There's a place for revelry and there's a place for social message. At the Guinness (yes, it's popular in these parts) Posse Stand at Bourda, an occasion has demanded both. A breeze is blowing under an overcast sky, a newly-launched rum is being well promoted and Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul have added more than 200. These are two Guyanese, much loved, much admired. They also represent two distinct majority cultures of the country. Chanderpaul is one of the East Indian community, Hooper of African descent. Ethnic tension can sometimes be high in Guyana.

At this point, these are two outstanding cricketers playing as one. Just as Chanderpaul brings up his hundred and kisses the pitch, there is an explosion of sound and a Hindi song is played for him. A reggae tune follows:

We must play Carl and Shiv,
That's how we must live,
Curry cook-up with Coconut Metenge,
Yellow plantain and Dal Puri.

We must unite as one,
Hooper and Chanderpaul.
We must unite as one,
Hooper and Chanderpaul.

Curry is Indian, so is Dal Puri. Coconut Metenge, yellow plantain, symbols of African cuisine. "Race don't matter maan, that's what we're trying to say," explains a disk jockey. One lady wears a Tupac Shakur t-shirt which says `Hug Life.' There's another boundary, and another celebration. It's all good.

Rahul Bhattacharya is a staff writer with Wisden.com India. His reports will appear here throughout the Test series.

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