Sound Walk

Walking around my neighborhood in South Richmond Hill, Queens, you can gain an understanding of the culture the neighborhood has to offer. I live in a predominantly West Indian and Guyanese neighborhood, and the sounds on the block convey that clearly.

The first thing I take notice of on my walk are conversations between the people I pass. They speak quickly and with distinct West Indian or Caribbean accents. There is often a quick and sharp rhythm in the speech that if what was being said was spoken in English, you might think the conversation was heated. But there is often laughter that punctuates the dialogue that disproves that theory.

My neighborhood is overflowing with families, and kids' laughter and yelling to one another is the next thing I notice. Also, the distinct Punjabi music that comes blaring from car stereos is inescapable. The lyrics are sung in a high-pitched voice, which can be disconcerting to someone that does not hear it often, but the beat is usually fast and lively.

The teenagers of the neighborhood make their presence known with the loud exhausts of their cars-- or at least I assume they are teenagers with cars that loud, setting off other car alarms as they bound down my block. It happens frequently enough, that on this walk, I almost don't even think to add it to the list of things I hear!

As my daughter and I walk towards the park, the sound of children laughing and yelling becomes louder, and the sounds of park are distinct. Parents trailing after their toddlers, and kids shouting as they’re being chased.