What stood out to me the most in this reading selection was how Slyomovics defined a “parade”. In the past, I have never really thought of a parade as anything more than a show or performance of sorts, and my mind automatically goes to more mainstream parades such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In this article, however, Slyomovics uses the Muslim World Day Parade as a means to describe the ethnic and cultural significance a parade can have.
A parade ultimately is still a spectacle of sorts due to its music, floats, etc. However, a parade can also hold a much more powerful importace in terms of the cultural landscape of New York. The Muslim World Day Parade was first formed as a means of educating the New York population about the Muslim community and as a way to assert religious pride. Not many other religious groups have their own parade such as this, and the Muslim community is one of the few that even few themselves almost as an ethnic group. They come together this one day a year and hold their procession down the streets of Manhattan holding signs with religious text, singing, wearing traditional dress, praying, etc. They even face the traditional “east” direction (which contradicts Manhattan’s axes according to the grid) in order to stay true to their heritage.
When first reading this, I was surprised that there even was a Muslim World Day Parade. I had never heard of one, and I never realized how much religious and cultural significance a parade can have. What is very interesting is not just the parade itself, but why the parade is being held. Muslims view it as a day where they can spend time with New Yorkers as well as project themselves on the New York ethnic map. Muslims are not really recognized in any other way in New York, and when statistics of ethnic groups are tabulated they generally have a broad “South Asian category”. Once again, the importance of establishing yourself and making a place for your ethnicity in New York is shown through this parade, just like how the Italians of East Harlem wished to do. Establishment in the New York cultural landscape is important for the preservation and validation of such ideals. Seeing now the Muslim World Day Parade in this light, New Yorkers can gain a sense of what the true Muslim community is like and their place in New York. Thus, it is more than just a parade; it is a cultural diffusion and ethnic exchange of ideas.
-Cassandra Price
