The Tranquility of Orealla
An Indigenous community in the county of Berbice is the extraordinary village of Orealla commonly known as Orealla Mission. Orealla is an Arawak word which means “white chalk”, and only acquired its name from the surrounding chalk hills. This pristine community can be found in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region of Guyana on the Corentyne river 50 miles from Skeldon. It is approximately 33 miles (53 km) south of Crabwood Creek and 11 miles (18 km) north of Epira in Region six (6). Further, in close proximity to this community one can find the Surinamese village of Apoera. Adding to that, they can also find the village of Siparuta of which that and Orealla are the only two Amerindian reservations on the Corentyne River. Orealla is a closely knit community with a population of approximately 2000 people. The main tribes included are the Arawak, Wapishana, Macushi and mostly Carib and Warrau tribes.
The community of Orealla managed by a Toshao and a team of councillors speaks fluent English but the elders still speak their native Arawak language and this is taught to their children at home.
Home in Orealla | Image via Pinterest (Sheri Fields)
Infrastructure of Orealla
Electricity is available mostly in the day into the night in Orealla whereby persons live mostly in thatched roof houses and manicole walls which has no door or window. Existing in the community is a radio station and internet service. The soil in Orealla is extremely fertile and produce some of the best crops which includes pineapples.
The community surrounded by virgin rainforest, hills and dry open savannahs is a spiritual one. It is home to nine Christian churches, a nursery and primary school, a doctor and two health care workers, a police station, a Guyana Forestry Commission office, several small shops, two guest houses and a launch for river transportation into town.
Orealla, Guyana | by KennardP (via Flickr)
How to travel to Orealla
If you are travelling from Georgetown, your options to get to Orealla are by air or river. The pathway to this Amerindian reservation and its satellite, Siparuta, starts from Georgetown, where one has to travel by road to Crabwood Creek, and thereafter by boat for approximately three hours before arrival at Orealla. There exist a rough bush trail/path but after its creation decades ago, it was never maintained and it is not safe to travel.
Economic Activities of Orealla
Orealla has some of the best chainsaw operators in the country as the males in the community are mainly into logging and farming whereby they hunt and fish. Some of the foods planted and harvested include cassava bread, cassareep, tuma and farine which are taught to young ones so they can learn early about the secrets of planting, caring, harvesting, extracting and soil preparation.
The community is the supplier of various species of logs to the sawmills in Crabwood Creek which satisfies the needs of Berbice as well as Suriname and other international export markets. Due to the fact, that the community is hilly, persons obtain income from the supply of white sand and laterite for the construction industry. As a result of this, currently, males are becoming excavators and dragline operators and slowly moving away from farming.
Major Attractions of Orealla
The “Chalk” along the river | Orealla by KennardP (via Flickr)
Visitors would go to Orealla for leisure because they would get to enjoy nature in its pristine form while still being able to keep in touch with the outside world. Further, birdwatching and general sightseeing attracts tourists to this community.
Amongst the places to visit in Orealla are the resort by the savannah, Haiwabo Creek, Mora Point, White Hill, Waramuni Point, Mango Land and Potoka Creek at the end of the village. Visitors can also enjoy a weekend of bush cook and picnics in the jungle. In addition, recreation and sporting activities occurs often as there is always the afternoon football match before sunset that culminates with everyone taking a dip in the Corentyne river. If one is seeking to just relax and appreciate the beauty of nature they can also spend a day by the riverbanks.
Annual Village Activities
The community launched in 2009, its annual ‘Orealla Regatta’ which saw persons from the city and neighbouring Suriname participating in activities such as boat races, greasy pole and dancing competitions.
Interesting Facts About Orealla
During the period 1918-1919, a deadly flu virus ravaged and effectively wiped out most of the natives of a village called Epira which is situated along the Corentyne river too. As a result of this, the Amerindians felt as though the community was taken over by an evil spirit and so they decided to move from there and go further down the river where one set stopped at Orealla, while the other decided to settle at Siparuta, some seven miles further up the Corentyne river.
Furthermore, one of the notable features of Orealla is the magnificent chalk that serves as a barrier to stop the Corentyne River from reaching the land.
Life in Orealla
Life in Orealla is beautiful especially in the mornings when waking up to the sunrise and the peace that you find in the community. Moreover, the community is one which strives to maintain and preserve their cultural identity by ensuring their traditions and customs are passed on to the younger generation. Elders in the community is also looking forward to the government putting systems in place in the field of education for persons to learn the language so it can live on.
Orealla is a very serene community and an ideal tourism destination.
Watch This: Travelling to Orealla
Article References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orealla
- http://guyanachronicle.com/2018/09/16/the-beauty-of-orealla
- http://guyanachronicle.com/2015/06/22/orealla-a-community-with-great-tourism-potential
- https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/07/06/orealla-an-emerging-eco-tourism-attraction/
