'Rainforest Village', 'Roots and Rhythms' to offer capsule of Guyanese experience during CWC
Stabroek News
March 13, 2007
The constructed fantasy 'Rainforest Village' along with four nights of a 90-minute 'Roots and Rhythms' show would be among the highlights of a Guyana Gift and Craft Show organised to showcase the Guyanese way of life during Cricket World Cup.
The gift and craft show, which would be held at the National Exhibition Site from March 29 to April 1, is expected to coincide with the opening of the Super Eight Matches which would be held in Guyana from March 28.
The organisers of the event, led by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad told the media yesterday that over 122 craftsmen have registered and paid to take part in the activity which would be largely a showcase of locally produced items.
He expects that the number of craftsmen participating would be the biggest ever taking part in such an activity locally. The participation of the local artisans, he said, is being subsidised.
Noting that the idea of the gift and craft show resulted from the Caribbean Gift and Craft Show, Prashad said that initially he was interested in Guyana hosting the event but based on a survey done among the local craftsmen, he found that they were more interested in exhibiting their work out of Guyana. He said some 50% of craftsmen taking part in the Caribbean show were Guyanese while the rest were from other parts of the region.
Based on the registration, he said artists and craftsmen would be coming from all parts of the country to showcase their talent.
Local cuisine from popular eating houses in the country including German's cook-up and pepperpot from the Pomeroon River area would be available.
Giving an insight into the 'Roots and Rhythms' show, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento of Gems Production said it would involve some 100 artistes including some ten well-known Guyanese actors including Henry Rodney, Sherry Dyal and Sheldon Braithwaite; other groups and performers including Le Classi-que dance troupe, the Sitar Singers, and Charmaine Blackman.
It is expected that the 'Roots and Rhythms' show which would be basically a Guyanese story being told in music, song and dance would start each day promptly at 6.30 pm, so according to Madhoo-Nascimento unlike a variety show, if you miss the start, there would be some catching up to do. The show, though entertaining, is also meant to inform visitors about the Guyanese culture.
Geoffrey Da Silva of Go-Invest also noted that at the four-day activity, a one-stop shop would be available for persons who would want to do business in Guyana.
The objective of the show and more particularly the 'Rainforest Village' is to give visitors an experience of Guyana in one place and to give Guyanese who have not had the opportunity to visit the rainforest an idea of what it is.