Indigenous Heritage Month reaches the height of festivities today when the annual Heritage Sport begin at the Everest Cricket Ground, Carifesta Avenue with the official opening ceremony which includes the symbolic march past of athletes at 09:00h.
For the first time the event will be officially three days long as opposed to two days in previous years and one day when the games on the coastland first started. This year over 570 athletes drawn from across all 10 regions across the country will turn out for the one of the most anticipated events for the month of celebration.
Preparations for Indigenous Peoples’ Heritage Sports underway at the Everest Ground
After the opening ceremony, which will be declared open by the honourable Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sidney Allicock the fun moves into the day reserved for ‘traditional’ games.
The traditional sports billed for competition and exhibition are fire wood bursting, fire lighting, archery, lime and spoon, ‘gam’, tuma pot eating, Piwari drinking, turtle tug-o-war and wrestling.
As the event progresses into days two and three, the events will move over to more accustomed sports such as Football, volleyball and cricket. In football, defending male champions Central Rupununi of Region number nine will be looking for their fourth consecutive title but will be challenged by traditional power house Region one, Orealla of Region six and Region seven. The coastal ladies representing Region four will look for a repeat of last year triumph but will get stiff competition from Regions seven, nine and six.
Teams from regions two and four are expecting to give a good account of themselves in cricket in both male and female categories while Regions nine and six are traditional power houses in volleyball.
Swimming will be done at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal on Saturday with open and age group swimming with swimmers from the 10 regions once again in action.
Also on Saturday will be the play-offs in volleyball, cricket, football and archery at Everest Sports Club ground while Sunday is reserved for the championship matches in all sport and the presentation ceremony. The Surama cultural group and the Calibros band will provide entertainment on all three days.
Once again, Digicel has renewed their dedication to the annual event, sponsoring it for the 11th year.
