Amerindian craft, art, culture will be given prominence at Walter Roth Museum

Sep 01, 2014 News

– during Heritage month

Activities for Amerindian Heritage Month 2014, hosted by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, kicked off with the opening of a month-long exhibition of indigenous craft and arts at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology on Main Street on August 29.
There were performances by the St Cuthbert’s Mission Dancers, Amerindian storytelling and a demonstration on straw weaving.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, who opened the exhibition, said that all Guyanese should be proud of being part of the rich Amerindian culture.

A demonstration of straw weaving at the launch of the heritage month activities hosted by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport at the Walter Roth Museum.

He urged that Guyanese use the month to focus on the Amerindian lifestyle and to gain a greater appreciation of the diversity that this group brings to the overall Guyanese culture.
“Get out there and experience this rich Amerindian culture,” he urged.
Minister Anthony also noted some of the Ministry’s on-going efforts at preserving and promoting Amerindian culture and art. As part of this effort, the ministry has been carrying out research and conducting exploration in different areas of the country to learn more about the Amerindian culture.
The Ministry has also been working on Amerindian languages and will be completing and publishing two dictionaries, complementing the seven others that have been completed.
The Ministry has been collecting Amerindian stories and tales that will in time be turned into a book and published in both the Amerindian and the Standard English dialects.
The Ministry is also set to carry Guyanese on a journey of the Amerindian culture through a musical competition, based on their various languages.
Amerindian Heritage Month is being conducted under the theme; “Traditional Embodiment of Amerindian Development”.
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has planned several activities in commemoration of the month-long celebration including an interfaith service, cultural nights, craft and food exhibition, educational tour and an Amerindian Sports Fest, as well as an ongoing variety of events at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology.