WHEN I first began studying Sociology, one of the first topics to really garner my interest was ‘culture’. It was here that I was introduced to the concept of a ‘plural society’ and what it meant to live in this society.

This concept, as advanced by Norwegian anthropologist Fredrik Barth, is defined as a society which consists of ethnic contrasts-which may be different sub-cultures or totally different cultures; the economic interdependence of those groups and the use of different environmental resources by each group.

Barth posited through his studies that interaction in this social system does not lead to the “liquidation” of ethnic distinctions because cultural differences can persist despite inter-ethnic contact and interdependence.

Navigating a plural society can be tricky.There is the option of ignoring cultural differences and rallying around (or trying to rally around) the “We are one!” slogan and being “colour-blind”. For many reasons, this is a half-baked and fallible attempt at cohesion. Ignoring our cultural differences just perpetuates the very same oppression that made these differences so distinctive in the first place.

Then there’s the option of acknowledging these differences and using it to fuel the ‘uncomfortable’ conversation of our prejudices and stereotypes, especially within our historically- culturally oppressed society.

Phagwah (or Holi) will always be my favourite holiday. It signals both the beginning of the Hindu new year and the beginning of Spring. More importantly for me, is that it is a day where we are the furthest from being colour-blind, literally and figuratively.

You see, whether viewed through the lenses of acculturation (the merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact), this holiday is a celebration of the Indian culture. Contrary to the beliefs I once held, it’s not a festival that allows us to forget our differences because we are ‘colouring’ each other and making our varying skin tones indistinguishable. Our differences are pervasive, not only in how much melanin we have in our skin.

Instead, it is a platform and a celebration that allows us to acknowledge that we are different people but we need not be insular. It’s this very same celebration that fuelled (or should I say fuels?) the hype over the movie Black Panther. The Marvel blockbuster is an unapologetic celebration of Africanism and I enjoy the vivacious support the movie has been garnering locally by those celebrating the portrayal of their culture.

Both Phagwah and Black Panther have something special in common, however. They each propound a celebration of distinctive culture but perhaps more than that, is that they illustrate that cultural differences can be appreciated when acknowledged, not ignored. Not only Hindus or East Indians play Phagwah and not only Africans rally around Black Panther.

Jamaican anthropologist, M.G. Smith, on the other hand, believed that social dissonance was inherent in a plural society since the society encompassed cultural groups which are insular and extreme in their differences. For him, the segregation of ethnic groups is facilitated to the point where society consisted of entirely different sub-societies, each with their own internal structures and institutions.

I have experienced situations where seeing an African boy dressed in a kurta raised eyebrows. And I have experienced instances where knowing more dancehall songs than Indian songs subjected me to ridicule. Despite this, I believe that Smith’s view is very static and does not take into account the role of human agency and how capable we are of cohesion if we really worked toward it. Living in a plural society renders wariness of being politically correct and often shrouds the uncomfortable conversation of cultural differences.

The political landscape in this country hinges majorly on these ethnic differences. Race baiting has been a tactic employed to garner political support. Our differences then serve to divide us, rather than create us into the ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ we aspire to. Again, we must acknowledge and celebrate our differences rather than ignore them.

In Guyana, we are a land of six peoples drawn from various parts of the world. I am an East- Indian, I am a Hindu but I am also Guyanese and my concerns lie with the ‘Land of many waters’. I wouldn’t want people ignoring or suppressing my Indian heritage, it is who I am. But my Indian heritage is compounded by my Guyanese nationality. I choose not to ignore cultural differences, and I wish that we all could understand how critical ascertaining and embracing who we are – together- is.

Holi Hai and Wakanda forever!