The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs announced that it is working with the Ministry of Education to introduce the Lokono language into the primary school curriculum. Minister Sarah Browne‑Shadeek said the collaboration marks a new step for language preservation.
The minister described the initiative as an early‑stage effort and a starting point rather than a finished plan. She said the aim is to move language preservation from informal, family‑level responsibility into the formal education system so that children receive consistent exposure. The ministry continues to support cultural groups directly.
Speaking on the Starting Point podcast streamed on 6 September 2026, Minister Browne‑Shadeek said, "that little that’s left will die with me" about the threat to Lokono. She added that Lokono is the Indigenous language most at immediate risk of disappearing, with Carib ranked as the next most at‑risk language followed by Warao. The minister noted that she grew up in one of Guyana’s largest Amerindian villages but never learned the Lokono language.
The ministry noted that Lokono communities are concentrated along Guyana’s coastal areas, including Moraikobai, Orealla, Santa Mission, Santa Aratak and Region One. It said those areas have been especially exposed to outside influence, social media and closer integration with wider Guyanese society, accelerating language loss over successive generations.
Amerindian Heritage Month runs through September. As part of the month, a cultural exhibition is being held at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, the Heritage Games are scheduled, and the Miss Amerindian Heritage Pageant will take place. A stage production on the life of Stephen Campbell was staged this year in his home village of Santa Rosa, Moruca.
