– Minister Allicock urges preservation of Indigenous culture

As the Indigenous peoples of Guyana, along with all Guyanese, get ready to celebrate Indigenous Heritage Month, September 2018, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock has urged that they stay true to their culture.

The theme for this year’s celebrations is: “Proud of our Indigenous identity, celebrating in unity.” And Minister Allicock reminded, “As we continue to celebrate as Indigenous people, let us not forget who we are and where we come from.”

The theme comes a few months after the unfortunate incident at the Mae’s School where a young boy was turned away for wearing his Indigenous garb.

Though the matter has since been resolved, in retrospect, the minister said the outcry showed that Guyanese stand in unison against any discrimination.

He noted that the incident was a stark reminder that Indigenous people must be proud of their identity.

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, said 2019 has been designated the International Year of Indigenous Languages.

“We must never forget our indigenous ideals and traditions,” she stressed.

Agreeing with her, Minister Allicock contended: “Our language must be kept alive” and appealed to parents to “teach it to the young [because] in one generation we can lose it completely.”

“Our language is our culture, it is our identity and we must preserve it,” the minister said while reminding that the Indigenous population in Guyana encompasses nine groups, each with their own language which must be preserved.

In September 2018, Wapichan children in three nursery schools in Region Nine will be taught in their native language, creating history in Guyana.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Quality Bilingual Education Programme for Wapichan Children (QBEP), the Education Ministry has agreed to introduce the language course at three schools in Region Nine – Maruranau, Sawariwau and Karaudarnau nursery schools.

While he urged persons to work towards preserving their culture, Minister Allicock also affirmed that the government is working towards strategies that will lead to the preservation and growth of Indigenous languages.

As part of the Indigenous Month celebrations, the minister said an education lecture series will also touch on the issue of Indigenous language.

Heritage Month is an annual celebration in honour of Guyana’s Indigenous peoples and Allicock posited that the Government is working to ensure that they lead better lives.

He also noted that land issues, migration and movement of Indigenous peoples are serious matters in the Indigenous community and Government is working to have these addressed.

The revision of the 2006 Amerindian Act is another matter of importance and has to be keenly done through a consultative process, to comply with international law and in the best interest of the people, said Allicock.