Guyanese poet talks about tradition and togetherness
“MULTICULTURAL” is just one way of describing our beautiful nation. We are unique in our vast array of traditions that blend and work well together. Every cultural holiday becomes a Guyanese holiday as people of all races partake in the traditions of others, fostering the unity we are known for. Arrival Day is no different. Every year, on May 5, the country’s Indo-Guyanese celebrate the first of their people to come to Guyana. This year, the celebration will be as big as any other. Among the celebrations, dance and song, remembering one’s roots is the biggest priority.
Also a part of this year’s Arrival celebrations is Netu Lal. The talented 18-year-old has long been a champion for cultural togetherness. After winning Miss Teen India Guyana in 2023, Netu says that showcasing our tradition and culture is important to who we are as a people. After last year’s win, Netu has undertaken new ventures, including poetry, volunteering and acting. Moving forward, Netu hopes to achieve continued growth in her creative disciplines while championing everyone to display their culture as big and boldly as possible.
Netu is West Bank Demerara-raised and bred. Growing up in Coghlan Dam in Vreed En Hoop, Netu says she was a quiet child and very shy. Her personality was among the biggest reasons she did not venture into the arts, although she was passionate and creative. She shared, “I grew up in a middle-class family. The country life. I went to West Demerara Secondary School. I was in the art stream, and I always grew up quiet and shy. People would always say that I should speak up and I can’t be on stage. And I wouldn’t perform well on stage, and stuff like that. So, I decided to take up theatre arts, and when I did my first performance, I realised that I had doubted myself as well. I realised that I really love public speaking.”
Netu’s first public speaking experience pushed her beyond boundaries she was unaware existed. She discovered her love for the stage before she developed her passion for modelling. She further explained, “I love being on stage, and really everything that society had said to me was just their perception of me. And I started to realise that it’s really when you face your fears that you gain success. So I went from being this shy, quiet girl to being somebody who loves the stage and loves entertainment.”
The 2023 Miss Teen Guyana pageant was among Netu’s first major modelling experiences, and she excelled beyond expectations. The title is given to young women for a variety of talents. However, what stood out to Netu was the display of culture. She was far more entranced by the exquisite traditional garb and what it all represented than by anything else. As she recounted her experience, “For me, what really captivated me was the fact that it was so into Indian culture, and that’s really close to me. I find that joining the pageant has improved me a lot. I learned a lot, and I was able to grow from being somebody who is more open-minded and ready to take on new opportunities and challenges and stuff like that.”
Netu has always had a deep appreciation for cultural diversity. Events like the Miss Teen India Guyana are just one of the many ways of showcasing tradition. Netu says that this form of expression is vital to all of us as Guyanese. “Showcasing your tradition and culture is really important. I mean, everybody’s diverse and I really like that we celebrate each other as well.” She further added, “We are not just by ourselves. We come together and we celebrate every event.” Poetry is also something that Netu is passionate about.
She began writing several years ago as a way of expressing her emotions. After posting some of her work on social media, she soon gained traction, with countless people relating to her words. “I started writing in 2020, and my poems, well, I usually find myself whenever I’m shot, that’s when I usually write because I find that growing up it wasn’t really like a part of me to go sit with like a parent or somebody and just tell them what’s wrong. I always find myself getting distant whenever I get sad or angry or stuff like that.”
Today, Netu is a part of many ventures. Acting, modelling, poetry, and volunteer work are at the forefront. She hopes to continue in her poetic career with aspirations of publishing a compilation of her work. “I would just distance myself, and it was hard for me to open up and talk to people. So the easiest way for me was by writing it down. So I started to embrace poetry, and I started to post certain poems, whether it was about relationships or family or home life or school and bullying and stuff like that. Moving forward, I want to publish a collection of my poems.” Although young, Netu shows what it means to be expressive. Whether culturally or creatively, it is important to always be proud of one’s identity.
