Publications to observe Year of Indigenous Languages
─ book of short stories and tourism handbook
─ to be published in Indigenous languages
DPI, Guyana, Friday, March 1, 2019
A collection of short stories and a tourism handbook will be published in Guyana’s Indigenous languages as part of the observance of International Year of the Indigenous Languages.
The collection of short stories will be selected from the entries of competition for Indigenous persons from the Nine Nation throughout Guyana. They will be required to write a short story or poem about their culture in their respective languages.
For 2019, the government allocated the sum of $36M to promote Guyana’s Nine Indigenous Languages as part of the Indigenous Languages observances.
Speaking on the National Communications Network (NCN Inc.) Voice of Guyana on Thursday, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe said that this activity is significant since it will allow the youth to learn about their culture in their respective Indigenous languages.
“We are going to publish this book which will have stories of the nine nations all translated in the Nine Languages for the children of Guyana. It will be something lasting. The book will then be placed in every village and even in the schools, and who knows, maybe the Ministry of Education may want to publish more,” Minister Garrido-Lowe said.
On the tourist handbook, she explained that the government has been focusing heavily on community-based tourism; therefore, the publication will be produced in different languages and placed at the Village Councils and eco-lodges in the various communities.
“So, if a tourist wants to go to Region 9, in the Wapichan territory, they would have the book to guide them to greet the people and so on. This will not only be for tourist but will also be placed at the government agencies since many of them often times have to engage the Indigenous peoples and, in some areas, their language is the only one they know.”
Among other activities proposed throughout the year are a Language Revival Programme, village welcome signboards to be erected at the entrance of each village in their respective language, radio and television programmes, debates in four languages (Patamona, Akawaio, Wapishana and Makushi) at the Umana Yana, and an Indigenous food festival, a Calendar of Nations 2019, and establishment of an Indigenous Summer School.
Minister Garrido-Lowe acknowledged that the Indigenous languages across the world are dying. In Guyana, she said that Arawak language is at risk because the older folks failed to pass on the language to the youngsters. As such, the Language Revival Programme will be implemented.
However, the minister pointed out it that over the past three years, the government has been seeking to promote the indigenous culture through the establishment of radio stations in all the Hinterland Regions (Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9). These radio stations have special segments promoting the Indigenous culture and can be heard across the country.
“Celebrating the nine languages in Guyana is something very special… The government, past and present, have helped to promote the Indigenous culture as part of the fabric of Guyana… This is what we contribute, to the uniqueness of the Guyanese culture.”
Synieka Thorne
Images: Keno George