Kasuela (also Cashew Island, Kasjoe Eiland and Casuela) is an indigenous village of the Tiriyó people[3] in the East Berbice-Corentyne region of Guyana. The village has a population of about 80 people.[2] The inhabitants are of the subgroup Mawayana [nl] or the Frog people.[4]

Kasuela
Cashew Island
village
Kasuela is located in Guyana
Kasuela
Kasuela
Location in Guyana
Coordinates: 3°16′39″N 57°35′58″W / 3.27750°N 57.59944°W / 3.27750; -57.59944
Country Guyana
RegionEast Berbice-Corentyne
Government
 • ToshaoKenke Jaimo[1]
Population
 (2014)[2]
 • Total
80
Time zoneUTC-4
ClimateAf

The village is located inside the disputed Tigri Area.

History

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Kasuela is the oldest village of Western Trio Group and is located on an island in the middle of the New River.[3] Camp Jaguar known in Suriname as Camp Tigri[5] is located about four kilometres (2+12 miles) north of the village.[2] The first settlers were Tiriyó from Kwamalasamutu in Suriname. In 1997, a Wai-wai family from Akotopono joined the village.[3]

Overview

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In 2011, a school was opened in the village.[2] In 2020, the village received access to health care.[6] As of 2018, Kasuela was not connected to the telephone network or internet.[7] The inhabitants are allowed to vote in both the Surinamese elections,[8] as well as the Guyanese elections,[9] however the village did not participate in the 2018 village council elections, because they preferred to choose their leaders in the traditional way.[10]

Kasuela can be accessed via the river or by the airstrip located at Camp Jaguar.[5]

Language

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The Mawayana subgroup originally spoke the Mawayana language which has already been replaced by the Tiriyó language.[11] The last two speakers are in Kwamalasamutu as of 2015.[12][11] The transition to Tiriyó was voluntary and a result of banding together in larger villages.[13] The school has already stated that it will teach the children in the English language.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Dorpen en Dorpsbesturen". Vereniging van inheemse dorpshoofden Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "GDF impacts Cashew Island through education". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Amotopoan trails : a recent archaeology of Trio movements - Page 5". University of Leiden. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  4. ^ Mans 2011, p. 209-210.
  5. ^ a b "Een halve eeuw Tigri". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). 19 August 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Newly credited CHW to serve Cashew Island community". Department of Public Information, Guyana. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Telesur wil mast opzetten in Coeroeni en overige nabije dorpen". GFC Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Twee stembureaus erbij in kiesressort Coeroeni". De Boodschap.today (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  9. ^ "GECOM reports smooth election process thus far". Department of Public Information, Guyana. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Evidence of Political Interference in Village Councils Elections". Kaieteur News Online. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  11. ^ a b Mans & Carlin 2015, p. 98.
  12. ^ Carlin 2006, p. 317.
  13. ^ Eithne Carlin. "Komende eeuw verdwijnen 6000 van de 7000 talen". Scientias (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 June 2020.

References

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