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Bartica is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
located on the west bank of the
Essequibo River The Essequibo River (; originally called by Alonso de Ojeda; ) is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon River, Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil–Guyana border, the Essequibo flows ...
in
Cuyuni-Mazaruni Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region 7) is a region of Guyana. Its capital is Bartica, with villages including Issano, Kartabo, Kamarang, and Imbaimadai. It borders the regions of Barima-Waini, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara and Pomeroon-Supenaam to th ...
(Region 7), at the confluence of the Cuyuni and
Mazaruni River The Mazaruni River is a tributary of the Essequibo River in northern Guyana. Its source is in the remote western forests of the Pakaraima Mountains and its confluence with the Cuyuni River is near Bartica. As it descends from the Guiana Highland ...
s with the
Essequibo River The Essequibo River (; originally called by Alonso de Ojeda; ) is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon River, Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil–Guyana border, the Essequibo flows ...
in
Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...
. It is the regional capital of Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Considered the "Gateway to the Interior", the town has a population of 8,004 as of 2012, and is the launching point for people who work in the bush, mining gold and diamonds.


History

The town developed from an
Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
missionary settlement, established in 1837, and consecrated in 1843. The name ''Bartica'' comes from an indigenous word meaning "red earth", abundant in the area. According to the Georgetown Daily Chronicle of July 30, 1892, the ornithologist Whitely died in his camp on the Annie Scapy River near Bartica. He was in a state of delirium from malaria and also depressed by the loss of his bird hunting haul when his boat sank. This was probably the reason why he eventually shot himself.


Education

Bartica has two secondary school Bartica Secondary and Three Miles Secondary and three primary schools, St. Anthony's Primary and St. John-the-Baptist and Two Miles Primary. There are several other primary schools in the surrounding riverine communities.


Health

The region 7 hospital is located in Bartica and is known for having implemented the country’s first electronic Health Information System in 2005, developed by
Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...
volunteers Geoffrey Thompson and Jason Knueppel.


Tourism

Bartica can be reached from
Parika Parika is a port village located in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region of Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indi ...
, Essequibo and Linden, Demarara. The Denham Suspension Bridge, also known as the Garraway Stream Bridge, links Bartica to
Mahdia Mahdia ( ') is a Tunisian coastal city with 76,513 inhabitants, south of Monastir, Tunisia, Monastir and southeast of Sousse. Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as w ...
.
Bartica Airport Bartica Airport is an airport serving the town of Bartica, in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana. The airport's only runway is a 760-meter asphalt strip. See also * * * List of airports in Guyana * Transport in Guyana The transport sect ...
is southwest of the town. North of Bartica lie the ruins of the Dutch fort
Kyk-Over-Al Fort Kyk-Over-Al was a Dutch fort in the colony of Essequibo, in what is now Guyana. It was constructed in 1616 at the intersection of the Essequibo, Cuyuni and Mazaruni rivers. It once served as the centre for the Dutch administration of the co ...
, former government seat for the County of Essequibo. Bartica is also close to Marshall Falls. There are several hotels in the town including the Platinum Inn, The New Modern Hotel, Balkarran's Guest House (D factor to D interior), and Zen's Plaza. There is also a thriving nightclub located in the Modern Hotel building. Several Brazilians live in Bartica, so one can find Brazilian restaurants and bars. There are several restaurants as well as local fast food joints. There are also several resorts around the Bartica area including Baganara Island Resort, Aruwai H2O Resort, Shanklands (not open at the moment), Whitewater and a Guesthouse in Byderabo. From Bartica, persons can also gain access to pristine riverain communities to experience the true indigenous way of life. During the
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
weekend every year, Bartica hosts the Bartica Regatta, with a growing variety of entertaining holiday activities including
water sport Water sports or aquatic sports are sport, sports activities conducted on waterbodies and can be categorized according to the degree of immersion by the participants. On the water * Boat racing, the use of powerboats to participate in races * ...
s (featuring mostly speed boats),
cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
,
boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
,
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
, talent shows, a street parade, and a Miss Bartica Regatta Pageant. The Regatta attracts people from all parts of Guyana, and even from other countries. There is also a summer Regatta, which is held annually in August.


Notable people

*
Frank Bowling Sir Richard Sheridan Patrick Michael Aloysius Franklin Bowling ''('' Richard Sheridan Franklin Bowling; born 26 February 1934), known as Frank Bowling, is a British artist who was born in British Guiana. He is particularly renowned for his larg ...
(1934-), an abstract painter. *
Dianne Ferreira-James Dianne may refer to: People *Dianne Alagich (born 1979), Australian soccer player * Dianne Barnes (born 1958), Australian para-equestrian * Dianne Barr (born 1972), British swimmer * Dianne Bates (born 1948), Australian writer and teacher * Dianne ...
(1970-), international FIFA referee *
Ivor Mendonca Leon Ivor Mendonca (13 July 1934 – 14 June 2014) was a Guyanese cricketer who played in two Test matches in 1962. Career A wicket-keeper and useful batsman, he played for British Guiana from 1958–59 to 1961–62. On his first-class debut a ...
(1934-2014), a West Indian cricketer * Kaysia Schultz (1997-), a West Indian cricketer


Massacre

On the 17th of February 2008 Bartica was allegedly attacked by
Rondell Rawlins Rondell "Fineman" Rawlins (c. 1975 – August 28, 2008) was a Guyanese gang leader and fugitive believed responsible for a number of crimes in the South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostl ...
' heavily armed gang. Twelve people, including three policemen, were shot dead as the gang terrorized the town. The Bartica Police Station was overrun by the gunmen during the rampage and several business places robbed during the hour-long mayhem. The gang and attack is believed to linked to the Lusignan Massacre three weeks earlier. The perpetrators were killed on August 28, 2008 at one of their hideouts near the Guyanese capital Georgetown in a shootout with the police.


References


External links


Bartica Massacre
{{Authority control Populated places in Cuyuni-Mazaruni