{"id":223777,"date":"2026-05-07T20:42:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T20:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/223777\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T20:42:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T20:42:47","slug":"court-system-celebrates-indo-caribbean-heritage-with-saris-and-steel-drums-in-manhattan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/223777\/","title":{"rendered":"Court system celebrates Indo-Caribbean heritage with saris and steel drums in Manhattan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manhattan\u2019s civil court system<\/a> served ginger beer and curry, displayed traditional Caribbean saris, and hosted a steel drum player on Thursday afternoon in an event celebrating its employees of Indo-Caribbean heritage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The event coincided with Arrival Day, a holiday celebrated in several Caribbean nations in May and June to commemorate the arrival of Indian indentured laborers under Colonial rule in the 19th century.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, as we observe Indo-Caribbean heritage and Indian Arrival Day, we honor a powerful and enduring story and history, the journey of men and women who crossed oceans and through resilience and sacrifice helped shape the Caribbean into what it is today under various circumstances, including colonial indentureship,\u201d said First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George, who is of Jamaica descent.<\/p>\n

In countries like Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica, the holiday serves to recognize the contributions of Indo-Caribbeans to the social, cultural, and economic development of their new surroundings. Though the holiday recognizes the perseverance of South Asian groups living under oppression, the courts\u2019 ceremony largely focused on celebrating culture, and featured light remarks from many of its speakers.<\/p>\n

Administrative Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York Shahabuddeen A. Ally, who was born Guyana, quizzed various speakers on whether one should say \u201ccurry chicken\u201d or \u201cchicken curry\u201d \u2014 a matter of regional debate in Caribbean countries.<\/p>\n

The ceremony honored the contributions of three Indo-Caribbean members of the court and the greater community for their professional accomplishments.\n<\/p>\n

Queens County Criminal Court Judge Karen Gopee, CBS News Anchor Jennifer Bisram and NYPD Deputy Chief at Patrol Borough Staten Island Amir Yakatali all discussed their experiences growing up with Indo-Caribbean heritage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were moments when I had to explain who we are again and again, and to be honest with you, sometimes I still have to,\u201d Bisram said. \u201cBut what I realized today is our community was never invisible, just undertold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yakatali, whose parents came to Brooklyn from Guyana, was the first of his family to be born in America.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ability to understand different perspectives, to move across cultures, to relate to people who see the world differently than you do, that\u2019s exactly what this job requires,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Gopee talked about the importance of highlighting the chapter of the mid-19th century that Arrival Day remembers.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard about some of the struggles and the hardships that our ancestors endured,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m so glad that it is being highlighted and talked about because outside of the Caribbean, not very many people have heard about it or know about the history.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A steel drum player plays in a Manhattan civil courtroom to celebrate Indo-Caribbean heritage.Photo by Max Parrott \"\"Administrative Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York
Shahabuddeen A. AllyPhoto by Max Parrott \"\"Deputy Chief at Patrol Borough Staten Island Amir YakataliPhoto by Max Parrott \"\"A traditional dancer celebrates Indian Arrivan Day.Photo by Max Parrott<\/p>\n

\"\"\n<\/p>\n

\"\"From left, Queens County Criminal Court Judge Karen Gopee talks with CBS News Anchor Jennifer Bisram about their heritage.Photo by Max Parrott \"\"Photo by Max Parrott<\/p>\n

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