Heritage Month showcases Amerindian craft, food variety

THE first week of Amerindian Heritage Month 2012 kicked off with a variety of events all around the capital city and surrounding areas.
Following the inter-faith religious service last Friday and the grand launch ceremony on Saturday, a craft and food exhibition is being staged at the National Exhibition Complex, Sophia.
The food show, started last Saturday, the first day of Heritage Month, begins at 11:00 hrs daily and the craft display begun Sunday, continues every day, as well, from 10 hrs to 18.00 hrs. Both will conclude on Wednesday, September 5.
The craft exhibits feature work by people from various Amerindian villages and include jewellery, ornaments, footwear and hats and bags, among other things. Most of the items displayed were previously hand created while others were being made on site.
Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle at the location yesterday, Helen Gomes, from Moruka in Region 1 (Barima/Waini), pointed out her creations, such as embroidered pillow cases. She said it takes an entire day to make one pair, which is being sold for $2,000.

Ruth Shuman, from St. Cuthbert’s Mission, showed off her  tibisiri place mats which also take a great deal of time and patience to produce.
Elizabeth Dundas, also from St. Cuthbert’s, said she and other women from the community who have a craft shop in the area make bowls, the jewellery boxes and other items that they are selling.

Fastest selling
Sharon Peters, from Leguan Island in Essequibo, has slippers, hats, skirts, Amerindian headdresses, also made from tibisiri, on sale. She said the headwear is the fastest selling of the products which she markets in wholelesale quantities countrywide.
Valentine Stoll, from Suddie, on Essequibo Coast, is offering handmade sculptures from local woods. They, mostly, depict the history and culture of the indigenous peoples and are priced from $5,000 upwards.
The exhibits were not only pleasing to the eye but to the nose and taste buds and the foodstuff on sale included cassava
bread; piwari, also made from cassava; wine, produced from black potato and wild meat such as labba, cooked in different ways.
One of the food exhibitors, Susan English, from Mabaruma, North West District in Region 1 (Barima/Waini), who is helped by her mother, is a regular caterer at Heritage time. They will be at the Sports and Family Fun Day, at Carifesta Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, on September 15 and 16.
Most of the exhibitors, however, said business was not doing as well as expected yet but they are all hopeful that it will pick up soon.

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