A LIFEGUARD team has been activated at St Cuthbert’s Mission off the Soesdyke-Linden Highway for Heritage Day activities on the weekend of September 9-10 as part of Indigenous Month celebrations.

The Arawak village has been designated the official village by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs for this year’s celebrations and Toshao Lenox Shuman told this newspaper that preparations are ongoing for this weekend’s event .
This year for the first time, the village has held auditions for persons who wish to perform at the heritage celebrations.
Shuman told the Guyana Chronicle during a visit to the village on Sunday that the Village Council is working to ensure that high-quality activities are showcased to visitors this coming weekend.

In addition to the formal ceremony and games, other activities carded for the weekend are arrow and spear-throwing, “tocuma bursting” and straw-related activities.
He said the lifeguarding initiative has been in the works over the past year.
“Immediately after an incident last year, we as a council put together a lifeguard course,” he said, noting that a Peace Corps volunteer has been assisting locals in that regard.
“We are expecting a good turnout for the 9th,” he said.
Persons who wish to overnight are encouraged to bring their hammocks.
“We don’t have shortage of hammock space,” he said with a smile, noting that residents would not be mindful to accommodate visitors who wish to sling their hammocks while overnighting.
Shuman offered a tour of the new benab which is under construction and which should be ready by mid-week.
He said a stage has been added to the round structure and residents have been working overtime to prepare the facility for the celebrations.

The village is working towards re-energising its culture and the council has set aside part of its budget for the cultural activities.
A Heritage Committee has been planning the event over the past several months and Shuman said the council has encouraged its sub-committees to be empowered to carry out their respective mandates.
“From my side and from the council’s side, it is to empower the committee to do the work, so that at the end of the day you don’t have to depend on someone to be empowered,” he said.
Annually, thousands of persons would flock the village. The entrance fee for vehicles to the village this year varies. For pick-ups and cars, the fee is $1000, for minibuses $1500 and for trucks the fee is $2000.

Signage to this effect will be placed at the entrance of the village and the funds generated from the fees will be utilised to cover the cost of preparations for this year’s celebrations.