Students from the Societies and Interculturality master's programme and the Graduate School of Amazonia explored the cultural and heritage riches of western Guyana during an immersive outing.
At dawn on Tuesday 19 November, a bus left the Troubiran campus bound for West Guiana. On board were students from the Civilisations, Culture and Societies - Societies and Interculturality (CCS-SI) master's programme in the LSH department, accompanied by two students from the Energy master's programme in the ST department, members of the Graduate School of Amazonia. These two days were dedicated to discovering the heritage and cultures of this region, a key moment for these training courses geared towards research and careers in culture and heritage.
Cultural immersion in Mana and Saint-Laurent du Maroni
The first stage of this outing took the group to the Centre d'Art de Mana (CARMA) to visit the Spherographia exhibition. Designed by a group of researchers and the artist Alice Raymond, the exhibition explores critical cartography and representations of the globe. The students particularly appreciated the discussions with the artist about her approach and her installation evoking water resources.
The second day was spent in Saint-Laurent du Maroni. Welcomed by Anne-Laure Dobros and the team from the town's Heritage Unit, the students took part in a guided tour of the banks of the Maroni entitled an tan lontan. This immersive tour highlighted local historical and cultural issues, while addressing the challenges of renewing the "City of Art and History" label.
In the afternoon, the students attended a presentation on archives given by Tania Saint-Aimé. This session generated a great deal of interest and could inspire future academic work. The day ended with a visit to the Transportation camp, offering an in-depth look at the history of the penal colony and its repercussions.
A rewarding experience
The two days were full of fascinating discoveries, stimulating debates and an immersion in heritage mediation practices. Students and teachers returned to Cayenne with their heads full of memories and new ideas for their future work.
To find out more about the exhibition you visited, discover Spherographia at the Centre d'Art de Mana : https://www.leeisa.cnrs.fr/evenement/3256/.
