Guyana’s heart beats in Toronto
By Camille Ross (Camille Ross is a first generation Canadian of Guyanese heritage. A recent graduate from the School of Journalism at Ryerson University, she is the creator and host of Guyana Beat, a weekly television programme in Toronto, Canada.)
I wasn’t born in Guyana, or raised in Guyana, and hadn’t been to the country until I was 10 years old. Yet, here in Toronto, I developed a true Guyanese identity. I had Guyanese friends throughout school, and knew the music, the food, the sayings and more. As a child, my favorite meal was dhal and rice, and we always got excited for Tamarind Balls and Sugar Cake. Growing up in Toronto, I didn’t just live with my brother and sisters; I also lived with my grandmother, aunts, uncles and other extended family. My parents brought this culture with them from their homeland and passed it on to my siblings and I. This puts us in an important position.