Fair View Village is the only Indigenous settlement located within the protected area of the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve. Fair View began as a family homestead when Arthur Andries requested permission to build his home on the left bank of the Essequibo River at Kurupukari. Arthur Andries was a punt driver, moving people and cattle across the Essequibo River during the Cattle Trail Days. Arthur and his extended family lived in the location even when the cattle trail closed in the 1950s. The area began opening up again with the construction of the Linden – Lethem road and the establishment of the Iwokrama Field Station (now the River Lodge).
The people that make up Fair View come from the Arawak, Makushi, Wapishana, Patamona and Arekuna nations. For the community, celebrating Amerindian Heritage Month is important as it helps to reinforce their identities by appreciating the similarities and differences that make them unique.
This video was made during participatory video training as part of the Darwin Initiative Traditional Knowledge in Conservation project. It outlines some of the elements of a typical Heritage celebration in a community, showing both the traditional customs and how they have adapted to new influences.
