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Doh Worry Sat, Something Was Done For Trinidadian Culture
Posted: Monday, October 3, 2005
By Oke Zachary
I would like to allay Sat Maharaj's concerns that nothing was done for East Indian Culture in the 2005/2006 'National' budget. The key word here is 'National' and as a citizen, a 'national' of Trinidad and Tobago I would like to assure Sat that something was done for our 'national' heritage. The government is moving to transform the 'National' Steel Orchestra into a full symphony and it will be ready for presentation to the 'national' and international community.
I would have thought that Sat along with other 'nationals' like myself would have been delighted by this move, considering that the steel pan is the 'national' instrument of our beloved country and is therefore representative of all 'nationals' irrespective of ethnic origin.
Needless to say I would like to agree with Sat that "anybody arriving at Piarco Airport will never think that 43 per cent of the population of this country are Indians because there is nothing at the airport to tell them." See what Sat apparently doesn't know is that Indians live on a Continent somewhere in Asia called India and so it would be a travesty for our government to contribute to Indian culture, a culture that belongs to a foreign country. I'm always amused by people like Sat who make statements like these, yet when people of Indian decent from this country take up citizenship in places like Canada, they're proud to let everyone know that they're Canadian and not Indian.
Sat went on to say that all people will see at the airport is a big steel pan but nothing that would tell tourist that Trinidad is a multicultural society. But the steel pan is the 'national' instrument of our multicultural 'nation', is Sat not a 'national' of this country? What culture does Sat think the steel pan represents?
Sat said Mr. Manning is sending the message that Trinidad is a mono culture society. You are wrong as usual Sat, Mr. Manning is sending the message that this is a mono 'national' society, we are all Trinidadians. If you insist otherwise that you're an Indian then please feel free to migrate to India.
We are nationals of different races
Posted By: Ayinde
While Sat Maharaj's concern is bogus, I think this paragraph shows some confusion.
You wrote:
"Sat said Mr. Manning is sending the message that Trinidad is a mono culture society. You are wrong as usual Sat, Mr. Manning is sending the message that this is a mono 'national' society, we are all Trinidadians. If you insist otherwise that you're an Indian then please feel free to migrate to India."
Nationality is a legal status that says one belongs to a nation. People can change their nationality.
Race is a group of people with common features. Race is also annexed to the land where people developed their common features. So there are people of different races called Indians, Chinese, Africans, Europeans/Caucasians and mixed-race who are all Trinidad and Tobago 'Nationals'.
Given that Africans were forced to this country and Africans faced many other dehumanizing conditions, the nation of Trinidad and Tobago should recognize this. The government should be about correcting present and historical injustices.
Given that racism (which affects all nationals) resulted from European miseducation that is tied to slavery, and the Indian Caste System miseducation, then the government should also be contributing to end racism.
Our education system should reflect the experiences of the different racial groups that comprise the nation of Trinidad and Tobago.
We are nationals of different races.
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