GUYANA annually celebrates Amerindian Heritage Month in honour of the significant achievements and contributions that the Amerindian people have made over the years.
The Pepperpot Magazine spoke with Joshua Fredericks of the South Rupununi Conservation Society to get a clear perspective regarding the preservation of the culture and language of the Amerindians in Guyana.

Fredericks provided insight on the preservation of the culture, language and dialect of the Amerindian people and what his village is doing to ensure that the language and culture stay alive.
“To my understanding, there are many Indigenous languages spoken by the Indigenous peoples of this country…there is bilingual education being done in my region and of course the passing down of traditional knowledge from elders to youths, through traditional storybooks, seminars and so on,” he explained. “The bilingual education will see younger children being taught in schools…The local non-governmental organisations [conduct] teaching of traditional classes.”

He also noted that people are being trained to do a road map to document the work of the shamans along with information on languages, crafts etc.
Fredericks said he believes that Amerindian culture is being kept alive, particularly in South Rupununi through the continuous use of traditional lands and the continuous practice of local knowledge.

PLANS FOR AMERINDIAN HERITAGE MONTH
This year’s observance is being held under the theme: “Celebrating our traditional culture while building one Guyana”.
Fredericks noted during his interview that the Amerindians in the South Rupununi would have the opportunity to celebrate their achievements and to throw the spotlight on the making and selling of their locally made products, and more importantly, to showcase their talent through the hosting of Amerindian heritage pageantry.

Meanwhile, a sharper focus is being placed on various issues faced by Amerindians nationwide. These are the sentiments expressed by Romario Hastings, representative of Kapon Akawio Village in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni), who was at the time speaking at a recent event. “All of these, I would say, are cornerstones to Indigenous communities, what it means to them, their existence as a distinct people in Guyana,” Hastings told the Pepperpot Magazine during a side interview.

He believes that some discrimination still exists towards Indigenous peoples as they aren’t a part of decision-making bodies. He also believes there is still a long way to go when it comes to women in education and policy decision and implementation bodies. “We want to be part of the solutions to the issues that affect us, and only if we can be able to have that and exchange, I believe we can make a step forward,” Hastings noted during his remarks. He explained that the loss of traditional knowledge is a key problem for communities, but to keep it as a talking point, massive support is needed from persons who love the idea of continuity and preservation.

He added that over the years, Indigenous peoples have made significant strides in their endeavours to address their issues through dialogues and the coming together of Amerindians at conferences, seminars, and so forth.
The Department of Public Information, in a recent article dated August 10, 2022 quoted Minister of Amerindians Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, as saying that, “September month will bring a whole package of what the Amerindian traditional knowledge is about; what Indigenous culture is about and what our tradition and custom is like. We will be able to introduce to this country again our unique dances, our music, our food and of course the treasure of the way we work, the way we live as one.”