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ADDRESSING members of the press at an end-of-year conference at his office last Wednesday, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, noted amongst the ministry’s accomplishments, a great improvement in the service provided by Guyana’s museums and an increased focus on anthropology. Making reference to the National Museum, the Walter Roth Museum and the Museum of African Heritage, he said museums worked to improve the quality of their exhibits. The National Museum, Anthony noted, has added new sections and improved generally in public service. During this year, the ministry secured funding for a vehicle for the National Museum, which will be used in the “Mobile School Project”. A number of exhibitions were hosted, including one on the republic anniversary, one for Independence, one for Indentureship and another on Emancipation. “We have seen a lot of people coming out to museums, we are very pleased with the public response as well as with what we’ve been providing”, the minister said.
Continuing, he noted that the Walter Roth Museum, which traditionally focused on Amerindian artefacts, has over the course of the year worked along with a number of Amerindian communities, and has been able to improve their collection and add new displays.
Cultural Anthropology courses which examine how people live will also be run by the ministry. Schools in anthropology and archaeology, most notably the Dennis Williams School, continue to train students. Anthony noted that the ministry has continued to publish an online journal in this field.
The minister said that there is increased focus on archaeology, because there are many areas of Guyana where the history is unknown.
“We have done a lot of research in shell mounds and that is continuing, because shell they give us insights into the civilisations of the past”, noting that research in the Berbice river area indicates that there was a civilisation there that dates back to 3000 BC., which would put it in tandem with some of the oldest civilisations on earth,such as the Indus Valley civilisation.
Conceding that the research was still in its infancy, he posited that it promised Guyana has important things that are yet to be discovered, and said that next year there will be more emphasis on archaeology based on interest by archaeologists around the world. There will be collaborative programmes with other universities, such as one where the ministry was able to train two new persons, one of whom went on to do a Master’s Degree and has returned to Guyana.
In terms of the National Archives, Anthony said that the ministry has worked to expand the holdings of the archives, and has added a sorting building in the compound, so that when documents come in, they don’t go into the archives until they are properly fumigated and treated. The ministry is also working along with UNESCO who is helping to procure some scanners. He noted that archives staff have created a micro climate and the boxes used to store the documents are acid-free in efforts at preservation. He pointed out that they have also been constantly training staff so that they are up to date with the relative technology.
“Our plan is to digitalise the archives. Apart from digitalisation, we plan to make a searchable database so someone can actually go online and go on the National Archives website if they want to find a particular document”, he said. A substantial part of that project should come to fruition by 2013.
The Museum of African Heritage has been working along with a number of partners to present lectures on themes of African history and is currently working on the collection of oral history from various communities.
Continuing, he noted that the Walter Roth Museum, which traditionally focused on Amerindian artefacts, has over the course of the year worked along with a number of Amerindian communities, and has been able to improve their collection and add new displays.
Cultural Anthropology courses which examine how people live will also be run by the ministry. Schools in anthropology and archaeology, most notably the Dennis Williams School, continue to train students. Anthony noted that the ministry has continued to publish an online journal in this field.
The minister said that there is increased focus on archaeology, because there are many areas of Guyana where the history is unknown.
“We have done a lot of research in shell mounds and that is continuing, because shell they give us insights into the civilisations of the past”, noting that research in the Berbice river area indicates that there was a civilisation there that dates back to 3000 BC., which would put it in tandem with some of the oldest civilisations on earth,such as the Indus Valley civilisation.
Conceding that the research was still in its infancy, he posited that it promised Guyana has important things that are yet to be discovered, and said that next year there will be more emphasis on archaeology based on interest by archaeologists around the world. There will be collaborative programmes with other universities, such as one where the ministry was able to train two new persons, one of whom went on to do a Master’s Degree and has returned to Guyana.
In terms of the National Archives, Anthony said that the ministry has worked to expand the holdings of the archives, and has added a sorting building in the compound, so that when documents come in, they don’t go into the archives until they are properly fumigated and treated. The ministry is also working along with UNESCO who is helping to procure some scanners. He noted that archives staff have created a micro climate and the boxes used to store the documents are acid-free in efforts at preservation. He pointed out that they have also been constantly training staff so that they are up to date with the relative technology.
“Our plan is to digitalise the archives. Apart from digitalisation, we plan to make a searchable database so someone can actually go online and go on the National Archives website if they want to find a particular document”, he said. A substantial part of that project should come to fruition by 2013.
The Museum of African Heritage has been working along with a number of partners to present lectures on themes of African history and is currently working on the collection of oral history from various communities.
