School of Anthropology launched at UG
Friday, July 20th 2007
The University of Guyana launched the Denis Williams School of Anthropology
on Monday, though collaborative efforts with two US universities, as a step
towards offering full-time studies in the discipline in coming years.
Cultural anthropology has been part of the local university's summer
programme for sometime now and this year archaeology has been added. The
Amerindian Research Unit of the School of Humanities previously worked along
with US-based Guyanese Dr George Mentore of the University of Virginia to
offer the course in cultural anthropology and more recently Dr Mark Plew of
Boise State University (BSU), Idaho, who has ties with UG spanning some 20
years, joined the team to carry the archaeology course.
The courses are open to anyone who is interested in anthropology, including
foreign students. In previous years, undergraduate students from the
University of Virginia took the course in cultural anthropology. Another
batch of foreign students is currently on the programme.
Negotiations are ongoing relating to certification for local students, and
UG is also looking at crediting students on campus who take the summer
courses.
Dr Mentore told Stabroek News in an interview that the school is a fitting
tribute to Williams, who was a pioneer in anthropology in Guyana. He said
the university had discussed the idea of setting up a school for years and
progressively worked towards it.
He said his course was the beginning but prior to that, the Amerindian
Research Unit at UG commenced the process.
He explained that his course is focused on cultures and entails the group
travelling to hinterland areas and taking up residence there for a few
weeks. Mentore said the training is based on having an experience of life in
the chosen area so persons on the course are required to live in the area
and interact with the villagers.
The cultural anthropology course is a seven-week course and according to
Mentore, most of the time is spent getting a practical feel of the society
chosen for study. He said the local students are exposed to the theory
aspect two weeks before the US undergraduates arrive. Another two weeks is
spent in the classroom before they leave for the hinterland. This year the
group is heading to Nappi in Region Nine.
Students who signed up for the archaeology course left for the hinterland on
Tuesday to begin an excavation exercise. Dr Plew explained that they will
focus on the shell heaps in the North West region since earlier studies in
the area have revealed that these hold a wealth of information. He said the
students will also be involved in mapping the area.
Plew said he has been coming to Guyana for over 20 years now and has done
work in many hinterland areas. He noted that Williams was the one who
started ground-breaking work in the hinterland that they are now following
up on, adding that the staff at the Amerindian Research Unit at UG and the
Walter Roth museum kept his memory and work alive.
He said there is much room for growth between UG and BSU and expressed the
hope that many local students will be able to benefit through the
collaboration.
Plew will be here every year to lecture in archaeology and is looking
forward to seeing many more persons. He added that UG has embarked on a
tremendous project since there is nothing similar in the Americas. According
to him, the aim is to build a solid programme at the new school so that
students from the Caribbean region interested in anthropology will
eventually study here.
Bianca Sirevo, a graduate of the University of Virginia told this newspaper
that she took Dr Mentore's course back in 2005 and loved it so much that she
asked to come back. She has returned as a teaching assistant and according
to her, the programme has a different feel every time. She majored in
anthropology and described her first visit to Guyana as an unforgettable
one, particularly her stay in the hinterland.
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