Georgetown: Sixty-Five million dollars has been allocated for Guyana’s 80-man contingent to Haiti for the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA).
The 80 participants will leave Guyana on a chartered flight on August 20, and will remain in Haiti until the 30th. Guyana will be participating under the theme “Rites and Rhythms of Guyana” , and will be involved in Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Culinary Arts, Performing Arts, Fashion, Craft, Body Art, Symposia, Youth Focus, Film and Music, among other disciplines.
These participants went through an open audition and the best of the group was selected.
Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, shared that Guyana was the first to host the CARIFESTA celebration in 1972, and again hosted it in 2008. She added that Guyana has participated in all 11 of the festivals, and has always been a front runner. She hopes that the country will continue to excel at showcasing the richness and variety of Guyanese culture.
Minister Henry said that although the Government wanted to contribute more funds, but $65 million was all that could have been afforded at this time. She said, however, that she was proud of what the officials have accomplished to represent Guyana so far.
Local CARIFESTA Coordinator Lennox Canterbury said Guyana will also make presentations based on the county’s folklore history, which will be showcased through song and dance, which is a new focus of the event officials. He added that another new aspect which Guyana will showcase is the art of body painting which will be headed by local art company, Bravo Arts.
Through dance, the participants are seeking to explore Guyana’s rich cultural heritage, depicting Guyana’s myths, legends, rhythms and folklore.
The dancers’ production will showcase Guyanese traditions and creative direction of the local dance world through the perspectives of leading choreographers, such as Clive Prowell, Vivienne Daniel, Linda Griffith, Dr Seeta Shah Roath and Roshni Boodhoo.
Guyanese fashion will be represented by some of the county’s top designers, such as Kesha Edwards, Randy Madray, Carol Fraser, and others who each represent a specific area of fashion.
Meanwhile, the CARIFESTA Symposium will be looking at real issues that engage creative artists in Guyana and the Caribbean, explained Al Creighton, who is in charge of Guyana’s representation of Literary Arts.
He added that theatre in Guyana was not fully researched and published upon across the Caribbean, because of its current state. Creighton explained that hopefully what is presented to the Caribbean community during the time of CARIFESTA will prove to them what Guyanese are capable of. He added that there will also be a major exhibition of Guyanese literature, which was put together by the University of Guyana’s Library.
Canterbury added that an Indigenous Forum and Indigenous activities will also be presented in Haiti, alongside a Guyana Booth which will include arts and craft, tourism information and development and investment opportunities.
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