Warrau language project gets $2M boost

Jun 23, 2016 News

The sum of $2M was donated to residents of the Warrau community of Kamwatta Hill,

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe handing over the $2M cheque to Toshao of Kamwatta Hill, Ronald Manano

in Region One, for the revival of their language.
The money was handed over to Toshao Ronald Manano by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, while on a recent visit to the region.
The Minister, according to a Government statement, said the revival of the Warrau language plays a major role in helping the Indigenous people identify with their culture.
Toshao Manano noted: “This here is a good initiative for the younger youths. In a way they can learn the language, they can speak it anywhere… I myself can join the programme and other elders who are interested,” Manano stated.
The Indigenous people were encouraged to start documenting their lives as was done in the past by their ancestors.
“I went to Aishalton and I saw the hieroglyph on the rocks nicely carved out… that was done 7000 years ago, according to archeologists. So we have to start documenting our lives which will become our history,” the Minister urged.
The money will go towards providing payment for a teacher for the Warrau language. Also, craft, singing and dancing will be part of the classes, to aid in the preservation of the people’s culture.
President David Granger at the launch of Indigenous Heritage month in September 1, 2015, noted that while many of the older folks spoke in tribal tongue, the younger generations are not keen on preserving it.
President Granger had stated then: “It is, therefore, important that those languages be preserved and practiced, because for many it is the most efficient means of personal communication… we are all poorer when we are not able to communicate with each other.”
At the Heritage launch, it was also announced by the Head of State that government will re-establish the Amerindian Language Project under the name “Indigenous Language Project”. The project will soon commence at the University of Guyana as part of cultural preservation.

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