Berlinda Duncan-Persaud wants Amerindian art and craft to drive indigenous economies

Berlinda Duncan-Persaud

Berlinda Duncan- Persaud has spent much of the past two years trying to interweave the art and craft of the Amerindian communities into mainstream Guyanese life by making the work of indigenous craftsmen and women available to a coastal market and even to extend the demand outside of Guyana. Up until now, however, she is still to be persuaded that her efforts are reaping the real rewards which she seeks, transforming what has long been the much admired handiwork of Amerindian craftspeople into commodities from which they can reap sustainable material rewards.

Herself an Amerindian, originally from the Aishalton community (and the daughter of former Minister of Amerindian Affairs Phillip Duncan) and a craftsperson herself, she has, over time, developed a talent for selecting Amerindian works of art and craft that will withstand the scrutiny of a demanding market that extends not only to coastal Guyana but to regional and international markets. Her method has been to engage the creators in extended exchanges aimed at developing business links that have sometimes led to marketing arrangements that reap modest financial rewards for the producers.

Berlinda is blunt