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Guyanese Culture
Family Life
Family life is very important in Guyanese culture. The extended family plays a major role in our daily lives. We eat together more often, and we meet for large family reunions. Males have more power than females in many Guyanese families. Most men work outside the home, while women stay at home to take care of the children and the housework. In some families, both parents must work. This depends on the job that the male has. Children have more responsibility in the family. As soon as they are old enough, they take odd jobs to contribute to the upkeep of the household.
Beliefs
There are two main religions in Guyana: Christianity and Hinduism. 50% of the people are Christian, 35% are Hindu, 10% are Muslim, and the rest are other religions. Of course, Hinduism is prevalent among people of Indian descent. Christianity is common among most other Guyanese. We are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. In the U.S., our religious services are different, because we do not have the drums that we used in our churches in Guyana. Our church services are lively musical events with lots of singing. Seventh Day Adventists believe in the same things as other Christians, but we have some additional rules. We observe Saturday as the Sabbath, and devout Seventh Day Adventists won't watch television, listen to music, or work on that day. We also don't drink alcohol or eat unclean foods like pork or shellfish.
Language
Due to the period of British colonialism, English is the official language of Guyana. However, we have many slang words that Americans do not know. When we first came to the U.S., we could easily understand Americans, but it was often difficult for them to understand us because they said we talk too fast. Indian Guyanese also speak Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi, as well as Urdu. Others speak Creole or Amerindian languages.
Dress
There is really not much difference between Guyanese dress and American dress. We wear the same types of jeans and shirts. Guyanese men like to wear baseball caps. Name brands are also important to many people because they are a sign of high status, just like in America. Devoutly religious people dress modestly, since they should behave differently from the rest of the secular world.
Food
We eat a lot of chicken, fish, and turkey in Guyana. Rice is a staple of our diet, and we use curry in our cooking. Our national dish is pepper pot, a stew which contains meat, spices, and a sauce called cassareep. Another popular dish is metemgie, a thick coconut based soup. We have a special treat called daal, which is a kind of yellow split lentil that can be cooked into many delicious dishes. We eat a lot of fresh greens, which people in rural areas often grow themselves. Farming is an important part of the Guyanese economy, and we miss being able to go into the fields, pick our fruits and vegetables fresh, and take them home to eat right away.
Recreation
Guyanese entertainment blends East Indian and West Indian culture. The music we listen to is a mixture of Caribbean, Indian, African, European, and American styles. Sports are an important part of recreation. Cricket is the national sport, but soccer and basketball are also very popular. Most families own televisions, but in the rural area in which we lived there were only two channels to choose from.
