The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport today donated cheques valued a total of $7.6M to 68 African cultural groups in order for them to carry out Emancipation activities.

These activities which are supported by the Government will foster awareness, as well as encourage persons to be involved in cultural activities and bring together persons from various backgrounds.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony expressed satisfaction working with the groups and said the ministry will assist them as a means of promoting their culture. He alluded to other historical events that were celebrated this year highlighting the 250th Anniversary of the Berbice Slave Uprising and 190years since the Demerara Slave Uprising.

“There are many interesting things happening this year, and we from the Ministry, we hope that when we reflect on emancipation this year that we give some thought to some of these other historic events that would have happened in our country,”  he said.

Minister Anthony added that there are works to be done especially with the rewriting of local history books. He added that history has been manipulated over the years for different purposes and there should be discussions done by Guyanese to write about ‘our own history’.

“There are records from Essequibo; there are records from Demerara, thousands of cases which we have not really explored and gone into, and perhaps as you reflect on emancipation it is something for us to retrieve, some of these records, and put them together so that we can better understand this period,” added Minister Anthony.

He also spoke of the numerous exhibitions held by the Ministry to educate the public which highlighted not only Guyana’s heritage, but others from around the world.

He further advised the groups to conduct outreaches in various communities and to record and document experiences of their communities.

Assistant Director of Culture Col Linden Ross highlighted that the Ministry will always support the group as best as it can. Ross said he hopes the programmes will reflect the work that they have been doing over the years pertaining to African ancestry in Guyana.

The groups were urged to bring artifacts in their possession to the African Museum to enhance the collection at the institution.

http://culture.mcys.gov.gy/culture-ministry-assists-68-african-groups-for-emancipation-celebrations/