N A M A S T E ॐ

❤️🐈 (at Grand Etang Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgN5xIHP72/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k4ybkews5ud0

Can't wait to try out these cult faves from @tatcha ... This curated box is available @sephora. I'm especially excited for the Silk Canvas Primer #tatchasilkcanvas https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmavwHnMkf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=orvhycrqf1v4

6/6 - the perfect wrap up to this series. Though we are displaced geographically, our culture is SOLID. We chose to honour our roots forever!❤️ Thank YOU @shayshotz!!! 🙏🏼😘 . . Regran "The name Guyana is an Amerindian word meaning Land of Many Waters. We are known as the country of Six People- Africans, Amerindians, Chinese, East Indians, Europeans and Portugese." I used this one fact for a reason, to summarize the overall theme for this shoot that we are a people that come from so much more than we can explain. Half of my family resides in Guyana and the other half for the most part lives in NY which I feel like could be symbolic of how we view ourselves. Half and half. We are a generation placed with burdens unique to both our diaspora and migration. Just because we have formed identities cultivated around "American culture" it is safe to say that most of us have clung onto things that remind us of a home we may or may not have experienced but still feel a strong connection to. My memories of visiting Guyana are some of my most fond if not my favorite things to reminisce on. We all piled into my grandmas house sleeping out on the floor, traded scary stories about ole higues, fire rasses and backoos, drew on our male cousins faces, took trips in my uncles bus to Splashmins and Georgetown - I could list so many more things but the basis of it is my sisters and I were blessed to have some childhood experiences with my family that I hold dearly and had a chance to connect with a beautiful land. There are a lot of social issues that plague our country and the countries of the Caribbean. We have things we need to build and work on for our current generation, for our older generation to come to terms with their traumas and shortcomings, and for the future of our people as we try to find our place in this world. While this is true, we also have so many things to be proud of that we can celebrate together. I'm so happy that through this project I've come across people like @cheyennexgold (@btwngirls), @currentlyslayinn, and @kramdeen, women who are dedicated to working hard in their fields and passionate about paving a new road designed with our cultural journey." (at Grenada) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpZNM4kHhQe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=df4rvxce9w7o

If you're from Curacao 🇨🇼 this is you dressed to kill at Denny's after Diwali Ball til 5am!! ❤️ @roshnic . . West Indians love we belly! Part 5 of 6! . . @Regran_ed from @shayshotz - One, if not the biggest dividing factor between cultures is food! West Indians definitely love to eat 😂 lots of foods for us have been transformed into something new, taking elements from our old homes and mixing it into the Caribbean flavors. The first flavors of the lands begun from The Arawak, Carib, and Taino tribes or the natives. They added spices and lemon to their meats and are said to be the ones who created the first pepper pot stew which is now cooked all across the Caribbean, especially during the holiday season. You can also thank the Arawaks for originating the process but of BBQ! They were known to slow cook their meet on wood fire to produce that smokey flavor we know today. Once Africans were forced from their homes to the Caribbean, the way we ate changed again because they were limited in what they could use for meals. Always innovative even when they are being oppressed, Africans made dishes out of okra, callaloo, saltfish, ackee, etc. Now a popular dish at the roti shop is bake and saltfish! Indian and Chinese flavors became intertwined in these existing tastes after the abolishment of slavery when their labor was brought over. From these influences we now have things like aloo pie and doubles which is fried dough with either just chana or along with mashed potatoes both topped with tamarind sauce, chutney, and other peppers if you choose. Our lands have literally become a melting pot of flavors. Over time the way we cook and the spices we use have become much different than other south Asian foods. Whether you call it oil roti or buss-up-shut, chicken curry or curry chicken, I know we can all agree that the foods from our lands are plate licking good 🤤 (p.s: if you want to cook Indo-Caribbean food like a pro check out @alicaspepperpot !! My mom only has 2-3 complaints now) #browngirlmag #westindian #westbindis #islandgirls #browngirlmagic #indocarib https://www.instagram.com/p/BpQmBn3H3F3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=w4vkul4sdupb

Part 4 of 6 😍 follow @shayshotz for her amazing Indo-Caribbean content! . . @Regran_ed from @shayshotz - [swipe] Chances are the song in the second set will make you nostalgic for every good backyard party or wedding reception night! Music is one of the biggest things that unites people in the Caribbean. This song is by a Bajan soca band called Krosfyah whose iconic song forever changed the vibe of soca. Soca originated from Garfield Blackman (Lord Shorty) in Trinidad to compete with the popular reggae music at the time and to preserve calypso. He did so by fusing Afro and Indian beats not only to bring together their sounds but to unite the people. The song that really pushed the popularity of soca is Hot Hot Hot Bum by Buster Poindexter which is undeniably known by every Indo-Carib and even others around the world. In present day genres like chutney, dancehall, and raga soca remain hugely popular amongst the Caribbean countries. • Our music is incredibly lively and ignites an emotion that is unexplainable - just felt to your core. @nailahblackmantt said it best, "when I see my people dancing all I hear is soca." It is the sound of our childhoods. The sound of the warm summer air as your neighbor starts up their bbq and sends the vibes all around. While we may share parts of our ancestors cultures, this musical bond is specific to the Caribbean and the land we've come to know as home. I believe our music came about to match the overall theme we share of enjoying life despite the odds that are against us. If you ever need to dance your stress away find yourself a west Indian party cause it's mad vibes straight till tomorrow morning so 💃🏾 - #westbindi #westbindis https://www.instagram.com/p/BpN9DHCn-tv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1p9rwbehqoxei

Part 3 of 6 as we continue with our heritage... . . . @Regran_ed from @shayshotz - My clothing choice for this shoot is purposeful, from the makeup to jewel placement to the lone "Indian style" skirt. When visiting Guyana, Trinidad or any other Caribbean country it is likely that you will find the majority of people in westernized clothing. Growing up my grandmothers wore a typical frock during the day made of simple cloth most likely due to the clothing their ancestors had to wear for labor purposes. Our elders were not dressed in saris or adorned in bindis. Those looks along with lenghas and salwar suits were saved for weddings which meant we did not grow up connecting these forms of clothing to our identity. While some groups of south Asians now find freedom in westernized clothing as they are the first generation to stray away from more conservative ways of dressing, for West indians it is intertwined in our images of self. Our lack of a relationship to traditional clothing has been a dividing factor in other south Asian groups understanding our placement in the diaspora but it has also shaped our identity in the Caribbean. For example, clothing is the one biggest factors in Carnival which season begins at the same time as Mardi Gras. Carnival is our expression of freedom from colonization and celebration of our triumph as a people united. It is believed the first one started in Trinidad and Tobago due to the influence of French and Spanish settlers. If you're playing mas you'll most likely be found in a Frontline which includes the headpiece full of jewels and feathers, wings, leg and arm pieces, and collar or variations of this look. Your eye makeup would be bright with jewels on your face. That's the look we associate with our people when we picture them out in a fete - enjoying life and having a good time 💃🏾 ________________________________________________ p.s: swipe for rare photo of all of my grandparents (grandmas in their best frocks!) at the same time since my dad's parents lived their whole lives in Guyana while my mom's parents and family migrated to nyc. maternal on the left and paternal on the right 💞 https://www.instagram.com/p/BpDqwJ-n5tw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vosg1b1dm7ww

Excuse us while we are currently living for @shayshotz series celebrating Indo-Caribbean women! Obsessed with these images and the gorgeous @sonia.s__ 😍❤️ check out the cultural bits written below to learn more about us and how we came to be 💞 . . @Regran_ed from @shayshotz - [2/6] @sonia.s__ is a Christian guyanese and in these images she is using a mala (Garland) which is usually hung around the bride and groom's neck at a Hindu wedding ceremony. Christianity and Hinduism are the two dominant religions in Guyana with Islam following third. As a practicing Muslim, my paternal grandmother and her lineage was Christian (she has African roots), my mother was Hindu before marrying and my father was one of the first in his family to begin learning Islam in depth. This mix of religions and ethnic backgrounds is not uncommon for various Indo-Caribbean countries. We still face colorism issues within our communities as do all people deeply affected by colonialism, but I believe we have come further in terms of marrying between races and religions. In fact, the mixing of people from African to Indian to Portuguese to Chinese to Amerindians (natives to the land) is what has made the Caribbean countries what it is. Our combined practices and cultural customs have led us to become a melting pot of 7 curry when wedding time comes around, pepper pot at Christmas, and a good lamb curry during Eid! 🍴 . . p.s: a very happy birthday to the beauty pictured here 💖 can we appreciate this makeup!! by: @safina.khann creative direction: @shayshotz . #westbindis #westbindi #indocaribbeanwomen #caribbeanwomenwhoblog #caribbeanblogger #westindian #westindianwomen #westindianart https://www.instagram.com/p/BpA9u06nVET/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=83ylhoj1he6e

REPRESENTATION MATTERS!!!! I cannot express how ELATED I am seeing this posted by such an AMAZING and prominent South Asian cultural page! I started West Bindi page after seeking representation from several other South Asian pages and getting turned down. Thank you guys for putting US on your page and educating others on our existence through @shayshotz post So proud ❤️ check out and follow @shayshotz for her awesome content and her informative history lesson about us 💞🇬 . . @Regran_ed from @browngirlmag - “Guyana and Trinidad not only rank number 6 and 8 on the list of total foreign born immigrants living in New York City but also rank as the top two countries in the Caribbean with Indo-caribbean populations. Even so, we are often grouped together with the South Asian demographic both in terms of statistical identification and cultural normalities. It is important to note that though some Indo-caribbeans choose to identify as South Asian to reduce complications, our culture is vastly different and our history branched off of whatever homeland we originated from many years ago. • Instead, our past is carved from ancestors of ‘indentured servants’— a fancy name for slavery that allowed it's cruel nature to be continued after its abolishment in the U.K. Laborers worked on plantations picking cotton or sugarcane. The first set of ‘servants’ arrived in Guyana in 1838 then eventually spreading to places like Jamaica, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Grenada and the rest of the Caribbean. Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to gain independence from the British in 1962 and the others followed in the later years of the 20th century. Our ancestors have only recently been freed from oppressive colony regimes and have looked to one another to patch together pieces of their past as well as build a future in their new lands. CARICOM (Caribbean Community) unites the Caribbean in terms of economic expansion and is located in Georgetown, Guyana. What unites us culturally though is our clothing, food, and love of calypso.”— @shayshotz 💃🏽💃🏽 • make-up/hair by: @safina.khann | wardrobe & creative direction: @shayshotz • #browngirlmag #beingBG #browngirl #westbindi #westbindi (at Grenada) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAGjVzHehq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4mieqxig6qd1

Happy Navratri to all my West Bindis! How do you celebrate on your island/country? Grenada's Hindu community is celebrating together tomorrow with Aarti and Garba! Can't wait 😍 Read thru Hamel Patel's lovely description of this incredible festival celebrating STRENGTH, POWER, DEDICATION, SACRIFICE, KINDNESS, CONSCIOUSNESS, L O V E of the nine deities in Hinduism celebrated over nine nights twice a year. "Nav" (nine) "Ratri" (nights). Garba dancing, prayers, fasting, not consuming meat or drinking alcohol are just a few of the traditions observed during this beautiful festival/prayer time. #westbindis #westbindi #navratriinthecaribbean #caribbeannavratri #westindiesnavratri #navratriinthewestindies . . . @Regran_ed from @hamelpatel_ - / nävˈ• rät • ri / : nine nights Symbolizes the victory of positivity over negativity. Navratri is a Hindu festival, which means nine nights in Sanskrit! Traditionally these nine nights are a celebration dedicated to Maa Laxmi (goddess of spirituality), Maa Saraswati (goddess of wisdom and art), and Maa Durga (goddess of war), who destroyed Mahishasura (demon) and all human impurities! Apart from the religious significance, Gujaratis like myself, celebrate by dressing up and showing off our best moves at Garba/ Dandiya Raas (folk dance)!! If you know me, you know GARBASZN is one my absolute favorite time of the year! So here's a look dedicated to the traditional attire we wear during Garba! 💃🏻💃🏻 Outfit/Jewelry: Mom's Navratri Collection . . . @vdlus Lumilayer Fresh primer #lumislayers @lauramercier #flawlessfusion ulta-longwear foundation in 4W2 chai & glow setting powder #mercierbyme @hudabeauty #hudabeautyoverachiever in graham cracker, #hudabeautyeasybake in blondie, #hudabeautyobsessions in topaz @benefitcosmetics 24 hour brow setter #benefitbrows #benefitclubpink @colourpopcosmetics brow boss pencil and all star setting spray #colourpopme @mentedcosmetics lipstick and liner in dope taupe @covergirl black liquid eyeliner #iamwhatimakeup #navratri #navratri2018 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4LK50nBQh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8001nz68ebfk

Paradise...a state of mind. (at Saint George's, Grenada) https://www.instagram.com/p/Boz3DTnHANa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t8ibx3ovh08q

This caption couldn't be any more accurate. I struggled yesterday to compose a post dedicated to #mentalhealth but I really couldn't. I was having a difficult day. "Mental", the word itself is given a negative connotation and if you suffer from anything related to this word, it's considered that something is wrong with you. YES! Something is wrong with me. Reach out. Check in. Help me. But also know that I'll also always be there for you. I'm just one message away and I promise to be everything to you that I want you to be for me. #westbindis #westbindi #mentalhealthday #takecareofeachother #imhereforyou #pleasebethereforme https://www.instagram.com/p/Boy51NfHhoi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=d4zntj8w8p78

Thank you to @happymenaturally for allowing me the opportunity to speak about skincare at her Mane Game event. I am passionate about beauty and love sharing my knowledge. This was my biggest audience to date. Thanks to everyone who asked a question and shared feedback. I feel so proud my skin journey has brought me here 💖 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bouuj3KH626/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12a33iy3jif32

Throwback to the food! 😍 . . #myuktravelblog #traveldiary #uktraveldiary #travelbug #ukstories #wanderlust #manchester #liverpool #newcastleupontyne #newcastle #london #fooddiary (at Manchester, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/BohRHpOHbdo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e7ucakm1jvuu

Throwback to my obsession with gin! Traveling through the UK, every other stop with a gin stop 😁 I made the bar tenders create gin cocktails for me that weren't on their menus! 🤭 What's your fave spirit and or cocktail? Are you a troublemaker at the bar like me? 😇 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bog1tAGn7Fe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wh25nobh276r

Retro Rekha... wearing Hoops! Two pages you absolutely have to follow: @bynainah for her awesome artwork (such as this and countless others) and @retrobollywood if you're a Bollywood junkie like me! Thanks @bynainah for mentioning that page as well. It's an awesome resource for all things Retro Bollywood!✌🏼😉 . . . @Regran_ed from @bynainah - What if Rekha.... wore hoops 🤔 original photo inspo taken from @retrobollywood . . . #westbindi #retrobollywood #bollywoodtimes #classicbollywood #rekha https://www.instagram.com/p/BogpuOcnd_k/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=108n859gh1vbw

Throw back to Tynemouth. One of the most stunning places I've seen. Ocean, greenery, castles and lighthouses 💕 Not to mention some of the most delicious G&T's #tynemouth #newcastle #tynemouthpriory #newcastleupontyne (at Tynemouth Priory and Castle) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn66HrhnPF1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1gj6pwnlbiida

Ganpati Bappa Morya! Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone celebrating! . . Ganpati Baba (Ganesha) is the remover of obstacles. Every year this festival is celebrated in great grandeur to mark the birth of Ganesh . . The festival begins with the installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stages). The idols sizes range from a few inches to hundreds of feet! Observations include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as Ganapati Upanishad, prayers and vrata (fasting). . Offerings and prasadam from the daily prayers, that is distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka believed to be a favorite of the elephant-headed deity. . The festival ends on the tenth day after start, wherein the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or ocean. In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 statues are immersed annually, thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to Mount Kailash to Parvati and Shiva, his parents. (Source: Wikipedia) . In Grenada for many years, my Hindu community celebrated this festival. I have the fondest memories of these special times. We would all gather at different family homes to conduct the Pooja and my favorite was visarjan. https://www.instagram.com/p/BnrJ9qqnq-s/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ptuna8koybw9