They come from the Coolies
Frankly Speaking...
By A.A Fenty
Stabroek News
May 9, 2003
The Melas, Pushpanjalis, lectures and debates to observe - if not celebrate - the 165th year since the indentured introduction of East Indians to this land have subsided. The issues and contentions, no doubt, will continue. However, because a large part of me could have been influenced by those coolies who were brought there, I'll use this space to record a few fleeting views on today's Indian-descended Guyanese citizens of this state we like to think of as a "nation."
Incidentally, I eschew the admonitions and teasingly use the term Coolie because I hope that some day soon that expression would be made to lose its connotation of degradation making those so described not at all ashamed of it. Additionally of course, I suspect that those "immigrants" who arrived on the Whitby and the Hesperus were hardly professionals or highly-skilled tradespersons but largely those described as "Asian labourers given to menial jobs", real Coolies and how I constantly recall the words of Reverend Dale Bisnauth who stated, insightfully, that: "Not everyone who calls me Coolie is a racist". Even as I respect those who reject the use of gross stereotypical descriptions, I say, "be proud even to be a Coolie"!
Well, over the past ten days or so, I have immersed myself in the strongly-held views and analyses of such Indian-descended persons as Ravi Dev, Tota Mangar Prem Misir, Yesu Persaud, Ryhaan Shah, David Chanderbali, and David Dabydeen, et al. all well-researched provocative, cerebral and intellectual.
That's why, within my own limitations, I'll merely pen the following.
I urge Pan Africanist Ras Tom to appreciate that even though the Guyana House, first inhabited by the wandering Amerindians, might have been leased originally by his African forebears ("This house is mine!") who certainly built the foundations, those Asian Coolies and their present day descendants can lay legitimate claim to some form of prescriptive rights and joint ownership of today's building. You must agree Tom that those tenants have paid their rent and dues fully to share the house and its compound!
That's just my way of recording my view that Guyanese of Indian descent justly qualify to share any and all benefits now available however few those resources are. I agree with Dabydeen that the coming of the Coolies to this country changed, significantly altered the history and development of what is now Guyana; that the East Indians brought with them peculiar values, even virtues that influenced fundamentally the very character of the society as it was in the post-emancipation period; that during and after Indian indentureship, the sacred attachment to the sub-continent's culture, religion and mores and the love of his own piece of land, his goat, sheep or cow, caused the Guyana Indian to turn "suffering" into success. Depending on your perspective however, you have to decide how good for Guyana the "Indian virtues" of say, thrift, saving, frugality and deferred gratification really are.
Then there was Yesu Persaud speaking about "Indians" being most peaceful, tolerant and resilient - by nature. I agree that those characteristics are eminently desirable amongst any group. But I'm not being offensive when I say that too many Indo-Guyanese are also selfish, greedy, and much too timid. I suppose the negative/offensive balance to all that is in the expertise of some to be the architects and facilitators of certain aspects of criminal enterprise these days. Where are today's guns coming from? (Others have written extensively about the "Indian" contributions in every professional field, industry, commerce and sport. I can spare you that.)
During the past two weeks too Shah and Dev have taken on adequately, the government front organisations and others on such issues as the much touted May 5 Indian Arrival Holiday and the lack of security for vulnerable Indo-Guyanese business people and rural dwellers. Great volatile stuff that but the debates laid bare the interest-groups' agendas, their preferred pathways for Guyanese Indians to proceed to a peaceful, productive and prosperous existence here.
Charges of "ethnic extremism" educed interesting responses from the "Indian Rights" activists who stressed Indian pride and highlighted alleged official spinelessness where protection of, and provision for Indo-Guyanese is concerned when compared to what is being offered to "other" communities and constituencies. See how the issues can develop? Even by those who evidently - or supposedly, have the "Indian cause" at heart?
Poor me, in all this, I have a vicarious attachment to and interest in the treatment of Indo-Guyanese these days. By those in government, by those in political opposition; by other "groups" and now by the architects of criminal enterprise. I repeat my amusing (?) dilemma: I might be, by ethnicity, Indian-descended but I'm completely Black-oriented culturally "attitudinally, spiritually". But you know what? I think that status gives me the clarity to view the "Indian" status dispassionately, even objectively.
And what I'll say as a three-cents contribution to the current debate is this: I do feel that the elected authorities take their premier loyal constituency for granted. Despite the need and moral government obligation to be even-handed and nationalistic, a political party and a government must find ways of ensuring that the resources, however limited should be enjoyed by all including "their own." Bending over to woo others by denying your own their rights achieves little. No matter how much their "support" is guaranteed. It's a good thing those folks are adept at being frugal, spartan. That they remain resilient - because they come from the Coolies!
Identity!
I was reasonably intrigued by Ras Tom Dalgetty's show of the video-documentary, produced by the BBC, which showed how British Africans used DNA sequencing to trace their forebears to both Europe and Africa.
Of course, the documentary focused on the individuals' emotional journey to Africa - to Niger and elsewhere - after their Caribbean "origin" was obvious.
But some of the explorers' origins also resided in white Europe. They tended to ignore that. You are what you want to be. Or what you define yourself to be. That's why, I'm told in response to my consistent query, if half-breeds like Jimmy Adams, Mariah Carey, Bob Marley or Halle Berry decide that they are "black", so be it. It is not others defining them. And they are not denying their white parents. They prefer to be Black. Huh? That's why I like Tiger Woods...
However, I dedicate these two verses to those who know themselves. They are from Martin Carter.
I come from the nigger yard of yesterday
leaping from the oppressor's hate
and the scorn of myself;
from the agony of the dark hut in the shadow
and the hurt of things;
from the long days of cruelty and the long nights of pain
down to the wide streets of to-morrow, of the next day
leaping I come, who cannot see will hear.
In the nigger yard I was naked like the new born
naked like a stone or a star.
It was a cradle of blind days racking in time
torn like the skin from the back of a slave.
It was an aching floor on which I crept
on my hands and my knees
searching the dust for the trace of a root
or the mark of a leaf or the shape of a flower.
*********
I come from the nigger yard of yesterday
leaping from the oppressor's hate
and the scorn of myself.
I come to the world with scars upon my soul
wounds on my body, fury in my hands.
I turn to the histories of men and the lives of the peoples
I examine the shower of sparks, the wealth of the dreams
I am pleased with the glories and sad with the sorrows
rich with the riches, poor with the loss.
From the nigger yard of yesterday I come with my burden.
To the world of tomorrow I turn with my strength.
Apologies...
1) Again, I postpone my Stabroek News-police item. I apologise.
2) Labour's house remains divided. What does GAWU demand? What does GPSU want? Have you ever wondered? Let's explore that next time.
3) Did you catch Mr. Khan's views on the Back-Track Scam? Do you know how many thousands would share the Khan-scam view?
4) Whose under-16 daughters are now more vulnerable to the new criminality? Discuss!
5) How did the gay-lesbian rights Tower symposium go!?
'Til next week!
