Young beauty queen from St. Cuthbert’s Mission is proving that her role as a cultural ambassador goes far beyond pageantry

TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD O’statia Simon has always loved being in the limelight, beginning when she was just six years old. Today, the Region Four Miss Heritage Crown holder is still taking to the stage, but with a different goal: preserving culture. Born and raised in the community of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, also known as Pakuri, O’statia is spearheading several initiatives aimed at safeguarding her community’s traditions. From working with members to overcome hurdles, to leading programmes that protect Indigenous practices, this beauty queen says she will continue her efforts in cultural conservation and sustainability, with or without the crown.

O’statia describes her upbringing in St. Cuthbert’s as a unique and enriching experience. Reminiscing about her childhood in an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, she said culture has always been a significant part of who she is, and she has always been proud to represent and highlight her heritage. Coming from a mixed background of Indian roots and strong Indigenous teachings, O’statia has always boldly embraced her identity. “I was always part of my culture too, because I spent most times surrounded by my grandparents. I even got the chance to live with my dad’s grandmother, which is like my great-great-grandmother. She taught me a lot about our culture as it relates to our language, our food, our way of life, our stories. And I had a bit of everything because my mum is also mixed with Indian, so I also got a little of that heritage too,” she said.

Although she only copped the crown in August of last year, O’statia’s time on stage and her work in her community began long before she became Heritage Queen. “I grew up on the stage itself. Since I was six years old, I found myself on the stage, whether it be dancing, skits, or a little singing, I always found myself entertaining the crowd,” she added. “I believe having the ability to express who I am—because my culture is something I hold very dear to my heart—makes a difference. Once I’m on stage and I’m able to show that, maybe there is a little girl or a little boy looking on. They see how proud I am of my culture, and they, too, can feel that sense of pride.”

O’statia launched the Pakuri Harmony Hub with the goal of creating a safe space where community members could collaboratively overcome hurdles. Operating since before she won the crown, the non-profit has been collaborating with the village council to make a greater impact across multiple sectors. “Before I became Queen, I had started a non-profit organisation called Pakuri Harmony Hub. The organisation is a non-profit one and it seeks to eliminate any small issues that villagers might be facing,” she explained. “Whether it be environmental challenges, whether it be students needing career guidance, or whether it be a family needing support, we’re like a tunnel. Support will go through us, and we will divert it into the correct area. Specifically, it serves somewhat like a neutral body under the village council.”

But O’statia’s work doesn’t stop there. Over the last year, she has collaborated with companies in the oil and gas sector, encouraging them to engage and inspire the community’s youth. Earlier this year, she also teamed up with Miss East Coast 2024 to host a “Queens and Kings Retreat,” where they spoke to the community’s children, offering guidance, advice, and insight into the importance of representing one’s culture.

Though she is currently studying in the capital city, O’statia remains deeply committed to her community. “When the village council hosts any event that requires me to be there, I ensure I drop everything. I ensure that I show up, especially if it’s going to be unifying our village in any sort of way. I would go and ensure that I’m present,” she said.

O’statia and her organisation serve as a vital link, helping the people of her community get their voices heard. But her impact goes even further. Most recently, in collaboration with the village council, she has been working to reintroduce and emphasise cultural practices in everyday life. Although it may sound simple, O’statia explained that massive effort is required to reintroduce the community’s young people to their traditional language. “Cultural practices in everyday life could be as simple as greeting somebody in your native language, being able to understand them if they greet you in the same way, and carrying on a conversation. Our native language is Lokono, because we are Arawaks, and we should be able to understand each other on a regular basis,” she shared.

But language is just one part of the preservation effort. O’statia also emphasised the importance of traditional dances, music, and cuisine; all of which she and the people of St. Cuthbert’s Mission are working to pass down to the younger generation. She admitted the biggest hurdle is getting young people engaged. “A lot of times, there are stereotypes around our culture, so young people don’t want to take part because they see it as something that doesn’t mean much. But as you grow older, you realise how significant our culture is, and it is something that should be sustained and preserved,” she said.

Like O’statia, the community of St. Cuthbert’s is diverse in its development. While leaders and villagers work to preserve their culture, growth in other sectors continues to reach new heights. Born, raised, and schooled entirely in the community, O’statia says St. Cuthbert’s is now seeing more development than ever before, particularly in tourism. “Over the past years, there have been massive and tremendous developments in all sectors in the village. We’ve seen development in our educational system and agricultural tourism. So far, tourism has been one of the priorities of all the village councils that take office,” she told the Pepperpot Magazine.

She added that much of the progress has been driven by local leadership working in close collaboration with Guyana’s government. “Our leadership is categorised by a village council. Currently, there is a 16-body village council, and they get to serve for three consecutive years. So far, tourism has been one of the priorities and it has been blooming,” she explained. At the governmental level, the progress has been even greater, with major investments in infrastructure and new facilities. “The government has contributed to development in sports and in the health sector. We now have a police station, a health centre, schools, and an ICT hub. Those are a few of the developments I’ve seen undergoing,” O’statia shared.

As Guyana steps into the month of September to celebrate yet another Amerindian Heritage Month, O’statia says she is excited about both the national activities and her own plans moving forward. Sharing some details about St. Cuthbert’s calendar of festivities, she explained that the main event will be hosted on September 28 and, like all previous years, will feature a vibrant celebration of cultural foods, music, and dance.

Personally, O’statia says she will continue to launch and support projects aimed at sustainable cultural and community development. “Moving forward to me is just to continue the work with or without the crown,” she said. “I believe that any projects or investments that are being made in our village should be sustainable, and they should be able to sustain themselves while also benefitting our village. So I believe any projects I do undertake in the future will be sustainable and beneficial. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if I have the title or not, it is just something that’s going to be continued [while] I can.”