TODAY, Guyana is 52 years (and one day) old. Over the years, Guyana has been riddled with turmoil but its pervasive multi-ethnic culture has remained one of its characteristics that have stood the test of time, though many seem to believe that it is under threat now.

In years to come, it will be almost impossible to speak about the 52nd anniversary without also mentioning the initiation of Guyana Carnival. For the days leading up to Independence and a bit after, the streets of Guyana have been buzzing with activity due to the carnival. Yet, many people seem divided on the topic of the Guyana Carnival.

Perhaps, the carnival signals a change from the rigid adherence to traditional means of celebrating Independence in Guyana: the flag-raising ceremony and cultural extravaganzas. Perhaps, it was merely a convenient period for hosting a string of activities that would push the entertainment and tourism frontiers in Guyana.

Fetes are no stranger to any celebration or holiday in Guyana with entertainers scooping up every opportunity to organise these events, yet the introduction of Guyana Carnival is entirely different from what Guyanese are accustomed to, especially during the Independence period.

The closest Guyana would have come to an event like this carnival would have been during the 50th Independence anniversary/ Jubilee celebrations where, understandably, there were a host of celebratory events and shows held and the Mashramani float parade was drafted to the month of May, on Independence Day itself.

Criticisms have been levelled at the carnival and its organisers for seeking to diminish the culture of Guyana nevertheless.

One of the directors of the event, Kerwin Bollers, shared that the carnival was never meant to erode the authentic Guyanese celebrations and replace it with a more regional celebration of ‘carnival’. Instead, it was just adopting a globally recognised event and initiating it in a country that could definitely benefit from a boost in tourism.

For the first time, Guyana would have seen a litany of entertainment events- some even hosted simultaneously- demanding local services like no other over the period. The service sector must have faced an increase in activity necessitating an increase in business. But not only did this happen, carnival allowed the industry to make a lasting impact on visitors, strategically promoting ‘Destination: Guyana.’ This would’ve (hopefully) encouraged visitors to return again and again.

So while many may level criticisms at the masterminds of the carnival for seeking to implement and promote something that is not unique to Guyana, instead of our Mashramani, the benefits that have been reaped cannot be overlooked.

Tourism is a sustainable industry. It does not hinge on the depletion of natural resources and can be tapped easily to allow Guyana to garner foreign earnings. It allows for jobs to be created and for business to be stimulated. And carnival is just a globally recognised word that fosters tourism.

Cultural erasure has long been a characteristic of Caribbean countries- exacerbated by the tenets of cultural imperialism and ethnocentrism (and eurocentrism to be more exact). Caribbean anthropologists have advanced that the historical experiences of Caribbean people have shaped this inferiority syndrome that plagues them. We were led to believe that our cultures and traditions were pagan and primitive and the noble way of life would be to subscribe to the European culture.

So then, how do we detach ourselves from this inherent sense of superiority? Well, regionalism has been promoted as the vehicle for doing so- making us stronger together, than apart. This has been majorly unrealised with countries still holding firm to parochial sentiments for various reasons.

Carnival is not a Guyanese event as it is for Trinidad and Tobago, for example. The genesis of the worldwide festival is an exuberant pre-Lent celebration but Guyana’s carnival celebration comes months after this period. Still, Guyana’s adoption of carnival may also signal some progress in the regional integration being touted for decades now. Guyana has now created a hybrid festival shared commonly with other Caribbean countries, further ingraining the culture of the Caribbean that connects Guyana to the region.

If Carnival in Guyana is truly leading to an erosion of the authentic Guyanese culture, it is not the first time nor will it be the last time that this has happened. And despite this, Guyana and Guyanese have benefitted tremendously from the event through the advancement of its tourism industry.