GUYANESE in the greater New York metro area yesterday observed Indian Arrival Day at the Smokey Park in Richmond Hill, Queens. The celebration was hosted and organized by the Indo-Caribbean Federation (ICF), led by Ralph Tamesh of East Coast Demerara. This is the 29th Annual Indian Arrival Day to be hosted by the ICF at Smokey Park.There was a cultural variety concert and a singing and dancing competition; as well as brief speeches, free handouts, medical check-ups, etc.  Prominent artistes and musicians also displayed their talent.

Indian Arrival is a day of reflection for Indo-Caribbean people and the community at large in the greater N.Y metro area.  Indo-Caribbean people are an integral part of America’s rich cultural diversity, and the community contributes to the economic, cultural, and social life of the metro area.

According to the organizers, the annual celebration is meant to honour the hard work and sacrifices made by the fore-parents of Indians, who built a life for us in a new land distant from their motherland of India. They have handed down a rich treasure of cultural values and traditions that have lived on and have helped their descendants to deal with their many challenges.

The celebration began at 2:00pm, with drinks available to the public for free. The public turned out in numbers to cheer the artistes and show their appreciation to the organizers for celebrating the contributions made by the Indian ancestors.

VISHNU BISRAM