By Vishani Ragobeer
MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, finds it propitious that Amerindian Heritage Month is being celebrated this year under the theme “Our Culture, Earth’s Future”.“Instructive” is the word he used to describe how he felt, since, as he sees it, it is because of Indigenous Peoples and their way of life that “the world is still able to breathe.”

He made the interesting observation on Friday at the launch of this year’s calendar of events to mark Amerindian Heritage Month, at the recently rebuilt Umana Yana on upper High Street, Kingston.
He vindicated his argument by saying that the lifestyle of the world’s Indigenous Peoples is of such that it is “conducive to the sustenance of forests, which indisputably benefits society holistically…and should be seen as a solution, rather than a barrier, for their protection.”

Noting that extensive studies have shown that conservation is “much more effective” in areas inhabited by Indigenous Peoples, which he said is something he had always known, Minister Allicock said: “It sometimes takes the experts to convince us of things we may have known all our lives and continue to take for granted. Thank God for experts!”

But he didn’t stop there: “Despite what some may say,” he said, “I have always held the view that, in Guyana, the Indigenous Peoples are the collective and true Champions of the Earth.”

The month of September, designated in Guyana as Indigenous Heritage Month, or Amerindian Heritage Month, will this year see a wide array of activities to reflect upon and celebrate the contributions of Indigenous Peoples to our country’s development.

The month of activities begins with an Inter-Faith Service on August 31st, and as Ms. Valery Dorrick, the person in charge of this activity, noted, “Prayers are important in everything we do.”

Therefore, besides the various toshaos offering prayers in keeping with the Hallelujah religion, which according to her is the only religion known to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana, there will also be offerings from representatives of the Baha’i, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and even Rastafarian faiths.

On September 1, at the Indigenous Heritage Village at Sophia, there will be the Heritage Ceremonial Launch to officially kick-off the month of celebrations. There will also be an Indigenous Food and Craft Exhibition, a cultural extravaganza, an Indigenous Heritage Art Exhibition, Heritage Sports and Indigenous Games, and the Annual Heritage Fundraising Dinner.
A large Totem Pole would also be unveiled at the Umana Yana.

Twelve Indigenous children who have reputedly never travelled to Georgetown from the Caria Caria and Phillipai schools in Regions Three and Seven respectively will benefit from educational tours around Georgetown and from a Fun Day.

There will also be lectures on the Indigenous People, given by Mr. Clyde Edwards to various schools in and around Georgetown; and a day to celebrate the life and works of Stephen Campbell and other notable people of Amerindian extract.