‘Not just grass and goalposts’ – Miller says Parade Ground holds ancestral bones

“One of the core parts of who we are as African people is our spirituality, not religion, but spirituality,” says Denise Miller, as she stands firm on the preservation of Parade Ground, calling for its protection as sacred soil.

Miller, a leading voice for African cultural groups like ACDA, says too many forget that the Parade Ground in Georgetown is more than an open recreational space — it is literally ground where the bones of ancestors lie, some who died resisting slavery during the 1823 Demerara Revolt.

“This is not just grass and goalposts — this is where our people’s heads were stuck on stakes. Their final resting place is here.”

Recent upgrades to the Parade Ground, including new floodlights to help football teams train at night and plans to further upgrade the space have sparked concern among culture keepers like Miller. She’s worried that bigger plans, like building pavilions, could desecrate ancestral remains.

“I embrace development, but you must consult African cultural groups. You cannot trouble certain aspects because it troubles our very essence.”

As Guyana gears up to mark 187 years of Emancipation, Miller and others are doubling down on the spiritual roots that anchor African identity in Guyana. A key part of that is the pouring of libation — an ancient practice of offering liquid to honour ancestors.

“Before any celebration, we pour libation. It’s our way of saying: you came before us, we stand on your shoulders, we remember.”

This year, libations will be poured not only at the Parade Ground but also at historic sites in Georgetown, including the former slave auction block near Demico House at Stabroek Market Square.

“When you see us gather and pour, it’s not show — it’s ancestral worship,” explains Miller of the Guyana Spiritual Institute of Divine Study of Ifa.

For Emancipation, Miller and the Ifa community plan three nights of deep spiritual rituals: Ancestors’ Night, the Night of the Elements and the symbolic Candlelight Parade, which ends at the Cuffy Monument with a ‘big libation’ at midnight.

“Come see for yourself,” Miller urges. “Understand why this ground — and our rituals — must be protected. Our identity is our spirituality.”