ORGANISERS of the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival, which will be held for the first time at Manari Ranch this year, are high in spirits and excited about creating a festival that will not only feature Guyanese culture and music but many others from around the world.

The festival weekend, fixed for February 16 to 18, has seen performers from Ukraine and the United Kingdom in the past, and will possibly feature groups from Jamaica, Canada and Suriname this time around.

“The adrenalin flows; the excitement grows, as the volunteer team unfolds the plans; there is a real buzz but it’s equally tempered with the knowledge that in any new development, especially with the re-creation of a new festival site on the grasslands of the Amazon, there will be hiccups and unforeseen hurdles,” Festival Director Bob Ramdhanie has said.

The festival has been relocated from the Rock View Lodge in Anai for a number of reasons, Gavin Mendonca, one of the organisers told The Buzz in an interview. “This is the first time we will be using Manari Ranch which is just about 20 minutes outside of Lethem. From Lethem, it is easy to get ground transportation to the ranch. So we expect a lot more patrons because it is so close to Lethem and the Brazilian border,” he said.

The festival is intended to bring people and cultures together. “It’s really about bringing people together, to cut out bad vibes and to encourage positivity among each other. We hope that over the years this will have a subliminal effect on the way people think; the way they approach life,” Mendonca expressed.

While Guyanese culture will be a big part of it – especially the indigenous culture- he explained that the organisers will also borrow architectural designs from Morocco, Latin America and other countries. “This is so that we can really make it a world music site but still yet identifiable as a Guyanese site. People must know that they’re in Guyana but still experience cultures from around the world,” he said.

The ranch, which is being developed from scratch in terms of a stage and other facilities conducive to holding a successful festival, is intended to become a fully functioning entity all year round so that it will be possible for smaller events to be held like folk festivals, Brazilian festivals, indigenous events, rock festivals, cultural workshops, etc.

“The site could become a tourist attraction so that people journeying into the Rupununi can stop and spend a night or two,” Mendonca said.

Ramdhani added: “The Manari Ranch location will be the home for the festival in the foreseeable future and the idea is to create a festival village with some permanent structures that reflect the heart and soul of the Rupununi. It is envisaged that the site will be completed by 2020, creating a unique, aesthetically pleasing space that will add to the attractions in the Rupununi.”

Activities
A group of scouts will have a presence, Ramdhani has informed, creating “interesting” opportunities for young and old alike. “For the early risers, it will be music and movement as the Brazilian team offers yoga, capoeira and Zumba to stimulate body and mind and during the day teams of creative artists will be offering a mixture of ‘hands-on’ interactive workshops to engage you – music, dance, arts & crafts, visual arts.”

Additionally, visitors to the festival will have opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of the region through pre-booked tours and even take the opportunity to do some shopping in Lethem.

“As the sun sets, the music begins with live music filling the space for over six hours every night throughout the weekend and those late romantics, who still wish to enjoy the beauty of the area, can sit around the festival’s campfire and be at one with nature,” said Ramdhani.

Conversations are still taking place with artistes from Canada and Jamaica but Ramdhani said what is certain is that the festival will be welcoming a strong team of over 20 Brazilian and Venezuelan performers who will be complemented by a dynamic range of locally produced Guyanese artistes with rock from Feed The Flames, insights from Jazz and Poetry on a Stool, folk from Chuckie and Gavin plus Charlie De Freitas, dance from Nach Gana Academy of Dance, tassa drumming with Dubraj Tassa Troupe and more from Chowpow, Trevaun Selman, Ruqayyah and Jackie Jaxx.

Sponsors for the festival include the Guyana Government, NCN, the media, Guyana Tourism Authority, the Forestry Commission of Guyana, ASL, Banks DIH, Cara Lodge, Fly Jamaica, Giftland Mall, Rent-A-Tent, Republic Bank, Silverbait Design and TGA.
The event will officially be launched on February 9 at Colgrain House, Camp Street and more information can be obtained by contacting the organisers. (Denis D’Agrella: 613 0874; Gavin Mendonca: 629 4535; and Luke Johnson: 663 2949).