SEPTEMBER 18, 1949

LOKONO JOHN PETER BENNETT ORDAINED–1^ST INDIGENOUS ANGLICAN PRIEST IN GUYANA

Born at Cabacaburi Anglican mission, on the Pomeroon River, Guyana, on November 30, 1914, John completed his schooling by age 12. However, he read, as he said, “anything that had writing on it.” In 1946, Bennett entered Codrington College, Barbados, making him the college’s first indigenous attendee. Upon completion, he was ordained a deacon on July 24, 1949, before being ordained as a priest later that year. Fr. Bennett was installed a Canon of the Stall of David in 1976. His concerns over the future of the Arawak language led to his compilation of an Arawak/English Dictionary, a teaching guide with 28 lessons in Loko/Arawak, the translation of some of the Gospel books into Arawak and the publication of The Arawak Language in Guyanese culture. Much of this work Bennett did even after he lost his sight. His work led to him receiving the Golden Arrow of Achievement Award from the Government of Guyana in 1989. Fr. Bennett died in Cabacaburi on November 25, 2011.

Source:  "Canon John Bennett passes on," Stavbroek News, 11/27/2011.  Retrieved 7/13/2019, https://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/news/guyana/11/27/canon-john-bennett-passes-on/

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