The traditions associated with Phagwah celebrations in Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean are being kept alive in New York by the early Guyanese migrants of the 1960s and later years and by their descendants, second, third, and fourth generation. The fun and revelry associated with the Phagwah celebration in Guyana were on display in Richmond Hill last Sunday March 23 at the 37th annual Phagwah Parade with thousands of participants.
The parade was founded by a group of Guyanese and commenced small with only a few thousand revelers and one float in 1989. In recent decades, the parade attracted tens of thousands of onlookers and participants. The parade was held last Sunday in Richmond Hill that is widely known as Little Guyana and Little Trinidad. And thousands more gathered at the culmination of the parade at Smokey Oval where there was a four hour cultural variety concert that concluded just after 6 PM.
It was cold day for an outdoor event but there was brilliant sunshine. THe mood was very festive on Liberty Ave as thousands gathered to watch and cheer the many floats and to throw multi-colorful powder (gulal) as they also did at the park. Lumes of powder can be seen on the parade route as well as in the park. Mists of powder rose from below at the mela concert when Phagwah songs (from Bollywood movies) were sung. There were several popular entertainers from the Caribbean (Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad) including Terry Gajraj also known as the Guyana Babu.
The parade was kicked off on Liberty Ave and 133rd Street with chanting of mantras by the Dharmacharya Ram Hardowar and pandits at noon. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, of Jamaican ancestry, and NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella were Chief Guests and grand marshals. Richards and his white Indian wear was covered from head to toe with multitude of colors. The Boro President is up for re-election this November with the Primary set for June.
As the Boro President noted, Queens has the largest concentration of Indians (and Hindus) outside of India. It is the most diverse borough in America with some two hundred different nationalities or ethnic groups. It is also home to the largest the largest Indo-Caribbean community in America. The presence of Indo-Caribbean Hindus, first, second, third, and fourth generations, of all ages, at the parade and other Hindu celebrations help to keep Phagwah and other Hindu traditions alive.
The almost two dozen colorful floats filled with dancing participants to Bollywood music and chowtaal or singing of Phagwah songs proceeded on the Ave. Among the many floats, there was a “One Guyana” float On it were Ambassador Sam Hinds, Consular General Michael E. Brotherson, Joe Yussuff, businessman Dave Narine, and party supporters They waved the Guyana flag.
Several tassa bands and chowtaal groups also marched with the floats.
In Guyana and the Caribbean and among Indo-Caribbean Americans, the festival is called Phagwah, which is also the name used in the northern parts of India from where most Indian Guyanese (and their diaspora) originated. In other parts of India, it is called Holi, a national holiday.
Phagwah was brought to the Caribbean from the Hindi and Bhojpuri speaking belt of north India. From the Caribbean, it was brought to New York City during the early 1970s and spread to other parts of America by Indo-Caribbean Hindus and institutionalized in Florida, Boston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Schenectady, Chicago, Texas, and elsewhere. Phagwah was also introduced on New York college campus (CCNY) beginning in 1978; several American campuses had Holi celebrations. Phagwah or Holi is an ancient festival that is thousands of years old and was celebrated throughout the Caribbean territories where Indians were indentured during the first few decades and gradually died off as the Hindu population declined. Only Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname and a small village in Jamaica celebrate Phagwah. It marks the beginning of Spring or end of the winter solstice. It is also known as the Festival of Colors because of the variety of colorful powders and abeer (colored water) used in the celebration.
At the mela, several politicians delivered remarks. Romeo Hitlall, who is running for office for a city council seat in the Richmond Hill area, chair of the parade festival committee, said he “was deeply honored to be named a Grand Marshall for the parade”. He thanked the committee for this recognition and for their dedication to making this celebration possible”. There were other candidates at the parade.
As pandits explained, it is a celebration of togetherness, forgiveness, renewal and new beginnings. Barriers based on faith, caste, gender, and ethnicity are removed. Everyone is treated equally. As many young American born revelers of Guyanese extraction whose parents also American born remarked, “It is our celebration and we are keeping it alive in New York and America”. Phagwah was also celebrated publicly in the Bronx, Jersey City, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando as well as other cities. Several politicians hosted Phagwah celebrations in their offices.
