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Hundreds swarm Rupununi Music and Arts festival
Indigenous Peoples Affairs Minister, Sydney Allicock, proved that he had not lost touch with his roots when he arrived at the Second Annual Rupununi Music and Arts Festival, on a horse.
The three-day festival which is being held at the Rock View Lodge, Annai, North Rupununi, saw hundreds of Guyanese and foreigners, enjoying the colourful variety of exotic sights and sounds of the Guyanese Indigenous culture amidst the splendor of the Rupununi Savanahs.
The event kicked off on Friday with indigenous groups displaying their way of life, through music, dance, poetry and storytelling.
Minister Allicock captivated the crowd with his grand entrance on a horse, while telling his story on “Cattle Rearing.”
Performing also were JJ Kent, a native Indian from the United States; the Samba Group from Brazil; Maya of Suriname; a rock band from Georgetown, and other groups portraying Indian customs, reggae and jazz music. There were also booths displaying local craft, paintings and food.
Present also were Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes; Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
During the feature address, at the opening of the event, Minister Hughes highlighted the importance of music in the development of the local tourism sector.
A cultural display
It is the diversity of the Guyanese culture that provides the blueprint for music as a driver for tourism, she said.
According to Hughes, the creations from local musicians would help Guyana as a unique place that will naturally attract others. “When visitors hear our music, they would want to see who created it, where it was created and what were the spectacular forces that contributed to such creation. Music sells our image and makes people want to see more of our products.”
She said that the Tourism Ministry is intent on adding the festival to its calendar of activities, as an eco-festival.
The aim is to attract more visitors from all around the world.
Hughes also spoke of creating an enabling environment in which the talents of Guyanese, involved in the creative industries, can grow. Already, music has been enshrined into schools’ curriculum, so that persons, from a very small age, can get involved.
The festival also hosted workshops on craft and paintings. These workshops were conducted by representatives from the EU Delegation in Guyana and other groups from Georgetown.
Minister Allicock pointed out that the event allows for Guyanese, especially the Indigenous population, to showcase their way of life, and at the same time provide the opportunity for the exchange of cultures, both local and overseas, through art, craft, music, dance and food.
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