— warns Mainstay/Whyaka Toshao

“NEVER underestimate the minds of Indigenous People!”
It’s a warning that ought to be taken seriously, coming as it did from the Toshao of Mainstay/Whyaka, Joel Fredericks, at the unveiling of the list of activities to celebrate Indigenous People’s Heritage Month.
But there’s a reason he said what he did. As he explained, Indigenous Peoples in Guyana are often belittled for their primitive way of life; so all he’s doing is confronting the issue head-on, and in so doing attempting to rectify the perception.
And he has every right to; he’s currently Chairman of the National Toshaos Council. Besides, what he’s saying makes perfect sense. “My forefathers were thinking differently; they were thinking about the earth,” Fredericks said, adding that because of this way of life of theirs, they were able to aid in the preservation of the environment while at the same time enjoying the fruits of their labour.
It’s a way of life that’s been passed on to their descendants throughout the ages. In Mainstay/Whyaka, for instance, there’s a strong sense of culture; and what began as a small village is now a thriving community, known the world over for producing what is arguably “the sweetest pineapples in the Caribbean.
These days, however, there’s been a shift in focus, in that the emphasis is now more on tourism, as evidenced in the growth, from strength to strength, of the Lake Mainstay Resort, a 40-odd-room facility aback the township of Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast.
It’s perhaps because of the facility’s popularity that Mainstay/Whyaka has been chosen to host this year’s Heritage Village Celebrations come Saturday, September 10, as part of Indigenous Heritage Month observations, under the theme: “Our Culture, Earth’s Future: Save the environment. Live the Indigenous Way.”
According to Toshao Fredericks, the event will feature, as per usual, Amerindian foods, drink, culture, art and craft and medicine.
What better way to show, he said, that in spite of their perceived primitive lifestyle, the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana have been able to aptly survive and contribute, significantly, to the development of their country.