TRIPS: GUYANA

Alaska | Belize | Guyana

In May of 2003, 18 students and 3 instructors spent 2 weeks travelling in Guyana as Ambassadors for Nunavut. They travelled by bus, boat and plane to all parts of the country to share their culture with various Indigenous Peoples. Along the way they encountered the intense heat of the inland savannahs and the muggy heat of the tropical jungle. Through it all they learned about different ways of life, had unforgettable experiences and made many friendships. These photos are a peek into their adventure. A special thanks to the Canadian High Commission in Georgetown for all its support.

	Students travelled up the Pomeroon River to the Arawak village of Kabakabure.
	Abbigail Noah learned the process for making traditional flatbread in Kabakabure
	David Joanasie tried out a bow and arrow, which the Arawak still use for hunting birds, fish and big game
	The students visited John Bennett, a reknown Arawak scholar who wrote a dictionary of the Arawak language. Bernice Niakrok presented him with a gift from Nunavut
	With our hosts, Gloria and Horace Lowe. They fed us wonderful meals for three days in Kabakabure. Gloria said she never imagined that she would meet the people from the Arctic that she had always read about.
	David Joanasie presents a gift to one of our hosts in Kabakabure during the visit to Kabakabure
	Canada's High Commissioner to Guyana, Serge Marcoux, tries out an Inuit drum at a reception for the students in the capital, Georgetown. Many government, business and academic leaders were in attendance.
	Derek Wiliams and Karen Panigoniak teach a young student how to use a drum during a visit to the International School in Georgetown. The school served mainly the children of diplomats.
	During a trip to the southern interior, the group was hosted by Shirley Melville (centre), the local member of parliament. She took us around her region, introducing us to local people and officials, as well as to interesting sites.
	We were privileged to be able to visit Kaieteur Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the world. It was absolutely breathtaking!
	Karen Panigoniak of Arviat (right) learned some East Indian dances at a gala multicultural event held in Georgetown on our last night in Guyana. East Indians make up a large proportion of Guyana's population.

<<<Home

Back to top of page