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ARRIVAL Day, which was observed on May 5, is a good time to reflect on the long and difficult road we have traversed as a people and the challenges that lie ahead as we strive to forge a peaceful and cohesive society. There can be no doubt that we have come a long way since the days of slavery and indentureship. We are now a democratic and free society where there is equality of opportunity for all Guyanese regardless of ethnicity or political affiliation. The days when the colour of one’s skin was a prerequisite for social mobility and status have long disappeared.
This is why we must celebrate our diversity and strive at all times to be the best we can in whatever ways we can. In the final analysis, it is the sum total of our collective efforts that provides us with the impetus and national energy to move forward.
It is our embrace of culture that defines us as a nation. We are culturally rich. Ours is a society that is culturally pluralistic and ideologically and politically diverse. We come from different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities but we do not allow our diversity to stand in the way of our desire for nationhood and community.
This is why there is so much hope for the future of this great country we live in. We refused to be divided along the lines of race and ethnicity despite the intrigues and machinations of our colonial masters. In short, we managed successfully to defeat those who sought to divide and rule us. We confronted slavery, identureship, colonialism, neo-colonialism, dictatorial and authoritarian rule but always emerged victorious with our heads high and our pride undiminished. It was a hard and difficult struggle but in the end we triumphed.
This is why we have to continue to embrace universal values of unity, freedom and democracy that transcend the narrow confines of race and ethnicity. Sociologists have long ago debunked the concept of ethnic or cultural superiority. The fact is that no race is superior or for that matter inferior to any other race. We are all Guyanese regardless of race, ethnicity or political affiliation and as such we all have an equal claim to our national partrimony.
We must be proud of who we are and of whatever cultural or ethnic stock we came from. Whatever racial or ethnic group we belong to is not of our own making. We had no choice regarding our race even though our culture is shaped to a large extent by the society or environment in which we happen to live. There is a tendency to use race and ethnicity interchangeably even though there is a fundamental distinction between the two terms. Race is biological but ethnicity is cultural. It is possible to be of one particular race group but belongs to another culture group.
Like all diverse societies, there is that process of cultural assimilation which in essence is a blending of the existing cultures into something that is distinctively or uniquely Guyanese. This is reflected in our changing choice of music, food, dance, dress and socialization patterns. Our society is becoming richer because of our diversity. Sociologists refer to societies such as ours as the ‘melting pot-society’.
We have to, at all time guard against ethnocentrism, that is, a tendency to see others through the prism of one’s own ethnicity or culture. As mentioned before, there is no “backward” culture as there is no ‘superior’ culture since all cultures have relevance to the particular conjuncture of time and place.
This is why the decision to designate May 5 as Arrival Day and to declare the Day a national holiday is a commendable one. All our ancestors regardless of race, religion or creed were forced by circumstances to endure the horrors and tyranny of plantation life. Out of their collective efforts and sacrifices, a nation was forged. It is our duty and responsibility to continue the search for a society which would make our ancestors proud.
The challenges facing us today is to find a solution that adequately addresses the fears, insecurities and anxieties characteristic of plural societies such as ours. The solution cannot be found, as some have argued, in the language of federalism or partition which will only serve to exacerbate our differences, real or imagined, but in greater inclusivity and political accommodation. We have to work steadfastly to create a more just and tolerant society where all Guyanese are provided with the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the exciting task of nation-building.
This is why we must celebrate our diversity and strive at all times to be the best we can in whatever ways we can. In the final analysis, it is the sum total of our collective efforts that provides us with the impetus and national energy to move forward.
It is our embrace of culture that defines us as a nation. We are culturally rich. Ours is a society that is culturally pluralistic and ideologically and politically diverse. We come from different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities but we do not allow our diversity to stand in the way of our desire for nationhood and community.
This is why there is so much hope for the future of this great country we live in. We refused to be divided along the lines of race and ethnicity despite the intrigues and machinations of our colonial masters. In short, we managed successfully to defeat those who sought to divide and rule us. We confronted slavery, identureship, colonialism, neo-colonialism, dictatorial and authoritarian rule but always emerged victorious with our heads high and our pride undiminished. It was a hard and difficult struggle but in the end we triumphed.
This is why we have to continue to embrace universal values of unity, freedom and democracy that transcend the narrow confines of race and ethnicity. Sociologists have long ago debunked the concept of ethnic or cultural superiority. The fact is that no race is superior or for that matter inferior to any other race. We are all Guyanese regardless of race, ethnicity or political affiliation and as such we all have an equal claim to our national partrimony.
We must be proud of who we are and of whatever cultural or ethnic stock we came from. Whatever racial or ethnic group we belong to is not of our own making. We had no choice regarding our race even though our culture is shaped to a large extent by the society or environment in which we happen to live. There is a tendency to use race and ethnicity interchangeably even though there is a fundamental distinction between the two terms. Race is biological but ethnicity is cultural. It is possible to be of one particular race group but belongs to another culture group.
Like all diverse societies, there is that process of cultural assimilation which in essence is a blending of the existing cultures into something that is distinctively or uniquely Guyanese. This is reflected in our changing choice of music, food, dance, dress and socialization patterns. Our society is becoming richer because of our diversity. Sociologists refer to societies such as ours as the ‘melting pot-society’.
We have to, at all time guard against ethnocentrism, that is, a tendency to see others through the prism of one’s own ethnicity or culture. As mentioned before, there is no “backward” culture as there is no ‘superior’ culture since all cultures have relevance to the particular conjuncture of time and place.
This is why the decision to designate May 5 as Arrival Day and to declare the Day a national holiday is a commendable one. All our ancestors regardless of race, religion or creed were forced by circumstances to endure the horrors and tyranny of plantation life. Out of their collective efforts and sacrifices, a nation was forged. It is our duty and responsibility to continue the search for a society which would make our ancestors proud.
The challenges facing us today is to find a solution that adequately addresses the fears, insecurities and anxieties characteristic of plural societies such as ours. The solution cannot be found, as some have argued, in the language of federalism or partition which will only serve to exacerbate our differences, real or imagined, but in greater inclusivity and political accommodation. We have to work steadfastly to create a more just and tolerant society where all Guyanese are provided with the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the exciting task of nation-building.
