Georgetown: Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony recently said $50M will be added to the Ministry’s 2015 budget for the reconstruction of the historic 55 feet cone-shaped benab.
“After the fire, we invited a group from the Wai Wai community in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) to come down. They did an estimate for us and we have since incorporated that into next year’s budget,” the Minister said.
However, he noted that the project cannot commence until the budget is approved.
The Minister said most of the challenges and expenses will go towards transportation of the materials from the Wai Wai Amerindian communities to Georgetown.
Reflecting in 2010 when the roof of the Umana Yana was being repaired, Minister Anthony stated that transportation consumed most of the money allocated for the project.
“Bringing out the material was a substantial cost because they had to get trucks to bring them out of the interior, so I think that’s the main cost…”
Furthermore, he said the $50 million was calculated to cover the exact structural design of the benab.
“We’re aiming to have a similar structure. The estimate we’ve done is really to replace what we had previously.”
Nevertheless, noting that persons usually complain about the uncomfortably heated under the benab, the Minister is hoping that the construction experts can improve the ventilation.
“In its new form, we’ll try to address if that’s possible, to have better ventilation so that its cooler inside of the benab.”
Additionally, since it was believed to be an electrical fire that caused the destruction of the monument, Minister Anthony noted that they need to alter and improve the transmission of electricity from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) poles to the structure.
“The way that we bringing electricity in the building has to be different… the electricity was coming from the pole onto some structure at the Umana Yana and I understand that’s where the spark took place, so we’ll probably have to bring electricity from the GPL poles into some other structure within the compound of the Umana Yana and then distribute it from there.”
Minister Anthony also suggested installing “breakers” in the event of power surges so it could prevent possible damages.
“But that’s for the electricians and technical people to look at,” he said.
Unfortunately, the chances of the Umana Yana being completed in time for Amerindian Heritage Month 2015 are very low.
The Minister again reflected in 2010 when the rehabilitation of the roof took approximately three months to be completed, noting that this project will take much longer.
Nevertheless, he assured of the availability of alternative locations for the usual Amerindian Heritage Month activities.
He mentioned the Amerindian Village in Sophia is well equipped to hold the activities, noting that the only difference between the benab there and the Umana Yana is that the Umana Yana was built by the Wai Wai Amerindians and the other one took the form of an Arawak benab.
The Umana Yana, which was built in 1972, was a historical structure and one of Guyana’s most famous landmarks having appeared on the cover of several magazines and publications.
During Amerindian Heritage Month 2014, on September 9, the iconic monument was completely destroyed by fire within a mere 15 minutes.
The fire was reportedly caused by an electrical spark that ignited the thatched roof of the benab, causing the flames to rapidly consume the building.
The structure was made from thatched alli banna and manicole palm leaves, and wallaba posts lashed together with mukru, turu and nibbi vines. The Umana Yana was constructed by a team of 60 Wai Wai Amerindians and was known to be the largest structure of its kind in Guyana.
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