Fifty youths from Whitewater village, Region One (Barima-Waini) recently graduated from the Warrau Language project; the one-year project is part of Government’s efforts to revive dying Indigenous languages. Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, who attended the graduation, congratulated the youths for taking the first step towards reviving their native language.
Minister Garrido-Lowe urged the youths to practice what they learnt and pass on their knowledge to others in their families so that
Minister within the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe speaking to the youths who graduated from the Warrau Language project
eventually, the entire community would benefit, a Government Information Agency release said.
“You came from several different homes, if you can teach your brother and sister… to say ‘how are you’ ‘fine thank you’, if you teach them that, it will spread from 50 homes,” Minister Garrido-Lowe explained.
The youths were urged to not to be ashamed of their language as it is a part of their culture.
The Minister pledged that the Indigenous People’s’ Affairs Ministry would continue to support the revival of Indigenous languages across the country.
At the launch of Indigenous Heritage Month, September 1, 2015, President David Granger had noted that while many of the older folks spoke in their tribal tongue, the younger generations were not keen on preserving it.
“It is therefore important that those languages be preserved and practiced because for many, it is the most efficient means of personal communication… we are all poorer when we are not able to communicate with each other,” President Granger had said. In June 2016, the sum of $2 million was donated to the residents of the Kamwatta Hill, in Region One for the revival of their Warrau language.
Additionally, plans are in place to re-establish the Amerindian Language Project under the name Indigenous Language Project at the University of Guyana as part of a cultural preservation programme.
