Guyana Festival brings tasty aromas, deep culture at launch

The Guyana Festival was launched on Friday evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), in observance of Guyana’s 60th Independence Anniversary, with the aim of showcasing Guyana’s rich cultural heritage through food, artefacts, clothing and music.
The three-day event, which culminates this evening with a massive ‘One Guyana’ concert featuring an all-Guyanese cast, has already turned heads with its excellent presentations by the various ethnic groups that have left an indelible mark over the last 60 years.

From the Chinese to the Amerindians, the groups brought their ‘A’ game to mesmerise those who have already flocked to the exhibits and those who are preparing to attend the last day of the cultural extravaganza. Over the past two days, the Chinese have outdone themselves with an inspired display showcasing various forms of beautification and cultural artistry that date back decades.
“Everything we have here is a Chinese decoration. We have items such as Chinese books, hair stickers, Chinese bags, and even Chinese jewellery. In fact, we also have Chinese tea,” Miss Cui, one of the exhibitors, explained. In speaking about her culture, she also expressed that Chinese tea is very good for one’s health and encouraged people to purchase it. Aside from that, she is also selling facial care products while offering pedicure services, cupping therapy and many other services.

Turning to the Indian artistry, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naturally Production and Nachle Designs, Hashim Ali, highlighted the East Indian aspect of what the festival is set to offer, with his booth giving visitors an inside look into the traditional practices and cultural heritage of the East Indian community.
“We are giving patrons a treat of what was brought by our East Indian ancestors 188 years ago to the shores of Guyana, and we see that it is still preserved here with us. When they came, they came to work on the sugar plantations, and they had to make do with what they had,” Ali stated. In his unique display, he showcased a depiction of a clay fireside used by the early ancestors to cook their meals using wood. “We also have a depiction of what that fireside was. They used to cook on this – no gas stove, nothing fancy, no microwave. They used wood and mud to create their fireside, which they cooked on. These were some of their utensils, plates, and cups. They had no GPL; they had to use lamps.”
He also shared advice for those still considering attending the event.

Patrons will have the opportunity to explore a cultural zone and culinary village, where the traditions of the country’s six peoples will be showcased through music, dance, cuisine, fashion, and storytelling. Historical displays featuring artefacts and relics will also be included to highlight Guyana’s past.

Cuisines
However, the aroma of various cuisines wafted from every corner of the National Stadium as food booths engaged in meal preparations ahead of the evening’s festivities. A smoky and flavourful scene emerged from the pots being stirred by Mary James, owner of International Flavours, who spoke with this publication to give insight into what her business had to offer.
“Right now, we have some barbecue on the grill that will be coming out soon, and later on, we will have macaroni, cook-up rice, lovely channa, and pastries. We started this business about four years ago,” James explained.
According to her, it has been a great experience showcasing her products to patrons thus far, and the response has been very delightful.
“Well, it has been a great experience, and it also provides opportunities for expansion for our business. Many different kinds of people are able to interact with us. We are located at 133 Middle Road, La Penitence. The response has been magnificent. People told us they didn’t even have to ask questions – they just wanted to come out and try our products. It’s not something they would regret; they said they would come again and again.”
The 592 drinks were also on hand, quenching the thirst of patrons. Neela Salick, co-owner of the business, explained that the company offers a diverse range of beverages.
“It’s a diverse business. What we do here is Hawaiian-style shaved ice. The ice is shaved more thinly than a regular snow cone, and we have different syrups, including local flavours that people enjoy. We also turn the shaved ice into cocktails by adding alcohol, making it more like a slushy. We cater for both kids and adults, and we also offer fresh fruit cocktails.”
She added, “Today we have passion fruit and lemon-lime. With the real passion fruit, customers can choose whichever liquor they would like. We have a basic variety of liquors that most Guyanese use, including El Dorado, Malibu, Blackstone, and Brazilian 51. Overall, the feedback has been excellent, and people keep coming back. We are also considering introducing sugar-free options because many people are becoming more health-conscious.”
A standout feature of the business is that customers are allowed to taste the alcohol content in their drinks and request additional liquor without any added charge.
“We offer drinks light, medium, or strong.” But my medium might be different from yours, so after making the drink, we allow customers to taste it. If it’s okay for them, that’s fine, but if they want it stronger, we add more. I think that’s one of the ways we connect with our customers. Most people say they’ve never experienced anywhere else where they can request extra liquor at no additional cost.” Meanwhile, Dustin Galley, owner of Le Chef, stated that he was happy for the opportunity to showcase his business at the event.
“We are located in Queenstown, but we are here today because this initiative is a really good one. We specialise in Japanese-style sushi, and we also have burgers, wings, and fries, but people mostly come out for the fries. The response has been really good, and it looks like each day is going to get better and better.”