Dear Editor,
I noticed Gavin Ramnarain’s letter captioned “Many songs are not as good if sung in another language” ( 08.01.11) which is an attempt to justify the proliferation of Indian music, sung in Hindi, on the State’s airwaves in response to Desmond Saul’s letter. Ramnarain is avoiding Saul’s legitimate observation and recommendation. In the olden days Hindi music was played to a niche audience at given times. So too were the operas, golden oldies, and jazz music that Ramnarain disingenuously throws in to reinforce his point. Folk or creole songs are unique to Guyanese culture, the language derivative of the fusions of languages of the many people who peopled the country.
Within recent years, and in increasing proportion, it has become the trend to have Hindi music interspersed in other programmes throughout the day. The way it is done smacks strongly of cultural domination and contempt for the other cultures that have fused into the Guyana culture. This is said from the position that the other races who make up Guyana and have diverse backgrounds, do not enjoy the benefit of having music of their historical language sung on the airwaves.
There is no Portuguese, Amerindian, African and Chinese language songs. Yet the language of the named cultures are alive and their music just as enjoyable as the English and Hindi. Ramnarain did not advocate for their inclusion. Someone had to break the ice and say it and it is good Desmond Saul did .
The radio station of Guyana is owned by the people of Guyana and as much as Ramnarain and the government expect persons to respect and have tolerance for the music of other languages/cultures, Ramnarain and the government have to respect and have tolerance for Guyanese of other historical nationalities and play music in their respective languages for those and others to hear. This way all can benefit from language tolerance and cultural pride, if this is the intent of the government’s Hindu music proliferation on radio.
If the radio station fails to revisit and change its policy of dominant Hindi music, persons will continue to believe this government is making the country an Indian state at the expense of taxpayers’ dollars, many of whom are non-Indians.
Recently there was a national show by the National Dance Company, pictures of which were carried in our dailies, and it was hard to tell if it was an Indian or Guyanese production. It was distinguishably clear that the NDC or whomever choreographed that performance did it with the sole intent of imposing an Indian culture on the Guyanese psyche. Guyana belongs to all Guyanese and the opportunities to showcase talents and historical language must be given equally to all Guyanese.
Diversity has to have a human and honest face, it cannot be one sided. If it is one sided it gives rise to legitimizing cultural hegemony/dominance. The State sectors have to lead the way and desist from furthering this basis.
Yours faithfully,
Vernon T Daly
