Nation-building

NATION-building is hard work and relies on constant vigilance, sacrifice, self-critique and reverent commitment to the ideals that would promote, ensure and maintain a unified polity. It is work in constant process and progress. Our society was built and sustained for significant periods on the practice of divide-and-rule; where, with the exception of the Amerindian community, the others arrived from different parts of the world, but every group has brought to this nation’s landscape its unique culture (i.e. lived experiences), gave of their labour and expertise, and are deserving of being acknowledged.

The cultural and racial diversity that has shaped this national ethos has given us our unique characteristics as Guyanese, forged a nation, and developed nationhood and our sense of belonging. Grappling with these variants in the name of nation-building is an arduous task.

Nation-building requires vision, determination and steadfastness. Thus it is understandable that societies such as our CARICOM counterparts and USA consider it important to designate a date in their national calendar to commemorate the efforts of their founding fathers and mothers, which presents opportunity for national reflection — to examine the contributions of these founding fathers and mothers, and to learn from and build on them.

The characteristics of nation-building, on which rest the foundation of welding a people together — and in our case six peoples — include creation of structures and institutions, such as a national motto, political system, laws, national anthem, national economy, national holidays, flag, folklore and language (in our instance our unique accent, linguistic expression, and structures that have shaped the Creole and English languages).

Where our society has been formed out of slavery, indentureship and colonial experiences; and groups have dominated others; and felt, or were conditioned to feel, that they were better than others, it requires resoluteness to ensure and maintain nation-building.

Unfortunately, this has not being without challenges. It should be said that the achievement of Independence (1966) and republican status (1970) has not realised the obliteration of historical thinking and practice of division, and to this attention is turned.
After 50 years of independence and 46 years of republican status, Guyana is still considered a young nation on the world stage. However, in a fast-paced world, it stands to the nation’s benefit if youth is not used or construed as a clutch to engage in acts and actions that would give rise to any speculation that we started before we were ready. We are an independent nation. More importantly, we are a republic, which means the destiny we are charting is solely in our hands to mould. The struggles, sacrifices and investment of every group without exception (race, political party, religion, et al) played a part in bringing us this far.
The unfortunate truth is that the contributions of groups are honoured, dismissed, or condemned and blown out of proportion (favourably or unfavourably) depending on who is speaking, and about whom. This aspect of our folklore may have been born out of the historical practice of divide-and-rule, which has sustained the myth of superiority and inferiority and guided treatment of the other, both at the level of the enslavers and among the enslaved, indentured and colonised. Remnants of it still remain. In the political sphere, it is not unreasonable to say that, having observed the dynamics, this folklore has come to characterise interpretation, acceptance and/or rejection of the contributions of ‘our own’ or ‘the other.’

There is a tendency in political discourse to view persons solely through binary lens. Persons are seen as either good or bad, and there is very little effort, if any, to engage in nuances in assessing someone’s or group’s contributions to nation-building.

It has become politically fashionable – nay, acceptable — to ignore any good, deny it, or bequeath it to another for those on the ‘other side.’ Adversities are not seen as lessons to learn from and move on, or eras in our evolution considered to be deserving of contextualisation and explanation. Rather, there is pre-occupation to view events through inflexible lens, and demand that others follow suit, unconcerned that such an outlook can be debilitating.

Appreciatively, we are an expressive people, and we should be heard. The freedom to share ideas, information and knowledge is fundamental and important to human existence, growth and development, and this must be protected and defended at all cost. That being said, it is not unreasonable to expect and demand frank, open and honest conversations, wherein those being the subject of our attention or angst are viewed/analysed in similar context to those admired or not so admired. In our diverse society, nation-building can thrive when folklore is confined to stories about Massacooramaan, Ole Higue, Brer Anancy and the like. There is no doubt that we are capable of rising to the occasion.

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