Thousands attend grand IAC mela in Georgetown

By Priya Nauth

THOUSANDS of Guyanese, many decked out in their traditional colourful Indian wear, gathered at the National Park in Georgetown yesterday afternoon for a grand cultural mela (fair) and family fun day to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

The show, organised by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), included a packed programme of mesmerizing classical and filmi dances from various troupes, singing, poetry reading as well as tassa drumming.

There were a variety of Indian dishes and ‘sweetmeats’ on sale; various booths on display, and lots of games and fun for the children and the entire family.

However, one of main highlights of the show was the Bhojpuri Folk and Dance Troupe from India.

The mela opened with the customary prayers by representatives from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities.

The first performance entitled ‘East of India’ aptly setting the mood, saw the Apex Academy presenting a dance piece depicting the various cultures, religions and festivals brought by our ancestors from India.

The large crowd was also treated to dazzling performances by the Shellita Dance Troupe and the Indian Cultural Centre, while the music was provided by the Shakti Strings Orchestra. Qaseedas and bhajans (devotional songs) were also done.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Subit Kumar Mandal said Indians had a lot of challenges ahead of them which brought out sterling qualities making them what they are and what they will be in the future.

The High Commissioner also noted that the Indian High Commission is pleased to associate and participate in the celebrations to mark Indian arrival in Guyana.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony said that 170 years since the first Indian immigrants came to Guyana to now, they have made tremendous progress helping to change and transform the Caribbean society.

“…coming to this part of the world and merging with those who were already here in Guyana, we are a richer and a more vibrant society,” he observed.

“…when we celebrate arrival day we must give a thought to our ancestors…for their sacrifice and resilience that have got us here,” the minister posited.

He also noted that Guyanese should remember the other immigrants who came to the country.

The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) also honoured three Indo-Guyanese for their outstanding contributions to the development of Guyana.Those honoured were Imaam Shaheed Mohamed of the Queenstown Jama Masjid for his sterling contribution to religion; Harry Ramsaroop of the Dharm Shala for his services to humanity; and a posthumous award for the late Chanderpaul Persaud, popularly known as ‘Paul O’Hara’ for his work and role in the field of journalism.

IAC is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in January 2003 to focus on cultural, educational and social issues and concerns of mainly Indo-Guyanese.

The final mela will be held today, Arrival Day, at the Albion Sports Complex, Corentyne, Berbice.

Let us cherish our rich culture

A few nights ago I was delighted to witness a colourful array of music and dances depicting the current Indian Arrival Day celebrations in Guyana.

Long live technology as I enjoyed sitting at home in Toronto and view this entire exciting segment that was hosted by Niaz Subhan and Raymond Azeez of NCN Television.

What amazes me the most on that programmed was the fact that so many of the young talents are embedded with this rich culture even after 170 years.

We as a community must never forget our past, where we came from and who we are.

These annual celebrations are a reminder for us to reflect on our ancestors. It should not be all celebrations. They endured a lot of difficulties in a new country where they were forced to perform laborious tasks. Despite the hardships they were able to raise their offspring culturally which is part and parcel of what we are commemorating today.

A Community without a culture is completely lost and unidentifiable. We are lucky enough to be in a society that despite our religious beliefs and denominations we are able to practice our culture freely. Since religions are considered sacred, they should not be debated. As a matter of fact religions should be respected in all forms.

I am fortunate to have colleagues from countries that have large concentrations of East Indian population outside India, and I found there are many similarities amongst the East Indian people globally.

Apart from sharing the same clothing, names, religion, food, strong family ties, there is always respect for each other. This of course is a reflection of our very rich culture.

Here’s hoping that we continue to cherish our Indian culture in Guyana for the generations to follow as our fore-parents did so effectively.
AYUBE KHAN
Toronto Canada