… over culture day attire rejection
… parents, indigenous organisations hold picketing exercise

INDIGENOUS organisations in Guyana rallied around Karen Small as she picketed Mae’s Primary School, days after her nine-year-old son, Joshua Chacon, was rejected and condemned for wearing indigenous attire for the school’s culture day.

Holding a huge placard with the photo of her son at the centre, bordered by Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Small said no child should be discriminated against for embracing his or her cultural heritage.

In the lead-up to the country’s 52nd Independence Anniversary, Small received a letter from the school advising that Chacon was required to wear an ethnic wear for Culture Day on May 25, 2018. Proud of his cultural heritage, Small said her son was more than excited to wear an indigenous outfit.

However, his hopes of parading the corridors of the school in traditional indigenous wear were dashed when he approached the gates of the school. Chacon was wearing a traditional indigenous outfit made of straw, complemented by a headdress.
“The security told him to put on a top. I said no because he is embracing his indigenous culture and today is Culture Day,” Small recalled.

According to her, the security guard then sought advice from teachers who were present at the time, but, they reportedly stood laughing. Determined to have her child participate in the day’s activity, Small made her way to his classroom where an Art teacher told her that it was improper for Chacon to be dressed like that.

“She said it is a school and he shouldn’t be dressed like this, it is inappropriate for him to be dressed like this,” Small related. Chacon in tears told his friends “I really hate how I look.” He was made to put on a top.
“This is a child that left home very proud as always to embrace his culture, and embrace his heritage only to come here to be shot down to say I hate how I look,” the aggrieved mother said.

When the matter was brought to the attention of the head teacher of the school, she reportedly said that it was indeed inappropriate for the child to be dressed the way he was. Though the school has come in for major criticism in recent days over the incident, its Administration is yet to issue a statement or an apology.

In addition to demanding a public apology, Small said no other child should be discriminated against for celebrating his or her culture.

“No other child should endure what Joshua endured to embrace his culture, to embrace his heritage. No other child should have to cry to say, I hate how I look because of how the school made him feel. No other child should have to go through that in any school system,” she told reporters.

Chacon has been attending the school for close to two years following his return from Germany. However, given the recent occurrence, his mother will soon be transferring him to another educational institution.

NATION OF SIX RACES
Outgoing Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Joel Fredericks, who was among those that stood on the picket line, condemned the school’s action. “The National Toshaos Council, we represent the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana, and under the Constitution of Guyana, every race or every nation, six races, we have our right to our beliefs, our culture and spiritual beliefs,” he told reporters.

He said this incident is an indication that there is need for greater awareness on the indigenous culture, and the cultures of other ethnic groups. “We are the first people of Guyana, and we are proud of our culture and this is what we will teach our children, and they are proud of it,” Fredericks emphasised.

The NTC Chairman expressed disappointment that the school’s administration is silent on the issue, and has more so refused to issue an apology. Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) Official, Michael McGarrell told Guyana Chronicle that while a public apology may not solve the problem, it would bring about some amount of satisfaction first to Chacon and his parents, then to the indigenous community.

“What needs to be done: the school’s administration (members) need to be themselves exposed to some sort of training where they could learn about indigenous culture, because clearly, they don’t understand, and they cannot see that indigenous peoples make up part of who we are as Guyanese as well, and we have our own distinct culture,” McGarrell noted.

He said the APA is open to offering the necessary training to the school. In a statement, the APA condemned the actions of the school as it lent its support to Chacon’s mom. “The action by the school to single out and publicly humiliate the student, while other students were allowed to wear their cultural clothing is disgraceful.

“As a person of indigenous heritage the young student had a right to dress in his indigenous wear without discrimination from the public, but especially from an educational institution like Mae’s Schools,” the APA stated.

It said that traditional indigenous clothing should not be deemed inappropriate in a country that celebrates its rich cultural diversity. “It is enshrined in the Constitution of Guyana that every citizen has a right to his/her religion, cultural beliefs and practices. The Constitution specifically states in Article 149G that indigenous peoples “have the right to the protection, preservation and promulgation of their languages, cultural heritage and way of life,” the association pointed out.

Additionally, it pointed out that Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Television news Anchor and Producer, Natasha Smith, who was critical in organising the picketing exercise, said for far too long indigenous people of Guyana have been discriminated against. “People have to stop disrespecting us. Mae’s School is just an example of the daily discrimination that we receive in this country. It may not be as blatant but 2018, the 29th of May we are still having this fight; it should tell you something about what is really happening,” Smith said.

According to her, there have been similar incidents in other parts of the country. She emphasised that Mae’s and other educational institutions must teach children tolerance and respect for each other’s culture.

On a televised programme aired on the National Communications Network (NCN) Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe said she saw nothing wrong with the way little Chacon was dressed.

She pointed out that Indigenous Heritage Month is celebrated every year across the country. Minister Garrido-Lowe posited that the school should have reconsidered its decision, and more so should issue an apology.

When Guyana Chronicle attempted to get a comment from the Head Teacher or Senior Teacher, the guard, after seeking advice on whether access could have been granted, was told to inform this newspaper that there is nothing to be said.