THE rebuilding of the historical Umana Yana is projected to be completed by April next year. Following its destruction late last year by a fire of electrical origin, its reconstruction is expected to coincide with Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Constructed by the Wai Wais in 1972, the 55-foot Umana Yana was a conical palm thatched hut (benab) erected for the Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference in Guyana in August that year as a VIP lounge and recreation centre.

The landmark structure served as the venue for a number of historical and cultural events for over four decades. In December last year, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister at the time, Dr Frank Anthony, announced that the PPP/C government would have pumped $50M into the 2015 budget for the reconstruction of the Umana Yana.

But with Guyana just months away from celebrating its 50th Independence Anniversary, Ministerial Adviser on Indigenous People’s Affairs Mervyn Williams revealed to this publication that the target is now to have this structure erected before the celebrations at a new, estimated cost of over $60M.
According to Williams, the task is being executed through a collaborative effort among the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Wai Wais of Masekenari in the Deep South Rupununi.
The foundation and floor of the new Umana Yana will be spearheaded by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Expertise from this ministry will be sought also to explore the option of having, exclusively, solar- generated electricity.
This, the adviser said, is in keeping with the energy agenda of the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry which was committed to the utilisation of the sun and water as sources of energy. “If this is successful, the Umana Yana will be a city example of our intention across Guyana to source renewable energy,” Williams said.
This aspect of the project, for which the Public Infrastructure Ministry will be responsible, is expected to be completed by late December.
Then the Indigenous Affairs Ministry will be responsible for the architectural design of the benab through the Wai Wais with the guidance of local Toshao Paul Chikema.
“The labour force will be decided by the Toshao, who will pick the best builders from among his people,” the adviser said, adding that while he is unsure how many persons will be employed, the Wai Wai nation has committed to working through the Christmas holidays, if the need arises, to complete this monumental task.
Materials for the building will also be sourced from Masekenari, since this is the only place, currently, where the materials are known to be available. Additional materials to support other areas of construction will be obtained from St. Cuthbert’s Mission in Region 4 and Moraikobai in Region 5.
The adviser revealed that the design will mirror the previous structure but with an increase in space between the floor and roof. This, he said, is to allow the freer passage of Atlantic air which sweeps in from the seawall nearby.
According to him, this reconstruction is a major undertaking by the ministry, given that the building represents the historical, current, and projected cultural contributions of the indigenous peoples to Guyana.
“It is the wish of the President, the Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs and his team that we have this benab reconstructed, and that is what we are working towards,” Williams noted.

By Ravin Singh