The fact that those reasons were implied and understood by all and sundry, especially in stark contrast to the celebration of the same holiday last year makes the point of this, and I hope i succeed at getting us all there.On the eve of the holiday, a Syrian-Trinidadian friend of mine posted (rather tongue-in-cheek I suspect), that with Indian Arrival Day, Emancipation Day, Baptist Liberation Day, Chinese Day (not sure what it's called) et al, why isn't there an Arab Day?
Another friend wants 'Redman Arrival Day' (which I fully support) as well and the absurdity of it all got me thinking.
What purpose do these 'Days' REALLY serve?
Do they build us up or break us down?
Is our individual history more important than our collective history?
Now, before you get off on a rant to tell me the obvious about the middle passage and the Fatal Razack, please.
I know my/our history.
My point is, how do we ever hope to be one nation, one people if we keep funding and focusing on what divides us?
It is my firm position that all these 'racially themed' holidays are bribes by successive intellectually inane and morally bankrupt governments aimed at the lowest in us, where we exist on a base, tribal level.
They do no good for the society as a whole, and I sincerely believe actually continues to emphasize the fractures of our individual histories.
What about those who get no holiday? Are those marginalized races unimportant because of numbers? Are we in fact rewarding successful breeding?
We need policies that encourage seamless integration, not further separation. We need less 'I' and more 'we'.
The country would be better served by an abolition of ALL racial holidays and replaced with one 'National' holiday, something like 'Trinbago Day'.
It should fall on a Friday so it can be a long weekend every time.
All races and tribes could and should be encouraged to celebrate their respective cultures, arrivals, freedoms or what have you, and for the first time, 'White' Trinidadians will be able to participate fully without feeling like the bad guy at holiday time, every time.
The Ministry of Culture should encourage this day as the high point of the calendar, and should make funding available to all sectors and demographics to facilitate relevant expression.
This would facilitate a coming together of all our people on a separate but equal footing for the first time regardless of origin, circumstance or demography, and allow for the melding of cultures and an integration of all sectors into one nation over time.
Isn't that a better reason to celebrate?
Something to think about...
We can all agree that T&T is a 'cultural melting pot' and it is true that the various cultures are not equally recognized- I agree with you there. However, I do not support your suggestion to abolish all racial holidays, replace them with one national holiday and that, and I quote, "All races and tribes could and should be encouraged to celebrate their respective cultures, arrivals, freedoms or what have you..." In my view, if this was the reality it will serve to encourage nothing but national selfishness, segregation and sectarism somewhat reminiscent of the colonial Caribbean. Is it not important to our social development that one culture is able to appreciate and celebrate another? How can the “coming together of all people” be achieved in an "every man for himself" society? Undoubtedly, this ‘solution’ WILL further divide us. The problem at hand is not the fact that there are holidays declared on a racial basis; it is the fact that there are not enough on the Trini calendar to pay respect to each of the many sectors, especially those in minority.
ReplyDeleteBTW I fully concur with your suggestion to put our holidays on Fridays…. We can all use some more long weekends!!!
Jonathan Ramsaroop