As Guyana observed Arrival Day on Friday, May 5th, President David Granger appealed to all ethnic groups to come together and mend their differences if there is to be social cohesion in Guyana.
Addressing hundreds gathered at Plantation Highbury, East Bank Berbice, where
President David Granger delivering the feature address at the event at Plantation Highbury
179 years ago the first group of East Indians landed on May 5, the President said that, as Guyanese, we all should not hesitate to pay homage to each group that arrived. He said it is only by giving recognition and by paying respect in this way that differences would not be obscured and ignorance would be eradicated.
Noting that the day is referred to as Arrival Day, the President said it is a double celebration, since it is also Indian Arrival Day.
“Indian Arrival Day, therefore, is observed rightly on 5th May. Portuguese Arrival Day, similarly, was celebrated on 3rd May, two days ago. Chinese Arrival Day was celebrated on 12th January of this year. African Emancipation Day will be observed on August 1, and Indigenous Heritage Month will be observed for all of September. We will continue to work towards strengthening society by
Dressed in traditional Indian wear to reenact the arrival of indentured labourers in Guyana
strengthening the strands of our social tapestry,” he promised.
He said Highbury is a reminder of the value we all place on being together and being able to preserve our identity; and Arrival commemorates the transformation of this country by the people who came and mingled with the Amerindians.
“Indian Arrival Day is significant this year, because its observance coincides with the centenary of the end of Indian indentured immigration. Indians were brought here to work as indentured immigrants on the sugar plantations. Almost 240,000 Indians came to our country between 1838 and 1917, the year in which indentured immigration was abolished. More than seventy percent stayed to make this country their home,” the President detailed.
He said Guyana’s biodiversity is the legacy of our ancestors and the patrimony of all Guyanese.
Acting Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Tashia Bhutia, brought greetings on behalf of the Government and people of India. “As I stand here, my thoughts go back to the 233 men, two women and six children who disembarked from the Whitby at these very shores on 5th May 1838, after their 112 days’ long voyage from Calcutta. (They came) to start life as indentured labourers under conditions no better than slavery. The Hesperus arrived shortly after, on the night of 5th May 1838, with another batch of indentured labourers…”
Bhutia said that 75,547 Indians decided to return to India after completing their indentureship. Those Indians who decided to make Guyana their home, they and their offsprings have played an important part in the economic and political development of this country.
On May 5, 1838, MV Whitby docked at Plantation Highbury along the Berbice River, and more that 200 native East Indians set foot on the shores of Guyana for the first time. They had come to work on the sugar plantation.
A total of 239,990 East Indians came under the indenture system. Most of them returned after their period of indentureship had ended.
This system, which came into being in 1838, continued for more than three-quarters of a century. Its essential features were very reminiscent of slavery. Within a decade of the indenture system coming into being, Indian immigration was largely responsible for changing the fortunes of the sugar industry, the mainstay of the economy.
Region Six Chairman David Armogan noted that, over the years, East Indians have made significant contributions to the sugar industry. He said any closure of the sugar industry would bring to bear a severe negative impact on the economy.
Pushpanjali 17
Despite the recent transition of Arrival Day to celebrate the coming and contributions of each of the six ethnic groups in Guyana, the tradition of commemorating the arrival of the Indians on May 5 continued this year with the annual Pushpanjali programme.
The Indian Commemoration Trust on Friday hosted the 17th year of the cultural showcase in honour of the 197th anniversary of the arrival of the first East Indians to the shores of the then British Guiana. The event, hosted at the Indian Monument Garden in Georgetown, featured a series of traditional musical performances and dances highlighting the rich culture of Indo-Guyanese society.
A number of spirited performers took to the stage to showcase the traditions passed on by their ancestors, the Indians who came as indentured immigrants over a century ago.
Also on display at the commemorative affair was a wide array of food and fashion, which evidently portrayed the evolution of the Indian heritage, given that it has been fused with those of the other ethnicities to create a unique creole flavour, but at the same time still maintains its historical origin which is rooted in India.
Scores of Guyanese, representing all ethnic diversities of the Guyanese society, attended the staging of Pushpanjali 2017. President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger, as well as Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Mrs Sita Nagamootoo, besides other members of Parliament and the diplomatic corps, were present and benefited from the rich cultural entertainment staged at the event.
Speaking at the event was the Chief Executive Office of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud, who briefly recollected the arrival, presence and contributions of the Indian forefathers who were brought as labourers in the plantation system. Persaud highlighted, “They have, no doubt, made significant contributions towards the development of this country in all spheres and sectors of society, including politics and governance; education and culture; engineering, architecture, industry and commerce; religion, law, agriculture, health, among others, despite all their challenges.” In acknowledging the arrival and presence of the various other ethnicities within the diverse Guyanese society, the CEO went on to say, “We must be cognizant, however, that there is much more to do to ensure that we are respectful to each other; to ensure that we truly can embrace diverse cultures, as we now continue building on what we have inherited from our past generations to improve our future.”
Persaud urged those in attendance to strive for harmony and inclusiveness as she posited, “We have to work in unity, regardless of each other’s lineage and affiliations, status and personality. Let us therefore pool our ideas and resources together and work towards common goals in resolving some of the ills affecting our nation and people.” Pushpanjali 2017 is an accurate depiction of the contributions of Indian ancestors in the founding and development of the multicultural Guyanese Society. Furthermore, the event allowed those present to be connected with their ancestral heritage while affording others a learning opportunity about the arrival, presence and influences of the East Indian Immigrants who came to Guyana 179 years ago.
