Following weeks of strenuous work by members of each of the Amerindian tribes in Guyana, the long-awaited Amerindian Village was yesterday handed over to the Amerindian Affairs Minister, Ms. Pauline Sukhai.During a tour of the compound, Colin Andrews, a Toshao from Moraikobi, explained that each of the buildings was constructed in the traditional design utilising materials found in the hinterland.He was responsible for coordinating the building process of the $20M project, a task that involved 28 persons from each of the Amerindian tribes.Among some of the materials used were wallaba posts, dalibana leaves, baroda tree, sugar wood, and shibidan.Andrews noted that the structure was constructed to remain in place permanently, and would not require any significant maintenance work for the next 15 years.The village is aimed at showcasing Guyana’s rich Amerindian heritage to the visitors that are expected at the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) X.The replicas are also expected to be utilized to benefit the public as a whole, given that they would give persons an opportunity to see what the Amerindian buildings actually look like.The Amerindians are descendants of the original inhabitants of Guyana, who travelled here several hundred years ago.Most of them live in tribal groups in the coastal regions, but others live inland.The coastal tribes were the Carib, Arawak, and Warau whose names are derived from the three main families of Guyanese Amerindian language.During the 19th century, the Carib tribe numbers dropped dramatically, but there are still large Arawak and Warau communities near the Pomeroon and Corentyne Rivers.The Amerindians living in the interior are split into seven tribes: Akawaio, Arekuna, Carib,China NFL Jerseys, Macusi, Patamona, WaiWai,and Wapisiana.Two Amerindian groups live in the savannah region of the Rupununi: the Macusi in the northern half and the Wapisiana in the south. The Wai Wais live in the southernmost point near where the Essequibo River rises.Over the years, Amerindians have made several significant contributions to Guyana in the area of food, arts and craft, among others.
