-looking to support each other, preserve cultural heritage
The University of Guyana Indigenous Students Society (UGISS), a newly formed club at the University is aimed at supporting Indigenous students and preserving their rich cultural heritage.
The club, co-founded by Alliah Simon and Sylvany Robertson, was officially launched on November 6, 2024, and seeks to provide a safe, empowering space for Indigenous students while promoting Indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural identity.
“This club was mainly my idea,” said Simon, a recent graduate of UG. “I wanted to create a space for Indigenous students at UG where we could support each other academically and personally. This idea has been in my head since 2020, during the pandemic, when everything was online. It was so much harder for students from Hinterland regions to navigate UG life without knowing anyone.”