Tchaiko Kwayana facts for kids

Tchaiko Ruramai Kwayana, born Ann Cook (June 24, 1937 – May 6, 2017), was an amazing educator, a supporter of African unity, and a fighter for civil rights in the United States. She was married to Eusi Kwayana, a well-known politician from Guyana.

Tchaiko Kwayana's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Tchaiko Kwayana was born in Georgia in 1937. At that time, schools in the American South were "segregated." This meant Black and white students had separate schools. She taught in these separate schools for a while.

Later, she moved to Oakland, California. She believed that traveling the world was a very important part of learning. So, she went to Nigeria to teach. There, she learned about the Yoruba culture, which is a group of people mainly from West Africa.

She also traveled to Mexico and Panama. When she returned to the US, she looked for places in New York where she could find "African survivals." These were traditions and customs that people of African descent had kept alive.

Meeting Eusi Kwayana and Activism

In 1968, Tchaiko met Eusi Kwayana in Guyana. He was known as Sydney King back then. She helped organize an important meeting in Guyana in 1970. This meeting was for people who believed in "Pan-Africanism," which is the idea of all African people working together.

In 1971, Tchaiko and Eusi changed their names. They got married in Georgetown, Guyana, following Yoruba traditions. Tchaiko was a member of several groups. These included ASCRIA and the Working People's Alliance (WPA).

She also joined the Women Against Terror organization. This group fought against the government's unfair rule in Guyana at that time. Her husband started a private school in his hometown of Buxton. Tchaiko taught there for 13 years.

Return to the US and Later Work

Tchaiko stayed in Guyana until 1982. She then moved back to the US. She returned for money reasons and because of unfair treatment from the government.

In the US, she kept teaching. She also joined groups like LAD, which helped train leaders in San Diego. In Atlanta, she helped start "Helping Uplift Guyanese." She also co-founded the "Sankofa Bird project." This project was a community program that also helped people with AIDS.

Tchaiko Kwayana was given the special title of "Queen Mother." This honor came from a group that studies ancient African civilizations. Both Tchaiko and her husband were part of the Langston Hughes Poetry Circle. Eusi joined her in the US in 2002.

Tchaiko Kwayana passed away from cancer in 2017. She was 79 years old. She is remembered by her three children. A special award, the Tchaiko Kwayana Scholarship, was created in her honor. It helps students study science at the University of Guyana.

Published Works

• "The Identity Paper: Parents Join with Students to Write Family History", 1996 English Journal