–two youngsters talk about their struggle to keep traditions alive

AS we prepare to bring the curtain down on Amerindian Heritage Month 2021, it is important to recognise and pay tribute to the young people who have gone above and beyond to keep the flames of our indigenous cultures burning, at a time when it is facing global threats; persons such as Calvin Roberts and Romario Hastings, who have even chosen career paths that promote Amerindian cultures and keep them rooted in their heritage.

Hastings, age 26, is a proud representative of the Kapon Akawaio nation, hailing from Kako village, located on the left bank of the Kako River in the Upper Mazaruni District. He believes that maintaining his cultural traditions “gives future generations an opportunity to build on what we have created culturally and as distinct peoples.”

As is widely known, Amerindians are a people of the forest; protectors of nature and sustainers of our ecological patrimony. In keeping with this legacy, Hastings has chosen to embark on a correlating career path; he is an environmental officer, continuing the work of those before him, who cared for and protected the environment.

“Cultural values influenced my career. It also offers me greater opportunities to visit indigenous-populated areas that are different from mine. It exposes the geographic extent to which our thriving villages are dispersed across the country. Those respective customs enrich my experiences and motivates [sic] my ambitions for cultural sustainability,” Hastings told the Sunday Chronicle.

Over the past year, the young man has become known for capturing and sharing breathtaking photos that capture the beauty of rural Amerindian life.

Asked whether he has struggled to maintain his Indigenous traditions in an overly “modernised” society, Hastings responded, “Definitely. I call it the Indigenous child’s dilemma. We are literally taught to seek better and anything other than traditional is considered better; speak and write better English, aspire to become materialistic, become ‘fashionable’, shift away from farming etcetera.”

The young man believes that while all of these are “essentially fine,” it should not be encouraged in contrast to the cultures that have been passed down for thousands of generations. He said that a lack of multistakeholder push for the maintenance of indigenous languages, knowledge and values is not only alarming, but worrisome. “Yet, the responsibility of indigenous culture and traditions rests upon our shoulders, on us the young people,” Hastings lamented.

While the Amerindian peoples have taught us much, Hastings believe that the most important lesson is love for country, and the need to get to know this dear land of our birth.

“There’s a joke that says if all other [ethnic] groups decided to leave Guyana, it is us [the Amerindians] who will stay because we are intimate with this land and country. And we will protect it as our only home, because it really is,” the environmentalist shared.

Having had to move to the coastland for improved career opportunities, Hastings said that he still tries his utmost to ensure that indigenous traditions are enshrined in his daily life.

“I keep a huge container of cassava, and I have a regular supply of my cassareep, kada-cassava water and farine to ensure I regularly serve myself of our traditional dishes. However, more importantly, Hastings continues to engage persons in the Akawaio language, in an effort to preserve the words of those before him.

As an advice, Hastings is encouraging his fellow Amerindian youths to “Think of your culture as a future and not a past. Preserving and valuing your culture today gives [sic] it an opportunity to transform and evolve. Your culture will be a major asset for your continued development in technology, science, language, tourism, arts, and other spheres of society.”

Hastings is hopeful that with more and more young Amerindians embracing their roots, it would help to shatter some of the unflattering stereotypes that are peddled about indigenous peoples.

“Loving my culture is loving who I am; my identity, my self-respect, my self-esteem, my pride begins there. Not to respect and lose one’s heritage and culture is to divorce yourself from one’s ways of thinking, values, sense of community, and oneness,” Hastings said, candidly.

EATING THE INDIGENOUS WAY
Similar sentiments were shared by Calvin Roberts, who is also 26 years old. He was born in neighbouring Venezuela and migrated to Guyana at the age of two. The Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo youth said that although he had always been proud of his heritage, he was never a staunch advocate for the preservation of the Amerindian cultures. However, this would all change in 2018 when Roberts was named as a Youth Ambassador. “There and then, I represented Guyana by my heritage and identity. I wore my traditional attire which was highly appreciated by thousands of young people across the globe. In fact, I won the best traditional wear,” Roberts related.

With an intensified love for his cultural heritage and identity, Roberts said that it dawned on him that if he can represent his country and heritage on an international stage, and he should also be doing it at home.

“I return to Guyana and immediately started to work on a plan on how I can promote my culture that was slowly dying or that was only recognised in the month of September,” Roberts related.
From that, Calvin’s Indigenous Cuisine was birthed, owing to financial investments from two of Roberts’ friends, Eion Beaton and Denzil St. Hill who are now his business partners. “Their support and love for my culture has been overwhelming,” Roberts told the Sunday Chronicle.

He reflected that growing up, he resided in a predominantly Indo-Guyanese community, which saw Amerindian heritage being celebrated only during Amerindian Heritage Month. “After the month of heritage celebrations everything went back to normal,” a disappointed Roberts related.

He added, I’ve seen so many times that after the long month of heritage celebrations, one has to worry about sourcing a meal of tuma and even simple cassava bread.”

Roberts believes that ‘Calvin’s Indigenous Cuisine’ and the few similar establishments will help to rid Guyanese of these worries, and help to keep Amerindian delicacies accessible, year-round.

In doing so, Roberts believes that it will also help more Guyanese to shift to healthier, more indigenous diets. “As a health advocate, I’ve seen too many people suffer and even die from non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and even cancer. My business, Calvin’s

Indigenous Cuisine is designed to encourage persons to make that conscious decision to adapt [sic] or make healthy eating choices…this will increase their longevity on the earth,” Roberts said.

The motto of his business is the Lokono saying, “Han the -wako tha the,” which simply means “come let’s eat, drink and have fun the indigenous way.”

Roberts believes that an Amerindian way of life is healthy, and fulfilling, as the indigenous peoples possess a great deal of strength and an industrious spirit. “I’ve personally watched my mom work tirelessly ploughing soil, cultivating crops and harvesting cassava almost effortlessly. She did this comfortably day and night. Like her so many indigenous people have done the same,” a smiling Roberts said.

He also expressed pride over the fact that Amerindians are known to be a humble and peaceful people. These, he believes, are traits that many young Amerindians ought to respect and emulate in their daily lives. “Be proud of your culture and most importantly, be proud of your identity…You were born with a purpose that you owe to this world,” Roberts emphasised.