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Like many other places in the world, Guyana is a developing country riddled with poverty and crime; a country still reeling from past colonial destruction. Guyana, whose name means “land of many waters,” has 5 protected rainforest and conservation areas, and our group was fortunate enough to visit one of them. The Iwokrama rainforest is located in the geographical heart of Guyana: it comprises 371,000 hectares of forest, or 1.6% of Guyana’s landmass and 2% of Guyana forests. Through the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development Act (Act 7, 1996) The Commonwealth and Government of Guyana agreed to make Iwokrama an autonomous corporate body, whose main goal is conservation and sustainable development of the Iwokrama Forest Area. 22,000 hectares is legally owned by Fair View Village through Amerindian Land Title (2006). .
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Despite the pressure to develop, which historically has resulted in burning through non-renewable resources in the process, Iwokrama focuses on preservation and sustainable logging by recording ecological data on tree species, zoning/ density, and eco-system interdependency, thereby reducing unsustainable deforestation. Iwokrama works closely with the Macushi People, who make up approximately 9500 people in Guyana. Together, they build their communities around the core values of sustainable usage, integration of human life on this land, and leading by exemplary standards of education and cultural presence. .
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I went to Guyana not knowing what to expect, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t do what I had my mind set to do. I thought I’d be doing hard labour, or maybe working with their business team to create changes in their structure to facilitate an increase in revenue. I thought I had so much to teach, but the truth is that I had far, far more to learn than I fathomed. I am humbled and inspired by the Macushi People and Iwokrama. My time in Guyana can be culminated to an experience that went far beyond my expectations of what I learned and brought light to how much of my own culture I was not aware of. My heart is open, and my mind is expanding, and I feel so incredibly blessed.
