… for Heritage Village Day 2017
With this year’s Heritage Month activities well underway, all roads lead to St Cuthbert’s Mission this weekend for the ultimate cultural experience of the Indigenous way of life here in Guyana.
It was just weeks ago that the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry made the announcement that St Cuthbert’s Mission, also called Pakuri, on the Mahaica 
River (Region Four),was dubbed Heritage Village 2017.
The community opens its doors to the Guyanese public, and even those visiting from abroad, for a grand Heritage Day on Saturday, September 9.
The day will kick off with an official ceremony starting at 11:00h, which will feature a series of Indigenous cultural displays, taking those in attendance back in time to the coming of the first peoples. The ceremony will see the participation of a number of energetic youths from within the Mission, setting the stage for the revival of the historical way of life and acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of the Indigenous peoples in the country.
Also on showcase will be a wide variety of local delicacies and beverages, introduced to us by the first peoples who came. Attendees will be treated to a long list of finger-licking Amerindian dishes including savoury pepperpot, the famous tocoma, and cassava bread. Adding to that, there will be native beverages up for sampling such as piwari and fly as well as locally brewed wines.
The curtains will then be drawn on the official display, making way for a number of other activities and competitions, of which canoeing and swimming are said to be the highlights. During this time, St Cuthbert’s will be transformed into an entertainment central, with native music and dances flooding the village from every corner. This event also provides the perfect opportunity for local craftsmen and entrepreneurs of indigenous art and products to not only showcase their work but also market their creations to the hundreds of patrons set to flock Pakuri.
Meanwhile, as if a day packed with fun and adventure is not enough, visitors are invited to extend their stay as the 2017 Heritage Village is set to host a “Wash Down” at the riverside, the following day.
The Indigenous Heritage Village Day is one in a series of activities tabled for the celebration of Heritage Month 2017. The event in St Cuthbert’s Mission comes just days after the culmination of the grand annual Cultural Extravaganza, hosted at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, Georgetown. All are invited to join the Indigenous communities from across the country as they journey to Pakuri to continue this year’s commemoration of the coming and contributions of the first peoples of Guyana. This is as Heritage Month 2017 is being observed under the theme: “Guyana’s First Peoples: Sustaining a Rich Cultural Environment”.
