In the Kitchen of an Amerindian Family

This older woman is a member of one of the indigenous peoples of Guyana. The “Amerindians” – as they call themselves – is a combination of “American” and “Indian”: Amerindian. In this way the original inhabitants of Guyana distinguish themselves from immigrants who have come from India. There are nine Amerindian tribes in Guyana: the Arawaks, Carib, Akawaio, Arekuna, Barima River Caribe, Macushi, Patamona, Waiwai, and Wapisiana.

Georgetown

Georgetown is the modern heart of Guyana. Here and in the immediate suburban area live almost one third of the population of the country. The city is the seat of the government and most administrative offices, a hub for business enterprises, and the center of art, culture and sports. For travelers the international airport is the gateway to the nearly inaccessible interior of the country.

Gold Mining and its Impact

In many countries of South America one comes across gold prospectors. This is true for Guyana, where it is relatively easy to obtain a license for the search of gold. Gold can be found either washed out in the sediments of rivers or, in some places on the earth’s crust, in a very low concentration of about 3 grams per 1000 kilogram of rock. For a few gold rings about 10 cubic meters of gold-bearing material would have to be moved and treated with extremely toxic substances.

Girls in a Boat on Their Way Home from School

Going to school by canoe? In the hinterland of Guyana this is not unusual. When there is only one unpaved road that goes across the country, many villages can only be reached by air or by water. Rivers are the roads in the “land of many waters”.

St. Ann's Orphanage for Girls

Sr. Mary Peter Ngui administers medication to a child who clearly shows us how it will taste. Sr. Mary Peter is a descendant of Chinese indentured immigrants. She and her sister, who is also an Ursuline nun, were placed in this orphanage by their mother when their father died and she could not feed the family.

God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding

The steel band seen in this slide is a rich representation of the culture of Guyana and the Caribbean region as a whole. The musical instrument is a steel drum or steel pan. An oil barrel has been hammered, trimmed, heated and made into a concave shaped surface. The steel pan originated in a working class village in Trinidad where freed African slaves settled after emancipation from slavery.