I love my Guyanese heritage. I don’t pretend to understand or embrace all that it is but it’s a part of me and I enjoy learning, living and growing in my GT/NYC-ness. But what about my kids? I want them to love and revel in, if not all, some of what it means to be Guyanese / Guyanese-American. But growing up 1st generation Guyanese-American has removed me from the motherland a degree so what does that mean for my boys and the generations to come?
Well, growing up in Brooklyn, especially in our part (Flatbush in da house!), you really can’t escape it. The West Indian population in Brooklyn is massive and Guyanese live in just about every other home. According to the latest American Community Survey figures, there are about 140,000 Guyanese immigrants living in New York City which makes them the fifth-largest foreign-born population in the city. So between our family and our neighborhood, I know they will be exposed to the culture. But I don’t want the gap to grow too large.
So what’s a gyal to do? Guyanese / Caribbean culture crash course of course! What does that mean? Hmmm. More frequent trips home. Exposing them to the culture (music, food, customs) on a regular basis. (It hurt my heart deeply.when my youngest son said he couldn’t understand what reggae singers were saying. Clearly, I’m not doing my job. LOL). Attending Caribbean events and activities. And just spending more time with our family, especially the older members who can share their memories of growing up in Guyana.
I don’t think I have to worry too much with them becoming complete and total yankees (the term I hated being called as a kid). Growing up I never really paid conscious attention to how Guyanese I was but as I grew I just began to know, to come to a realization, that this is a piece of me. It’s not all of me, but it’s a huge piece of who I am and I need to embrace it, love it, revel in it and share it with my children. I look forward to watching the same realization come to my boys.
If living outside of your family’s homeland, do you struggle with your Caribbean-ness? Are you doing anything to ensure that the connection stays strong? Why or why not? If yes, how? Tell me nuh?!
