Community Life, Culture, and Religion

Guyanese life in Canada is a dynamic intermix of strong familial and cultural structures for both the two major racial groups, who have quite diverse religious characteristics. The British colonial experience allowed for educational, legal, political, and economic values that were shared by Guyanese of both racial backgrounds, but, in terms of family and religious institutions, some divergences by race must be noted.

For Guyanese of both Asian Indian and African backgrounds, the family serves an important role. Among those of African, Chinese, or Portuguese ancestry and middle-class background, the nuclear family is the norm, and family values are similar to those of other middle-class Canadians. Among working-class black families in Guyana, a matriarchal system in which the mother and grandmother play significant parts may still be common.

In Canada the extended family has almost disappeared, and Guyanese regardless of their socio-economic status are adopting Canadian mores and values in terms of marriage and the family. An increase in common-law relationships among all groups in Canada, including black Guyanese, suggests an erosion of the traditional marriage. Among those of Asian Indian origin, both the extended family and family stability have been central to their social organization. The broader family unit has not been transposed to Canada, but kinship networks remain strong among this group. Respect for elders, strict moral codes, and in-group social networks, while still the norm, face many challenges from secondgeneration Guyanese in Canada. One sign of a breakdown of in-group relationships is the increase in interracial marriages among Canadianborn Guyanese of Asian Indian background. Improved educational and occupational opportunities for this generation have meant that the patterns of behaviour of the host society are increasingly accepted. Nevertheless, generational conflict over values, while common, has in the main been resolved within the family.

Guyanese tend not to establish large formal associations, preferring informal sports, dancing, and recreational clubs. Although many of these organizations serve a broad West Indian clientele, sports clubs are often based on the country of origin. In the large metropolitan areas of Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver, Guyanese sports and social clubs serve important functions. For the new arrivals, they are a source of continuity with the homeland, while, for those who have been in Canada for a longer period of time, they are places where friendships can be formed and continued. Dancing is the most common recreational activity among those from the Caribbean, and Guyanese are no exception. In fact, given the immense popularity of steel band, calypso, and reggae music among Canadians generally, Caribbean culture can be said to have had a profound impact on the host society. In addition to gatherings at formal clubs and restaurants, recreational halls are rented on weekends to facilitate musical programs, dancing, and social interaction.

The Guyanese Asian Indian community has grown at a greater rate than other Caribbean groups, especially since the 1980s, when conflict in the homeland created thousands of political refugees. Because of its size, particularly in Metropolitan Toronto, this group has been able to form a viable community with distinctive social and cultural organizations. For example, a weekly paper published in Toronto, Indo-Caribbean World, provides news about Guyana and Trinidad as well as Canadian issues. The activities of social and cultural groups are promoted, and Asian Indian restaurants, grocery stores, and travel, insurance, and other businesses are widely advertised. Other Caribbean publications in Toronto that cater to the needs of the Guyanese in Canada are Caribbean Camera, the Guyana Times, the Metro World, and Share (1978– ). The Guyana Times attempts to reach Guyanese across Canada and of all racial backgrounds. It devotes a larger part of its weekly edition to news about Guyana and the activities of Guyanese organizations in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada. Asian Indian cultural song and dance groups are widely featured, as are religions celebrations. The community in Canada, particularly in Metropolitan Toronto, has utilized all branches of the media – radio, television, and the press – to promote its social and cultural activities, with great success.

Religious values are prominent in the lives of Guyanese of African, Asian Indian, Chinese, Portuguese, and native backgrounds. Among those who are not of Asian Indian ancestry, membership in Christian churches is common, particularly in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Baptist denominations. Among the Asian Indian population, both Hindus and Muslims have allied themselves with individuals from other countries who share these faiths, and they worship together in a common space. Hindu mandirs and Muslim mosques are to be found in every large city in Canada. Given the decrease in religious observance in the host society, these institutions may play a lesser role in the lives of Canadian-born Guyanese.

Judged on the basis of social, political, and religious organizations, Guyanese institutions can be classified as of an emergent type. Guyanese culture flourishes in Canada, but in the main its associations are allied with the broader Caribbean community. For members of the group, the cultural services most supported are recreational clubs, child-care centres, groceries where their culinary preferences can be purchased, newspapers that carry information about the homeland and the community in Canada, and musical activities. In fact, music best represents their culture, and again it is the wider Caribbean tradition that stands out. As in other emergent communities, effective leadership, while the key to success, is often problematic. Individuals from the Caribbean prefer informal associations and only coalesce in times of crisis and conflict. Political activity among Guyanese in Canada has been minimal at this stage of the group’s development. However, with the passage of time, its members can be expected to participate in Canadian political institutions in greater numbers.