Guyana’s Heritage Games unite Indigenous athletes
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Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, performing the duties of president, officially opened the 2026 Amerindian Heritage Games on Thursday evening at the Everest Sports Ground in Georgetown, Guyana, bringing together over 700 Indigenous athletes from across the country’s ten regions.
The event, themed “Observing Our Cultural Heritage During Our Diamond Jubilee,” includes a march past, cultural performances, and athletic competitions in football, cricket, volleyball, archery, and novelty events.
Phillips explained that the games support the government’s “One Guyana” development approach by extending opportunities to young people in Guyana’s hinterland, areas away from the coast. The government has invested in sports infrastructure, equipment, and coaching in these communities to strengthen sporting opportunities. Minister of Amerindian Affairs Sarah Brown-Shadeek and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. both emphasized the importance of sports in creating opportunities for young people and recognizing talent throughout Guyana.
Ramson Jr. stated the games began as an idea rooted in a belief in the talent of all Guyanese people. Representatives from national sporting associations are present at the games to scout emerging talent, and the event is expected to continue through Sunday, celebrating Indigenous heritage through sport and culture.
