Celebrating each others’ festivals is great for ethnic relations

Dec 30, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,
We should be proud that as Guyanese we display tremendous tolerance for each other’s religious festivals and customs in Guyana as well as in the diaspora, especially in NY. Guyanese of all faiths celebrate Christmas in Guyana as well as in NY. One does not have to be a Christian to enjoy the season, as I also discovered in non-Christian Vietnam for the Christmas season.
The celebration of other peoples’ festivals helps to foster peace and understanding among the different groups of a nation as we have experienced in Guyana and as the people of Vietnam have also demonstrated.
On the subject of Christmas, I experienced celebrations this year in four major cities – NY, Frankfurt (Germany), Singapore, Ho Chi Minh (Saigon, Vietnam). Saigon’s is among the most spectacular Xmas celebration I experienced.
The city’s celebrations offer some comparisons with those of Guyana’s. For Vietnamese, it is a non-religious celebration as it is for Hindu and Muslim Guyanese. Christmas is a gala event in Saigon observed with all the celebratory vigour and fanfare by non-Christians just as it is observed by Christians as well as non-Christians in Guyana. The non-Christians of this Communist Republic are deep into the celebration, more-so than their non-Christian neighbours of Cambodia and Thailand and “Christian cities” such as NY, Frankfurt or Singapore.
Vietnam is officially a Socialist Republic. Most Vietnamese are Buddhists, but their many temples are aptly decorated for the Xmas season as temples are decorated in Guyana. Government buildings and almost every shop, hotel and office are also bedecked with Christmas paraphernalia. There are Christmas trees, Santas and lights everywhere in streets and parks and in office buildings and shopping malls. There are more lights in downtown Saigon than in downtown NYC. Decorations can be found everywhere in the city to attract people. The whole of downtown Saigon is wonderfully adorned with countless colourful bright lights and beautiful decorations. Christmas carols emanate from shops, offices, hotels, restaurants and government buildings even days after Christmas, as is the norm in Guyana.
Although Christmas is not a public holiday, the Buddhists and a small number of Muslims, Hindus and atheists, Chinese and other ethnic minorities also partake in celebrations that mark the spirit of the season as non-Christians do in Guyana.
The season is celebrated with greater vigour and cheerfulness as found in NY and Guyana. Similar to NY, the people are into shopping and entertainment. It is a very busy time for the retailers as it is in NY. Vietnamese may not observe Christmas the American way, like feasting on turkey. And like most Guyanese, they do not go to church for mass or cook up a storm. But celebrants are out in the streets feting as they do in Guyana. Massive numbers of people are in the streets taking in the spectacular sight.
Also, there are parties and public concerts all over the city – a sight not observed anywhere else I travelled for the holiday season. I spent Christmas 2007 in Bangkok and thought it was one of the best holiday seasons I experienced until I visited Saigon. For the New Year in Saigon, similar to Guyanese in NY, a wide range of activities, including countdown parties, concerts, acclaimed performances, attractive shopping promotions and culinary treats are scheduled.
As the celebrations in Vietnam suggest, Christmas and New Year have their own special aura and even non-believers like Buddhists, similar to our own Hindus and Muslims are caught up in the web of activities. The Vietnamese people, like non-Christians in Guyana, show terrific appreciation for the festival as a mark of respect for their Christian brethren. The multi-cultural celebration of the season by the different groups in places like Vietnam and Guyana is great for improving ethnic relations especially at a time when there is so much conflict among different groups. Other countries should take a page out of Guyana’s book on festivals.
Vishnu Bisram

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Celebrating each others’ festivals is great for ethnic relations

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