THIS year, a most exotic location in Guyana would see the dawn of a new musical masterpiece, as folks there prepare for the first ever ‘Rupununi Music and Arts Festival’, to be held in the Amerindian village of Annai.

This event is set for February 14-16, 2014, and will showcase a dazzling fusion of musical talents infused with other arts in an erotic, breath-taking setting.The organizers plan to make this an annual event, and this would certainly boost Guyana’s tourism sector, according to promoters.

And catering for those who adore a little adventure and the outdoors, the organisers will allow for open-air camping, so that visitors can pull out their hammocks and enjoy the richness of Mother Nature in the beautiful, sprawling lands of the Rupununi.

This festival is set to create local employment for residents of Rockview and Annai Village, even as it brings together all regional communities of the Rupununi.

Of course, there would be many available benabs that can accommodate visitors, thus affording them the luxury of dining, playing and enjoying lulling music under the stars.

The purpose of this event, according to Festival Director Bobb Ramdhanie, is to celebrate and promote Amerindian culture as the weekend is complemented with local entertainers and artistes from around the world.

On the platter are special appearances by renowned artist and archaeologist George Simon, who would be in residence at Annai for the festivities. He, of course, would be working along with the organisers to make the event a major success.

This event would serve up a ‘double experience’ for patrons and visitors, in that it would be showcasing our rich folklore and the music of locals and others from lands afar.

The promoters intend to eventually make Rockview a lush location just close by an ‘eco-location’, using their many local resources, local people, and abundant local talent.
And of course visitors can bask in the glory and comfort of the lavish Rockview Lodge, a perfect haven for relaxation and satisfying one’s desire for ultimate comfort, which is not always attained by many tourism and hospitality entities.
Rock View Lodge
Nestled between the Amerindian villages of Annai and Rupertee, where the Pakaraima foothills meet the tropical rainforest, Rock View Lodge offers comfortable lodging, outdoor and cultural activities, authentic Amerindian hospitality, and access to everything else that central Guyana has to offer. You need to experience the Lodge to fully comprehend the magical beauty of this wonderful country!

Rock View Lodge has been welcoming visitors to the savannahs and rainforests of Guyana’s Rupununi since 1992. “This year is full of celebrations as we welcome our friends and partners from across the country – and the globe – to mark this important milestone! Learn more about our long relationship with Guyana and the Rupununi,” says management of the Rock View Lodge.

Rock View Lodge is an integral partner with the local Amerindian community to build economic opportunities, provide professional development, preserve traditions, and improve a sustainable tourism infrastructure in Guyana’s pristine interior. One prime example is the CATS partnership which operates the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway.
Annai Village

Annai is a small village in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of Guyana. Annai stands at an altitude of 95 metres (314 feet), at the edge of the Rupununi savannah, where the cattle trail to the Atlantic coast begins.

It is nestled in the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains, and is close to the Rupununi River. Annai, considered the gateway to the Rupununi, is approximately 15 miles north of Karanambo and is 416 km (258 mls) by road from the nation’s capital, Georgetown.

The population of the area comprises mainly members of the Macushi people. Annai is one of the northernmost Macushi Amerindian villages in the North Rupununi Savannahs, and is home to the Rock View Ecotourism Resort, an old ranch built in the 1950s.
Rock View is a good base for trips to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Annai’s airstrip (NAI) allows light planes to land.
Written By Alex Wayne