Kabakaburi Explained

Kabakaburi Village
Native Name Lang:arw
Settlement Type:Amerindian Village
Image Alt:Photograph of entrance to Kabakaburi Village Guyana
Pushpin Map:Guyana
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Alt:Map showing location of Kabakaburi Village, Guyana
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guyana
Coordinates:7.2458°N -58.73°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Guyana
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Pomeroon-Supenaam
Established Title:Kabakaburi
Established Date:1845
Founder:William Henry Brett
Leader Title:Toshao
Unit Pref:Metric
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:464
Population As Of:2012
Population Density Km2:auto
Utc Offset1:-4
Leader Title1:Toshao
Leader Name1:Monty Simon (2021)[2]

Kabakaburi is an Amerindian village in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region of Guyana on the Pomeroon River, 56km (35miles) from its mouth. The village was founded in 1845 by William Henry Brett on the location where Fort Durban used to be.[3]

The name of the village is Arawak for "the place with the itching bush." The "bush" referred to is a wild arum (Dieffenbachia paludicola) having irritating juice. The Arawak named this plant "jotoro", and named the place where it grew "kabo kabura." Over time, this became Kabakaburi.[4]

The village has four subdivisions; Macaseema, Waiwaro, the Mission (Kabakaburi), and Aripiaco.[5]

History

According to Brett's travelogue, Kabakaburi (Cabacaburi) was a hill owned by the Arawak and established as a settlement for wood-cutting. It was abandoned in 1843 until purchased by the first bishop of Guiana for use as a mission, and the village was settled by Kalina people in addition to Arawak. In 1858, the chapel Brett founded at the confluence of the Pomeroon and the Arapaiaco Rivers has deteriorated so much that it was moved to high ground at Kabakaburi.[6]

Economy

The villagers are mostly Arawak and Carib. Many of them work in the area's logging and mining industries. As many as 60% of the residents rely on the logging industry and agriculture is challenged by regular flooding of the Pomeroon River.[7] [8]

The Kabakaburi Handicraft Association was founded in 1994 for community members, including training and a location for production, storage, and selling of handicraft items.[9]

Services

Kabakaburi has a primary school, health centre, and sports hall.[10] A new library, located in the Kabakaburi Primary School, was created in 2020.[11]

The village mainly relies on gas-run generators for electricity and a 65 kW lighting system that was installed in 2012.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2012 Population by Village . Statistics Guyana . 16 August 2020.
  2. Web site: The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs extends Congratulations to Mr. Monty Simon on being elected as the New Toshao... . Regional Democratic Council, Region 2 . 11 May 2021 . Facebook.
  3. News: Kabakaburi – Amerindian Heritage Festival 2010 . Kaieteur News Online . 3 October 2010 . 14 September 2020.
  4. Web site: People, places… Kabakaburi: Home to the most vibrant bamboo industry . Guyana Chronicle . 17 August 2020.
  5. Blair . Niebert . Pons . Dirk . Krumdieck . Susan . January 2019 . Electrification in Remote Communities: Assessing the Value of Electricity Using a Community Action Research Approach in Kabakaburi, Guyana . Sustainability . en . 11 . 9 . 2566 . 10.3390/su11092566 . free.
  6. Book: Brett, Rev W. H.. The Indian Tribes Of Guiana . 1868 . 163-165, 246-247 . en.
  7. Web site: 2017-08-11 . Toshao says Kabakaburi feeling squeeze after GFC halts logging operations . 2021-03-07 . Stabroek News . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2021-01-09 . CDC distributes relief supplies to flood-hit Pomeroon residents . 2021-03-07 . Stabroek News . en-US.
  9. Book: Ousman . Sharon . Stronger by Association: Lessons from Guyana's Forest-based Associations . MacQueen . Duncan . Roberts . Grace . 2006 . IIED . 978-1-84369-615-5 . 33–36 . en.
  10. Web site: 2017-12-18 . New stelling launched at Ykinipa . 2021-03-07 . Stabroek News . en-US.
  11. Web site: ESG . Eco Oil and Gas . 17 August 2020.