Latest update May 14th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 16, 2010 Editorial
Where else in the world are people known to scrap observances that have become a tradition? We have been looking at observances in various parts of the world and we seem unable to find such instances until we turn our attention to Guyana.
The records show that Cuba, once a Christian country that observed the Christmas holidays, ceased that observance on a national scale after the revolution in 1958. It became a communist state and most of its people became agnostics rather than devoutly religious. Indeed, Cuba, like its neighbours, was a Catholic country so the Pope was the titular head of the country. Cuba shed that tradition but that was a conscious decision.
The United States became a secular state, like most of the other countries in the first world, but it allowed the various religious bodies to continue to observe those things that had been traditional. And to ensure that it annoyed no one, it allowed those people to take what it called religious days. That country is keen on traditions.
Guyana is a secular state but it is not averse to observing national holidays for certain religious events. Each of the three major religions enjoy national day for their specific observances. Of course, some if the holidays are the vestiges of the period when Guyana was considered a Christian country. Events like Good Friday, Easter and Christmas are distinct Christian holidays inherited from the colonial past.
There were others but the political leaders of the day decided that there was need to accommodate the other religions without increasing the number of holidays in the country. The Muslims now have two and the Hindus, two. This tradition will remain until another political leader gets a brain wave to do something different and break with tradition.
But in Guyana there are traditions, all of them laudable, that have gone through the window, and not because of a conscious decision. The national award programme introduced in the wake of Guyana becoming a republic forty years ago was something that made the people strive for even greater efforts. The nation would signal that it recognized the contribution by the people, some of them ordinary by announcing their names and the award that the nation intends to bestow on them. Many of these people may never feature in the limelight again so this award actually gives them a moment of glory. Guyana appears to have scrapped the national award. No reason has been given except that a committee has not been working assiduously to ensure that the awards are bestowed on deserving Guyanese.
This has been the case of nearly seven years and despite promises that the lapse is only temporary it would seem that this absence of the national award may be permanent.
There are other traditions that appear to have fallen by the wayside. The Guyana Prize for Literature is still there although there have been delays in its presentation. It is as if not enough attention is paid to such activities which not only award the budding artistes, but which also serve to spawn new talent in the literary field.
At one time there was the view that this programme—the Guyana Prize for Literature—would have also spawned a printing industry. By appearing to shelve it the government may be setting the country back.
There are even more traditions that have been abolished. Schools that at one time routinely summoned parents when children were either absent or recalcitrant appear to pay precious little effort to such things. Children are sent home to return with their parents. They refuse and the tradition of insisting that they remain away from school until they comply with the request is often ignored.
Also in school, promotion was on merit. Not anymore because the system feels that every child must be in school regardless of whether he or she is a disruptive influence.
Hairstyles were traditionally very modest. That tradition is no more. There must have been some reason for these traditions. For one they helped hold the society together. Good manners was a tradition that helped mould the society. That has gone through the window.
There must be a move to restore certain traditions. They meant something and we are finding out that without them the society is slowly falling apart.
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