Kasuela Explained

Official Name:Kasuela
Other Name:Cashew Island
Settlement Type:village
Pushpin Map:Guyana
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guyana
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Guyana
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:East Berbice-Corentyne
Leader Title:Toshao
Leader Name:Kenke Jaimo[1]
Unit Pref:Imperial
Population As Of:2014
Population Total:80
Timezone:UTC-4
Coordinates:3.2775°N -57.5994°W
Blank Name:Climate
Blank Info:Af

Kasuela (also Cashew Island, Kasjoe Eiland and Casuela) is an indigenous village of the Tiriyó people in the East Berbice-Corentyne region of Guyana. The village has a population of about 80 people. The inhabitants are of the subgroup or the Frog people.

The village is located inside the disputed Tigri Area.

History

Kasuela is the oldest village of Western Trio Group and is located on an island in the middle of the New River.[2] Camp Jaguar known in Suriname as Camp Tigri[3] is located about four kilometres (miles) north of the village.[4] The first settlers were Tiriyó from Kwamalasamutu in Suriname. In 1997, a Wai-wai family from Akotopono joined the village.[2]

Overview

In 2011, a school was opened in the village.[4] In 2020, the village received access to health care.[5] As of 2018, Kasuela was not connected to the telephone network or internet.[6] The inhabitants are allowed to vote in both the Surinamese elections,[7] as well as the Guyanese elections,[8] however the village did not participate in the 2018 village council elections, because they preferred to choose their leaders in the traditional way.[9]

Kasuela can be accessed via the river or by the airstrip located at Camp Jaguar.[3]

Language

The Mawayana subgroup originally spoke the Mawayana language which has already been replaced by the Tiriyó language. The last two speakers are in Kwamalasamutu as of 2015. The transition to Tiriyó was voluntary and a result of banding together in larger villages.[10] The school has already stated that it will teach the children in the English language.[4]

Notes

  1. Web site: Dorpen en Dorpsbesturen. Vereniging van inheemse dorpshoofden Suriname. 15 June 2020. nl.
  2. Web site: Amotopoan trails : a recent archaeology of Trio movements - Page 5. University of Leiden. 15 June 2020.
  3. Web site: Een halve eeuw Tigri . Star Nieuws. 15 June 2020. 19 August 2019. nl.
  4. News: GDF impacts Cashew Island through education. Guyana Chronicle. 15 June 2020.
  5. News: Newly credited CHW to serve Cashew Island community. Department of Public Information, Guyana. 15 June 2020.
  6. News: Telesur wil mast opzetten in Coeroeni en overige nabije dorpen. GFC Nieuws. 15 June 2020. nl.
  7. Web site: Twee stembureaus erbij in kiesressort Coeroeni. De Boodschap.today. 15 June 2020. nl.
  8. Web site: GECOM reports smooth election process thus far. Department of Public Information, Guyana. 15 June 2020.
  9. Web site: Evidence of Political Interference in Village Councils Elections. Kaieteur News Online. 21 August 2020.
  10. Web site: Komende eeuw verdwijnen 6000 van de 7000 talen. Eithne Carlin. Scientias. nl. 16 June 2020.

References

External links