HUNDREDS converged on Saturday at Bartica’s Golden Beach to participate in Pork-knockers Day activities, culminating a week of events to mark Mining Week 2015
This year, Mining Week activities were observed under the theme: “Science & Engineering Solutions for safety, security & success in mining”.The day’s activities commenced with opening remarks by a member of the community and then Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford spoke extensively on the importance of mining in Guyana, and especially to the community of Bartica.

The first competition of the day involved bahirs preparing breakfast for sampling by judges as part of the bahir competition, which was coordinated by Kerion Husbands.
Bartica is acknowledged as the gateway to the interior locations, where mining activities take place. Region 7, where Bartica is located, is also one of the main mining areas of Guyana.
Among the Pork-knockers Day attractions were a mines rescue demonstration, camp building competition, shovelling competition; and story-telling competition, based on past events that had occurred in mining areas.

Competitions
After those activities were concluded, the judges sampled the lunch prepared by the bahirs. This was followed by the very popular tacouba/warishi race, batelling competition, and the jigging competition.

It was again time for story-telling, part two, and again the judges had their work cut out in deciding who told the best stories. That activity was followed by the canoeing competition.

While the persons who participated in the competitions had been registered prior to Pork-knockers Day, others desirous of entering the competitions, especially those coming from Georgetown and farther afield in Region 7, were given opportunity to register even on the day of the competition.

In the end, prizes were given to the best performers and while the large number of persons who had travelled from Georgetown prepared to return to the city, Barticians and those from nearby communities stayed to enjoy the proceedings until it was time to close off beachfront activities. (Leroy Smith)