WHEN Leroy Hendricks was just eleven years old, he faced a decision that many children in remote areas encounter: whether to stay in his hometown of Lethem or venture to the capital city of Georgetown to attend school.
Fuelled by enthusiasm and a passion for higher academic pursuits, Leroy chose Georgetown. This brave decision would alter the course of his life and was just the first step in his medical career. Leroy would later return to Lethem, first as a teacher and now as a doctor and artist. The young professional and entrepreneur champions the celebration of indigenous heritage in a bold, unique, and authentic way.

Growing up in the red dust of Lethem was exciting, says Leroy. Although simple, life on the outskirts of town was drastically different from that in Georgetown. Leroy shared that his childhood was characterised by countless days filled with fishing, swimming, and all the activities that Guyanese would call ‘life in the countryside’. “When we were there in Lethem, it’s more of like a country setting. We would really get to pick fruits and climb trees. We would enjoy an open environment. As a child, we would go out and shoot birds, catch fish. But now, it’s not so much like that here,” he said.

After completing his primary education, Leroy was awarded the opportunity to attend school in Georgetown on a scholarship. As the fifth of seven children and already an ambitious young man, Leroy left Lethem before he was twelve. Reminiscing about the experience, Leroy shared, “I had to make the choice of whether I want to stay in Rupununi or come to Georgetown. So, I was excited. I decided to come to Georgetown because in my mind, I was coming to a city like New York.”

Leroy soon learned that although it was a new experience, life in the big city was not all that it seemed. The first and most challenging thing he noticed was the environment; going from the open vastness of Lethem to the confined space of a Georgetown apartment was hard to adjust to. The food of his home was also something Leroy struggled with. As he explained, “In Lethem, I was not accustomed to eating rice every day. I was used to eating our traditional foods and drinks. But here, it was rice every day. Now, I actually like rice. That’s something I can’t do without now.”

After finishing his high school education, Leroy became a teacher, a role he took on with the well-being of his community at heart. While working as a teacher at St. Ignatius, Leroy had his eyes set on the medical field, but teaching gave him a chance to give back and nurture young minds for three years. He stated that the experience also taught him a lot about himself: “I taught at St. Ignatius Secondary School for three years. One of the things I really got from that experience is the fact that I was able to speak more. I was very timid, very shy, but I was placed in a situation where I had to speak.”

Medicine had long been a passion for Leroy and something he saw as a way to give back not just to his community but to his country at large. He stated, “I always wanted to do medicine. But I didn’t have the finances to go to university at the time. So, I applied for a scholarship to China and to Cuba, and I got through with Cuba.” Taking advantage of the opportunity, Leroy pursued medicine to become a general practitioner. As he stated, “In the seven-year period, the first six months that you’re there, you got to learn Spanish. You’re not allowed to say anything in English at all… But the teachers are very patient.”

Cuba was the beginning of a new chapter, but it was also the birthplace of Leroy’s artistic venture. While studying, he met people from nations all around the world, each person showcasing their country’s culture in different ways. Leroy wanted to do the same. “It started by travelling back and forth; people would bring me T-shirts from their country, and I did not have any to give back. So I designed my own and took it back home,” he said.

This was the beginning of a brand. The bright colours and uniquely inspiring designs garnered support from people in both Guyana and Cuba. The collaborative brand Lethem Exclusive was born. Focused on branding and designing, Lethem Exclusive has worked alongside ventures like the Rupununi Rodeo. Leroy and Lethem Exclusive aim to bring the true traditions of Guyana’s nine indigenous tribes to the forefront. Leroy is proud of his country and even prouder of his heritage. As more efforts continue to be made to reach and create opportunities in far-flung Indigenous communities nationwide, Leroy is happy to have had the chances he did and is an advocate for staying true to one’s origins.