Historic occurrences are often known to have small beginnings. That may well be the case with Tuma Sàlà, which, according to shareholder Michael Patterson, is the country’s first Amerindian restaurant.
An Arawak with a passionate interest in Amerindian culture, Patterson told Stabroek Business earlier this week that while Tuma Sàlà is “a business venture” the owners are not insensitive to its ground-breaking significance. It is, Patterson says, as much a statement about elements of the Amerindian way of life as it is a business challenge for the group of investors who have pumped their own money into the business.
Tuma Sàlà comes from the Patamona language and literally means ‘come let us eat.’ The trading name, however, may not convey the fullest significance of the establishment. Patterson sees Tuma Sàlà as symbolizing the bringing of other elements of the Amerindian way of life into an urban setting. The Umana Yana, Guyana’s principal reception hall may have
