Paruima
Paruima | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Paruima Location in Guyana | |
| Coordinates: 5°48′23″N 61°03′48″W / 5.8065°N 61.0632°W | |
| Country |  Guyana |
| Region | Cuyuni-Mazaruni |
| Government | |
| • Toshao | Lee Williams[1] |
| Population (2012)[2] | |
| • Total | 207 |
Paruima is an indigenous village of Arecuna Amerindians in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana. The village was founded as a mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is the only Arecuna speaking community in Guyana.[3]
Overview
Referend A.W. Cott of the Seventh-day Adventist Church was a missionary among the Arecuna people in Venezuela. In 1930, Cott was expelled from Venezuela, and decided to settle in Paruima in Guyana together with his fellow missionaries, and Amerindian converts.[4]
Paruima has a primary school, and a health centre.[1] In 2017, the school was destroyed when the river flooded. It has been rebuilt in 2019.[3] It is also home to the Paruima Mission Academy, a college for missionaries.[5] The main access is by air via the Paruima Airport.[6]
The toshao (village chief) as of 2017 is Lee Williams. Williams first ran for toshao in 1997 at the age of 19. Twenty years later, he was elected as toshao.[1]
Nature
The Oshi Falls are located near the village.[6] The Oshi Falls are one of the tallest waterfalls of Guyana. A permit from the Office of Indigenous Affairs is required to visit the falls.[7]
In January 2021, a new species of orchids was discovered in the Guiana Highlands. Mateusz Wrazidlo, who discovered the plant, asked Calio Elliman, his guide from Paruima, to name the plant. Elliman opted for "katarun yariku" (Arecuna for "high flower"). The orchid has been officially named Epidendrum katarun-yariku.[8]
References
- ^ a b c "From Paruima to Parliament: Toshao Lee Williams vows to work for his people's betterment". Stabroek News. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "2012 Population by Village". Statistics Guyana. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Modern primary school for Paruima". Ministry of Education, Guyana. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ Walter F. Edwards (July 1978). "A Preliminary Sketch of Arekuna (Carib) Phonology". International Journal of American Linguistics. Vol. 44, No. 3: 223.
{{cite journal}}:|volume=has extra text (help); Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Paruima Mission Academy". Paruima Mission Academy on Facebook. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Let's discover Paruima". Guyana Times International. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "Waterfalls in Guyana". USA Today. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ Liz Kimbrough. "New orchid species from Guiana Highlands named by Indigenous group". Monga Bay. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
