09/08/2026
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑโ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
๐ง๐๐๐ ๐: "Honoring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being."
The National Toshaos Council (NTC) extends warm greetings to our Indigenous brothers and sisters on this International Day of the Worldโs Indigenous Peoples. Today, we honour the wisdom, resilience and enduring contributions of Indigenous Peoples to our beloved country.
This year, our observance is marked by both gratitude and grief. We pause to honour the cherished lives of our brothers and sisters lost in the MV Barima tragedy of July 18, 2026. Their absence leaves an immeasurable void. We also recognize the courage of the survivors and the resilience of the affected communities.
The NTC extends its deepest sympathy to every family carrying this profound loss. We especially remember the little children whose lives were taken far too soon, along with every person who perished. Today, we honour them with love, respect and gratitude, and stand in solidarity with all who continue to grieve.
As we join the global community in observing this year's theme, "๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐จ: ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก-๐๐๐๐ฃ๐," we recognize that, for Indigenous Peoples, safeguarding life has always been more than a profession, it is a sacred responsibility. It is reflected in the wisdom of our traditional midwives, the care of our healers, the strength of our families and the values that have sustained our communities for generations.
This year's theme carries special significance for Guyana. We just celebrated one of the largest graduating classes of healthcare professionals, including outstanding Indigenous nurses whose achievements reflect a growing Indigenous contribution to strengthening healthcare across our communities.
Today, we also pay tribute to the Indigenous midwives who are no longer with us. Their skilled hands welcomed generations of our children into the world, often under the most challenging conditions and with little more than their knowledge, courage and unwavering commitment to their communities. Their legacy lives on through the families they nurtured and the knowledge and expertise they passed on.
We also honour the traditional healers and knowledge holders who have long used the gifts of our forests and the wisdom of our ancestors to care for the sick and strengthen the health of our communities. Their knowledge of traditional medicines and holistic healing remains an invaluable part of our cultural heritage.
The NTC believes that preserving this knowledge is not only about honouring our past but also safeguarding our future. We must ensure that the wisdom of our elders, the legacy of our midwives and our healing traditions are respected and passed on to future generations, with the free, prior and informed consent of the knowledge holders and communities.
Let us continue to build a future where Indigenous knowledge is respected, Indigenous rights are upheld, and Indigenous Peoples are recognized not as communities of the past, but as essential partners in creating a more balanced, just and sustainable world.
Letโs remain united in purpose, proud of our heritage, and steadfast in our commitment to future generations. Let us continue to lead with courage, govern with integrity, and build communities where our languages, knowledge, cultures and rights continue to flourish.
๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ'๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐!
