved to read or hear long time stories. My MIL still talks about the logie days, her parents logie was separated with a wall from my grandparent's. Long time everyone used to live like family. I knows all my husband aunts and uncles and cousins from his mother side, except him 

Until one of his cousin introduced us.

Sita, as you can see by the writings on this thread, logie living was a big part of my life until I was 14 and I have many stories and photographs  of Albion logies.

As I get older, I find it harder to find older people who can tell stories of this part of the indenture labourer lifestyle and its important that we record on audio or video, these stories for our children. Because its part of our Guyanese history. Even writing them is important. 

Much of our personal  history from India and Africa to Guyana was lost and as parents with much knowledge now  regarding our family history, its important that we preserve our Guyana to other countries history for our children and grandchildren. 

Countries like Suriname preserved their indenture labourer language from India, but much of ours in Guyana was lost, because  we were forced to speak British English. 

When a people lose their language and culture, they might lose a big part of themselves.  The Canadian First Nartions People who were placed  in residental schools and forced to speak English, is similar to what happened to the East Indians in Guyana, regarding their mother's country language.

When we are younger and busy with a young family,  preserving family history might be far from our mind. But by the time we realize its importancer to pass it on to our children, the source from older family members might not be around any more, like your  MIL. 

So record what they tell you regarding logie stories and your family history, because they will not be around to tell it forever. 

GTAngler posted:

Chief posted:

Tola posted:

Chief, It is difficult when close friends pass on, but at the same time it makes us look more closely at our life. Recently, there was a rash of death and severe disability like that of Mara and another close friend in Toronto who is blind and just lost a leg  to diabetes.

Today, there was a news report that every second person in Canada might be affected by cancer and I assume it might be the same in the US. Last Saturday  was the funeral service of 25 year woman who died from cancer.

And some come on GNI to kill each other.  

Did Mara die?

What about Gilbacka did he passed as well?

Oye Chief, I ran into one of your friends at the Mosque on 191st. QC chap. One of 3 brothers. We had quite a laugh about another poster here.

That is backbiting

Chameli posted:

GTAngler posted:

cain posted:

So u talkin bout someone who went to Q.C..who didn't go to Q.C...who went to Q.C..aiaiai..heh hehhh

I can verify she went to QC Guyana. Other than that your guess is as good as mine. I brought up "NYU" and "French Teacher". Was sheer skin teeth.

so u going to mosque to talk woman name eh?  i see

Cham that is why we love each other!

ball posted:

I knew a Doctor Latchana from Skeldon, one of his son was kidnapped and killed back in the 70's Dr. Latchana has long passed away, I believe he is related to the Latchanas, I cannot remember his first name.    

Dr Latchana was my opposite neighbor at Springlands. His son was murdered along with three other schoolboys in October 1983.

Jack was also a Lion brother and a customer of mine.

sita posted:

I must say this was a good read. I loved to read or hear long time stories. My MIL still talks about the logie days, her parents logie was separated with a wall from my grandparent's. Long time everyone used to live like family. I knows all my husband aunts and uncles and cousins from his mother side, except him 

Until one of his cousin introduced us.

GNI is like that, everyone live like family.

Some hug up and some cuss out!

Chief posted:

ball posted:

I knew a Doctor Latchana from Skeldon, one of his son was kidnapped and killed back in the 70's Dr. Latchana has long passed away, I believe he is related to the Latchanas, I cannot remember his first name.    

Dr Latchana was my opposite neighbor at Springlands. His son was murdered along with three other schoolboys in October 1983.

Jack was also a Lion brother and a customer of mine.

There are two Latchanas living in Minnesota here. One went to St. Cloud State University in the 70s. The other brother is an attorney. The Dr. Latchana was married to Narine Datt's oldest daughter. Narine Datt owned Novelty Cinema(Skeldon) which is now a warehouse. 

skeldon_man posted:

Chief posted:

ball posted:

I knew a Doctor Latchana from Skeldon, one of his son was kidnapped and killed back in the 70's Dr. Latchana has long passed away, I believe he is related to the Latchanas, I cannot remember his first name.    

Dr Latchana was my opposite neighbor at Springlands. His son was murdered along with three other schoolboys in October 1983.

Jack was also a Lion brother and a customer of mine.

There are two Latchanas living in Minnesota here. One went to St. Cloud State University in the 70s. The other brother is an attorney. The Dr. Latchana was married to Narine Datt's oldest daughter. Narine Datt owned Novelty Cinema(Skeldon) which is now a warehouse. 

Skelly, was dat a typo. I was too small in short pants, but dem bais used to talk about dem famous whorehouse at Skeldon.