Dr. Desrey Fox of the Akawaio Tribal Nation passes on

Georgetown, Guyana (UCTP Taino News) - Dr. Desrey Fox, 54, passed away this morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana. Dr. Fox, a member of the Akawaio Tribal Nation was a Minister in the Guyana Government’s Ministry of Education. Local reports indicate that she sustained back and head injuries in a tragic auto accident on Tuesday evening. Her grandson was also injured in the accident and remains in the hospital’s pediatric ward.

Dr. Fox was born in Waramadong Village, Upper Mazaruni District in Guyana. She was awarded a Ph.D and MA in Linguistics from Rice University, an MA in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Kent at Canterbury, and a B.Sc in Sociology from the University of Guyana.

"I was deeply saddened by this tragic news” states Damon Corrie a Lokono Arawak activist. “I had known Dr. Desrey Fox since the 1996 United Nations sponsored SIDS (Small island Developing States) conference in Barbados.”

Corrie continued stating “Truly, Guyana has lost its most famous Amerindian daughter. May her soul rest in peace knowing that her allotted time on this Earth was well spent.”

Dr. Desrey Fox is survived by three sons and other relatives.

UCTPTN 12.11.2009

Carifesta X symposium highlights Amerindian artifacts

The Indigenous Art of Hammock weaving demonstrated

at CARIFESTA X in Guyana

GUYANA - A symposium on Indigenous Performance Traditions on Monday focused on the collection of Amerindian artifacts in the Austrian Museum of Ethnology which houses some 350 artifacts from Guyana. Most of these artifacts were collected from the Makushi and Wapishiana regions early in the 19th century by Austrian zoologist Johann Natterer. The symposium was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal as part of a symposia panel for Carifesta X, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr. Desrey Fox opened the session and panelists Claudia Augustat, Head of the South American Collection, Museum of Ethnology in Vienna, Austria and Henk Tjon, Theatre and Artistic Director with the Surinamese Delegation to Guyana made presentations.

According to GINA, Minister Fox stated that indigenous performance tradition is probably the most misunderstood since it is not what people are accustomed to as it focuses on birds and animals with specific characteristics which the Amerindians find impressive.

This, she said, impacts on the very lives of Amerindians and helps them to survive in very harsh environments.

“We are in a country with a diversity of cultures and I don’t think we are able to utilize each other’s resources,” Minister Fox is quoted as saying. She noted also that this will “lead to understanding each other and to have a sense of deep identity which we are still grappling with.”

Meanwhile, Augusta said that according to records in the archives of the Austrian Museum, Natterer made his journey in 1831 by travelling up the Rio Branco River to the Brazilian border, then on the Takutu, Ireng and Pirara Rivers before reaching British Guiana.

The collection pieces featured body ornaments, weapons, basketry and musical instruments created and used by the indigenous peoples.

These include objects made from feathers, beads, seeds and animal teeth, GINA added.

Source: Stabroek News

Carifesta IX to feature Caribbean indigenous people...

by GINA News

GEORGETOWN (GINA) - The indigenous people of Guyana will join their counterparts from the Caribbean and the Americas to honour their history, achievements and contribution to the development of the region.

Their gathering will be part of several activities to be held in Trinidad and Tobago at the hosting of Carifesta IX, a ten-day event held under the theme ‘Celebrating our People: Contesting the World Stage’.

Over 20 countries from the Caribbean will be converging on the twin island republic to showcase the splendours of their cultures and traditions. The festival will promote events that serve both the commercial and artistic interests of artists and entrepreneurs. These will include cultural industries, trade and book fairs, film, community and visual arts exhibitions, symposia, super concerts, performing and culinary arts, youth and children’s events.

Performers from the National School of Dance, the Amerindian Dance Troupe and the Dharmic Nritya Sangh of Guyana will be represented at the grand celebration. An Amerindian Dance Troupe from Region Seven will be performing a series of traditional dances at the festival. This group will also be presenting some of their best craft pieces during other events.

As part of the celebrations, the Santa Rosa Carib Community in Trinidad will be hosting a conference for indigenous people and presentations will be made by representatives from different indigenous communities within the Caribbean including newly appointed Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr. Desrey Fox, herself an Amerindian.

It is anticipated that all indigenous groups living in the Caribbean will participate in the conference. Dr. Fox, will also be present at the ceremonial handing over of the Caribbean Organisation of Indigenous People (COIP) in Arima a small Carib community in Trinidad known for its perpetuation of the Carib tradition.

Chief Carib and Deputy Mayor in Arima, Richardo Bharrat will assume chairmanship of COIP which is at present located in Guyana. COIP originated in 1987 following a conference of Indigenous people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Member countries of COIP are Dominica, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.

The ceremony will be the first major celebration of Indigenous People in Carifesta IX, and will foster the continued cohesiveness of member countries. Arima, the Larry Gomes Enclosure and the Princess Royal Park, are the selected venues/communities where indigenous groups from around the Caribbean will be displaying their cultural varieties.

The Indigenous group of Guyana will lend some of their talents to the many other events that Guyana will be participating in during Carifesta IX. These include the culinary arts, in which a variety of Guyanese cuisines will be on display and the Guyana Nite Festival, where performances will be done by the Amerindian dance troupe, the National School of Dance and the Dharmic Nritya Sangh.

Organisers of the Guyana Nite Festival will stage a preview of the show at the National Cultural Centre on Sunday September 17. Carifesta IX was launched on Friday September 1, in 13 administrative districts of Trinidad and two in Tobago. Carifesta is coordinated by the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) the regional advisory body to CARICOM.

Guyana Ministry plans nationwide campaign to educate Amerindians about their rights...

Basil Joseph explains his painting to two admiring viewers. He
was one of several persons at the launching of Amerindian
Heritage Month 2006 at the Umana Yana on Friday, where items
made by the Amerindian people were on display.

Guyana, South America - Shortly before it was announced by President Bharrat Jagdeo that Carolyn Rodrigues would remain the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, she told the huge crowd that flocked the Umana Yana on Friday for the launching of Amerindian Heritage Month 2006, that the ministry planned to have to a nationwide campaign to educate the Amerindian people about their rights.

The launch which was attended by President Jagdeo, Opposition Leader Robert Corbin, members of the diplomatic community and ministers of government, among others, has become an annual event since 1995 when a bill was passed for September to be designated Amerindian Heritage Month. This year the theme is 'Succeeding in the Quest for Progress' and the Heritage Village is Annai in Region 9.

The gathering, which was significantly smaller than the one last year, was entertained with a number of Amerindian songs rendered by the hinterland students.

The first verse of the National Anthem was sung in a native Amerindian language.

Dr Desrey Fox, the curator of the Walter Roth Museum, plans to translate the entire National Anthem and the Pledge into all nine Amerindian languages.

Rodrigues in her address said that in February this year the Amerindian Act had been passed in Parliament and signed by the president in March, and that communities had already started implementing its provisions.

The minister gave the assurance that her ministry would have land issues affecting Amerindians sorted out as soon as possible: "Some Amerindian communities have already received titles to their lands. Over 13% or 11,205 square miles is the amount of land owned by the Amerindians - more than double [that] in years gone by."

Highlighting some of accomplishments of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Rodrigues said that the Suddie hostel in Region 2 had been completed about four months ago to cater for those persons accompanying the injured from the interior. She added that the hostels at Port Kaituma and Moruca should be completed later this month.

Rodrigues informed the gathering that Sheleza Reid, a hinterland student had placed third at the recently concluded CSEC examinations. She had gained ten grade ones and one grade two, and was a product of the Anna Regina Secon-dary School.

In terms of further improving education, she stated that the St Cuthbert's school would be completed later this year. According to Rodrigues, improving communities was a necessity, and that was why the ministry continued to provide radio sets and outboard engines. Some communities, she continued, such as Santa Rosa and Annai had also benefited from the installation of telephones by GT&T.

Meanwhile the president in his speech said that Rodrigues would continue to act as the Minister of Amerindian Affairs since he was very impressed with her work.

Highlighting some of the things that would be done for the Amerindian people in the coming years, he announced that by 2008 the ferry stelling would be upgraded.

"At present we are building a boat for Orealla and the Demerara River so that people can get transportation facilities..."

The head of state added that efforts would be made to give Amerindian children the same educational opportunities as the rest of the country enjoyed.

In closing he said, "I hope that Guyana can take the lesson of their Amerindian brothers and sisters - that is to work together".

Following the launching people congregated outside the Umana Yana to view or buy the craft, paintings, sculpture, jewellery and food which were on display.

Among the activities scheduled for the rest of the month are an exhibition and sale of arts and craft and Amerindian dishes from September 1-6 at the Umana Yana; Heritage Day Celebrations at Annai on the 10th, a fund-raising dinner on the 22nd at the Guyana Pegasus and a Cultural Extravaganza on the 30th at the National Cultural Centre to close off activities.

Source: Starbroek News 09/03/06