Karasabai is an indigenous village of
Macushi Amerindians
In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...
in the
Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Upper Takutu-Upper Esequibo (Region 9) is a Regions of Guyana, region of Guyana. It borders the region of Potaro-Siparuni to the north, the region of East Berbice-Corentyne to the east and Brazil to the south and west. It contains the town of Let ...
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 Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...
. It is located in the South
Pakaraima Mountains,
and near the
Ireng River which flows south to the
Amazon River.
Legend
According to the legends of the Macushi people, Makonaima descended to
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
and the indigenous peoples are his offspring. On his travels, Makonaima passed a creek where a treasure was located. He decided to turn the treasure to stone. The village of Karasabai is located at the bay of that creek.
Overview
Karasabai has a school, and a health care clinic. The nearest big town is
Normandia in Brazil. The primary language of its inhabitants is
Macushi with
English as the secondary language.
The major religion is
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
.
In December 2020, an
ambulance
An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...
, which was customised for rough terrain, was delivered to the community. In March 2021, 112 tractors were delivered to Amerindian villages, Karasabai included to, 'to boost agriculture to ensure that food security across the hinterland is sustained and secured so our people will not go hungry in times of disaster, and that agriculture will be taken to a different level.' according to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhi.
As of 2019, the village is negotiating indigenous land rights with the government of Guyana.
Karasabai is connected to
Lethem by road.
In 2016, a road was constructed to
Monkey Mountain. The
Karasabai Airport is located near the village.
There are no radio or television signals. Telephone services and internet access are very limited.
The
G$ 5M Karasabai's Community Development Project was launched on 20 January 2018 as part of the Amerindian Development Fund in order to set up a tourism industry.
Economy
The economy of the village is based on
subsistence farming
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow crops on smallholdings to meet the needs of themselves and their families. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements. Planting decisions occ ...
, and cattle rearing.
Launched in January 2018, the Kezeé Eco Lodge is a tourist resort located in the village.
Karasabai is one of the few places where the
sun parakeet (''ratinga solstitialis'') can be observed in the wild.
References
{{Settlements in Guyana
Populated places in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Indigenous villages in Guyana
Macushi