IN what is expected to be a monthly feature, scores of persons are touted to be reconnected with the indigenous way of life and heritage as the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) works to create spaces for learning and celebration of the fire peoples’ culture.

On Friday, an exhibition on Indigenous Craft opened at the Indigenous Village located at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, the first of a monthly feature. The exhibition, which runs until Sunday, aims to create a forum where youth cannot only see indigenous craft items, but actually see how these are made through live demonstrations from village elders.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe noted that the exhibition will become a monthly feature, as the ministry hopes to foster spaces for learning, so that young people can proudly connect with their heritage and culture.

Importantly, she highlighted that the exhibition was crafted in light of the attention being given to Indigenous people internationally, through the United Nations (UN) declared ‘International Year for Indigenous Languages.’

“We are lucky in Guyana that our indigenous peoples still speak our language– at least nine languages,” Garrido-Lowe said.

Reflecting on the colonial days of Guyana’s history, she reminded that indigenous people were made to feel inferior, highlighting: “ we were made to feel a bit ashamed of our languages, ashamed of our cassava bread, ashamed of our roast fish [and] ashamed of our tuma pot.”

But this is no longer the case, according to her. Nowadays, efforts are being made to preserve and celebrate the indigenous way of life and the minister said that young people must no longer feel ashamed to speak their native languages, or in the wider sense, of their culture.

She reminded the gathering that currently, efforts are being directed by the Ministry of Education to revive the Wapichan language. It is being taught in three schools in the Rupununi as a pilot programme

But for those who are not in the Rupununi and who are interested in learning the languages, she highlighted that the MoIPA is willing to create classes and learning spaces. To this end, she asked that young people visit the ministry’s website or Facebook page and state what languages they would like to learn.

“If you need more classes we can always talk about that,” she said, adding: “We have to be proud of who we are [because] it’s time we bring that kind of recognition, awareness and we promote indigenous languages,” she added.

In seeking to promote languages in an even more appealing way, the minister disclosed that there will be a singing competition during Indigenous Heritage month (September), where young people are encouraged to write and sing songs in their Indigenous languages.

The competition will first be carried out in the regions, before the top three singers in each region compete for grand monetary prizes and a chance to become a recording artiste in Georgetown.

“I would encourage our young people especially to make more indigenous music,” she said. “Get busy and don’t think that the world is too slow for you and that opportunities don’t exist for you.”