Bina Hill Institute: A Living Centre for Indigenous Language Revitalisation

Feb 21, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

In the quiet savannah landscape of Annai in the North Rupununi, the Bina Hill Institute is quietly undertaking work of national importance. While Guyana continues to chart its path of economic growth and infrastructural expansion, there is another form of development that must not be overlooked — the preservation and revitalisation of our Indigenous languages.

As principal of the Institute, I have observed firsthand how language can either fade into silence or flourish when intentionally nurtured. At Bina Hill, we have chosen the latter.

Our student body draws from Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9, representing diverse Indigenous nations including speakers of Macushi, Wapishana, Akawaio, Lokono and Patamona. This linguistic diversity is not merely acknowledged — it is actively celebrated.

Each week during our assembly, a student shares a phrase in his or her mother tongue. The entire student body then repeats the phrase together. What may seem like a small ritual carries deep significance. It affirms identity. It builds mutual respect. It normalises Indigenous languages within a classroom setting.

Additionally, we offer structured instruction in the Macushi language as part of our curriculum. Students learn to read, write and speak it with confidence. One of the most moving moments on campus is hearing the National Pledge and National Anthem recited in Macushi. In those instances, Indigenous identity and national pride stand side by side, reinforcing that our First Peoples’ languages are not peripheral to Guyana’s identity — they are foundational to it.

Encouragingly, linguistic connections across communities also emerge. A Patamona student recently remarked that he can understand much of the Macushi language because of similarities to his own. Such experiences highlight the shared roots and interconnected heritage of our Indigenous nations.

Language loss is a global crisis. Around the world, Indigenous languages are disappearing as younger generations shift toward dominant languages. Guyana must guard against this trend. If our languages disappear, we lose more than words — we lose history, worldview, ecological knowledge and cultural memory.

The work being done at Bina Hill demonstrates that revitalisation is possible when youth are placed at the centre of the effort. By empowering students to speak their mother tongues proudly, we are equipping them to return to their villages not only as trained professionals but as custodians of culture.

If Guyana is to remain truly the “Land of Six Peoples,” then the languages of its First Peoples must be sustained with intention. Bina Hill Institute is committed to being a living centre of that mission — where Indigenous languages are spoken daily, taught formally, and passed confidently to the next generation.

Yours faithfully,

Medino Abraham

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Bina Hill Institute, Indigenous, Indigenous Language, Letters, Living Centre, Medino Abraham

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