Draw strength from sacrifices of ancestors
…President tells gathering at Dharmic Sabha’s mela
Georgetown, GINA, May 3, 2009
President Bharrat Jagdeo on May 3, joined thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life at the Guyana National Stadium in observance of the 171st Anniversary of the Arrival of East Indians in Guyana.
The President expressed the hope that the celebrations be extended throughout Guyana so that people living in rural communities can participate so that they can appreciate the preservation of this essential part of Guyana’s culture.
He said when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) declared Indian Arrival Day a national holiday, it was with the aim of observing a very important journey reflecting the sacrifices of our Indian ancestors and their contributions to the development of Guyana. “I hope that we never forget the difficulty of that journey,” he added.
The President encouraged people to read about this journey and how it began. He cited some of the challenges that the first indentured immigrants faced when they arrived in Guyana, how they were treated like slaves and many of them died because of neglect by the plantation masters and the lack of medical attention.
“They persevered through this because of the pioneering spirit that they possessed which they brought out of India and they survived. So we need to apply the same spirit in modern day conditions to move our country forward,” President Jagdeo stated.
He added that East Indians should always be proud of their ancestry and where they came from and should also pay more attention to the lessons of their ancestors.
The President hopes to see greater participation from the Muslims, Christians and other groups in the celebration. “I wish to see a greater coming together of all the groups so we can truly understand the importance of this journey,” he said.
Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony who also addressed the gathering spoke of the struggles of all Guyana’s ancestors that helped to make the country a better place. He said because they came from so many shores and brought with them their unique culture, this has made Guyana a unique place and that richness is what makes the people truly Guyanese.
He urged Guyanese to reflect on the sacrifices of their foreparents as they celebrate Indian Arrival Day.
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsarran and PPP/C General Secretary Donald Ramoutar also attended the celebrations.
This year’s Mela featured a variety of performances from many cultural groups across Guyana as they traced the steps of their foreparents in music, song and dance. A wide array of Indian dishes also added to the flavour of the event. Local companies also used the occasion to showcase their products
A replica of the Whitby, the ship which brought to Guyana the first set of indentured immigrants in 1838 captured the attention of the mass crowd as people tried to glimpse into the era of indentureship.
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