Guyana

Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains

Written 1966

Adopted 1966

Lyrics Archibald Leonard Luker

Music Robert Cyril Gladstone Potter

🌿 Nature 🤝 Unity 🌈 Diversity 🕊 Freedom | Hopeful

Context

Written by Archibald Leonard Luker with music by Robert Cyril Gladstone Potter, the anthem was adopted upon Guyana's independence from the United Kingdom on May 26, 1966. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America. The anthem celebrates the country's natural beauty and diverse heritage.

Lyrics

Dear land of Guyana, of rivers and plains; Made rich by the sunshine, and lush by the rains, Set gem-like and fair, between mountains and sea, Your children salute you, dear land of the free. Green land of Guyana, our heroes of yore, Both bondsmen and free, laid their bones on your shore. This soil so they hallowed, and from them are we, All sons of one Mother, Guyana the free.

Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals

Interesting facts

• Guyana is the only English-speaking sovereign nation in South America, a legacy of British colonial rule
• The name 'Guyana' comes from an indigenous Amerindian word meaning 'Land of Many Waters,' reflected in the anthem's opening line
• Guyana is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in South America, with significant populations of Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese, Amerindian, and mixed-heritage people