Amerindian Heritage Month kicks off with massive cultural extravaganza

By Shane Marks

The National Stadium Tarmac was served with an excited crowd of spectators – some of whom travelled from Guyana’s most distant communities in the hinterland regions for the beginning of Amerindian Heritage Month, with a night-to-remember cultural extravaganza, on Thursday evening.
The night kicked off with the arrival of President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister (Ret’d) Brigadier Mark Phillips, who were both received by a group of Indigenous soldiers.

The men who were dressed in their ceremonial uniforms saluted both the President and the Prime Minister upon their arrival.
Headdresses were the fashion statements of the night as the Amerindian fashion piece sat on the heads of the spectators – President Ali was not spared of this cultural honour – as they expectantly eyed the many cultural performances of the Amerindian people.
Songs, poems, and cultural dances were the main course of Thursday night’s celebrations. The estimated hundreds of people were welcomed by an Indigenous prayer and spiritual cleansing as the cultural extravaganza began. Each of the performances brought a feeling of joy, laughter, and a sense of dignity to the crowd.
One performance in particular – a calypso, “Leh We Listen to Granny” by a member of the Batavia Cultural Group – had the gathering in a fit of laughter because of its humorous message and talented vessel that performed the musical piece.

The calypso, “Leh We Listen to Granny”, tells a tale of an 80-year-old Amerindian woman who knows the solution to almost all of life’s problems, thanks to her unorthodox means of coming up with those solutions. Now, don’t go looking for Granny, because even though she has “all the keys for the locks” as the calypso says, Granny is not real.
Nevertheless, it was a treat for the crowd and probably a top contender for performance of the night. Even the politicians were enjoying the performance.
Sarah Fredricks from Mainstay/Whyaka Village in the County of Essequibo performed a poem written by her father, “I am Not Ashamed.” Fredricks paid homage to her Amerindian culture, owning the strides her ancestors made all those years ago. In the poem, she charged her fellow Amerindian brothers and sisters to not be ashamed of who they are.
She encouraged them to embrace their Amerindian heritage and help contribute to building a “One Guyana”.
The night paved on as the crowd got lost in the music, dances, and most of all, the various Amerindian cuisines that were being offered by Amerindian entrepreneurs. Pepper Pot, Cassava Bread, Piwari, and many other Amerindian delicacies graced the booths of many exhibitors and eventually, the mouths of the persons at the celebration.
The night was a success; people came out in their numbers – not only people of the Amerindian race but also people from all walks of life. It was a cultural celebration after all.
However, during the event, Amerindian entrepreneurs called for more inclusivity as it relates to the support, upliftment, and exposure of their craft to both the hinterland and coastal communities.
Though September is known as Amerindian Heritage Month, some of these Indigenous businessmen and women called for continuous support even after Amerindian Heritage Month comes to an end.
Young entrepreneur Anez Donzus, who shares an art and crafts business with her mother, said that he would like to see Amerindian businessmen and women participate in more expos across Guyana, not only at Amerindian-themed events.
“Well, they [the Government] should involve us in more exhibitions throughout the year, so that we can showcase our talent and our skills. Most of the time, during Heritage month, this is the way we get to showcase our craft. So, if we get to go to all the expos that they have, we can get to showcase our craft more,” Donzus said.
In addition, Calvin Roberts started his food business during the COVID-19 pandemic and shares similar sentiments with Donzus. Roberts also added that there should be financing of more cultural literacy programmes that would promote entrepreneurial skills among Amerindian people.
“If there is one thing that I would like to see is like an establishment for the Indigenous people, maybe, some kind of structure set up where Indigenous people can come out and can have their products on sale and display. That is something I want to see and of course, have more financial literacy programmes in the Indigenous community,” Roberts explained.
On the other hand, many Amerindian businessmen and women, like many other entrepreneurs in the world struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Craft maker, Macronan Albert said that he had it bad during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were difficulties maintaining his family as his business is what brings in the revenue to support his family.
“It put me down,” Albert said, “I sacrifice myself to do craft work. When I used to come the previous years, I used to get a little pocket piece to maintain my family, but after the COVID take over, I couldn’t do anything else.”
Albert is happy to be back out in the open, so he can continue to provide for his family.
It was also a difficult two years for Donzus and her mom, as their handicraft business is their main source of income. She said they make a large portion of their income during Amerindian Heritage Month. Donzus is happy that the outdoor celebrations are back so that she and her mother’s hard work can be on display to the public.
“It was a difficult time for us because this is how we make our living, by selling handicrafts, especially during Heritage time. So, we are glad that we have the opportunity to come and showcase our craft,” she said.
This year’s Amerindian Heritage Month kick-off event saw the attendance of President Dr Irfaan Ali, Cabinet Ministers, Members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from hinterland villages, and other officials.
This year’s Heritage Month is being held under the theme “Celebrating our Traditional Culture While Building One Guyana.”
According to Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, this theme is appropriate. Pointing out the importance of Indigenous culture, she noted that it is personal, unique, and sacred.