While these Department of Public Information (DPI) pictures provide an eye-catching glimpse of the talents of our Amerindian communities, and more particularly, insightful images of their lives and their livelihoods, conversations with those creative individuals and groups that have journeyed from their homes in the various communities to be part of the Heritage programme this year revealed by mainstream media, may still be decidedly ‘off the pace’ insofar as the real significance of their participation in the event. While the reportage of the Department of Information saw the highly impressive display of craft and other creations as reflective of an undertaking designed to “portray the wonder and originality of Amerindian culture”, the participants in the event with whom the Stabroek Business spoke with appeared much more keen to discuss the valuable windfalls that will accrue to them from this once-a-year opportunity to access a coastal market with a significantly higher level of disposal income than those other markets to which they have easier access.
