My perception of West Indians in the United States
August 20, 2008
I feel that people are unaware of all the congregations of West Indians in the United States. Most people know about the Liberty Ave/ Richmond Hill area… but, seriously there are West Indians everywhere, some in larger groups and some in small but modest groups. For instance, my uncle lives in Iowa and there are a few West Indians that are there, they all know each other (because we all know how West Indians get when they find their own kind- it’s as if they have West Indian radar and can sniff your blood anywhere). I live in NYC, Queens to be exact. I don’t live near Richmond Hill, more closer to Queens Village. There’s a load of West Indians in those parts of Queens. I’ve noticed it’s most working upper middle class with houses and cars, professional, steady jobs and seem like nice hard working people. You can see the same description in Manhattan, Bronx, Manhattan and such. I think other WI’s aren’t aware that there are so many communities that are predominantly West Indian.
I have noticed though that you usually meet the African decent WI’s in Brooklyn and Manhattan while the Indian descents tend to reside in Queens and the Bronx. Why is that? I work in Manhattan and have met many WI’s in this area that are African decent and are such loving people, and them too- they just kinda know your West Indian and they talk to you a certain way as if they knew you for years. It’s nice to come to a strange community and be lovingly accepted by people from the countries your parents and ancestors are from. They have a wealth of information about how and why they migrated and what problems and issues they have faced or still face because of their cultural background and living in certain areas.
It seems that people that aren’t West Indian are more familiar with Jamaicans and are a little confused when they hear a slight dialect difference in a Trinidadian and Guyanese accent. It’s all English just spoken slightly different. I find it very peculiar how when some one asks me where I’m from, of course I’ll say NY (because I was born and raised here), continue on to ask where my parents are from and are totally flabbergasted of the fact I don’t have a west Indian accent at all. I don’t see how your accent defines who you are and then because I look predominantly Indian, they just assume I’m from Richmond Hill, which isn’t true. I guess because people only feel that West Indians congregate in the same places. They are all over! Think about how much family you have spread out all through out the Caribbean islands, South America, Central America, North America, and Europe- I know I do.
The cool thing about West Indian culture is that no matter where they go, where they migrate to or where they congregate, they still treat you the same open armed loving way, like you belong with them. Some people, its been years since they saw the land they were born and raised in and seeing your brown face makes them smile a bit and remember their youth. Maybe that’s why there are loving, maybe you remind them of their younger days or things that they miss that aren’t in the States they live in. One thing that always occurs at family gatherings are story telling. Older aunts and uncles always talk about the things they used to do when they were our age, where they used to be in their countries and remember simple things like the guava trees they used to steal the fruit off before they returned home from school.
I’m sure this sense of community and belonging occurs in most nationalities. I love to hear the stories and the way things could have been for me if my parents hadn’t migrated, it gives me a sense of gratitude because some eras of time it was much harder to live in West Indian countries due to hate crimes between different skin colors and other serious crimes- which are all silly. The way I see it we’re all eating from the same plate, some of us may use a spoon and fork and some may use their bare hands. Either way, we’re still eating the same food cooked with love.
Pady
Religion: An Introspective Analysis
August 4, 2008
I know some of you who are reading this and maybe wondering if I’m an atheist, does it matter? Actually I’m not but I don’t categorize myself in any religion because I don’t believe in things that are just supposed to be believed in because others say so. I abide by my morals and try to be as honest and loving as a normal being. I put out into the world what I would like to receive and I’m never ashamed of the mistakes or situations I get into because others may talk about it and call it “sinful”. Seriously, enjoy your life… because then you’d be one miserable person paranoid about what everyone else is thinking about. I focused on religion this time but there are many topics that make people feel the same way, coercing others to believe what “they” do, in the name if “God” (or whatever you call your imminent power). People go to wars and horrific things and use the name of “God” to make others do the same. I wonder if no one ever thought about the notion of “God” would we still be the society we are today. Would there still be chaos in the mix – underhandedly lying to others how one religion/belief is the ‘right one’ because “religion is supposed to be a beautiful thing”? My grandfather used to tell me, we have 5 fingers and neither of them are the same length… just as our fingers, each one of us are different with our own beliefs, which we should respect. Read more
My Sincere opinion on domestic violence in the West Indian Community
July 15, 2008
Well, if you read my intro on domestic violence, this is my sincere opinion and thoughts on the issue at hand. I honestly feel that people who enact in domestic violence should be criminally punished. It’s hard to prove emotional, verbal and mental abuse but when so many young people are hanging themselves over the distraught their parents have bestowed on them, shouldn’t these people see what they are doing? I mean seriously, how many of you have parents that TELL you what to do rather than ask? If you didn’t hear the first time, you either got yelled at more or hit immensely because you didn’t do what you were told. Here I thought I was a human being not one of Pavlov’s dogs. Read more
Must Read! Caribbean Nationals Lobbying For Own Census Category
July 9, 2008
CaribPR Newswire, NEW YORK, NY, Wed. July 9, 2008: Non Hispanic Caribbean nationals in the U.S. say they are tired of being virtually invisible on the U.S. Census form and want their very own category.
A campaign to lobby for a non Hispanic Caribbean/West Indian category on the U.S. Census has kicked off officially ahead of the annual West Indian Labor Day carnival, in New York City, home to millions of Caribbean immigrants.
`CaribID2010,` a movement initiated by Hard Beat Communications` Felicia Persaud, is a gigantic effort to get Caribbean nationals from the English, Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean who are a melting pot of ethnic groups and who have no way now of self-identifying themselves on the U.S. Census form, secure a category. Read more
Crossing the Barriers
May 27, 2008
In maintaining the focus on minority women, let us examine some of the inherent barriers that exist within our immigrant societies.
It is essential that minority women are socially empowered to exist in our constantly evolving environment. One of the major barriers for some women may be the English Language. While this is indeed a barrier, we need to get to our women and educate on and encourage the use of the resources that are already available. Women need to get past “I can’t” to “I will”. Organizations such as sakhi.org should be commended for their work with minority women. Read more
Baiganchoka launches a WIKI focusing of all things West Indian
May 1, 2008
The objective of Baiganchoka WIKI is to generate and permanently log any and everything that is West Indian in nature. We aim to answer the WHAT, WHO, WHERE, WHY, and WHEN among other things. This cultural encyclopedia will be supported by contributors like you who would like to document a subject that is West Indian focused. To submit an article, simply create a user account to gain access to the tools available to create or paste your work. Read more
Cultural misunderstandings within West Indian Families
April 28, 2008
I am writing this piece in response to a conversation I had with a friend two nights ago regarding the lack of many West Indian parents being able to comprehend the lifestyle adjustments their children acclimate to as a critical part of survival process in the United States as per say to that in the Caribbean. Read more
Cultural Dissimilation and Degradation: the West Indian Diaspora
January 6, 2008
There is no uncertainty that popular culture, technological advancements and the pursuit to secure capital have in many ways percolated into our systems and have adapted us into “modern life.” Now this is not an appalling thing, rather it is a wonderful metamorphosis but as I see it, too much of it, as it stands mimics an active imploding volcano.
They scope of my analysis extends from an observational dissection of West Indian communities in the United States, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and the extent to which my examination should remain is respectively the same. Read more