as total strangers, be welcomed by the entire Amerindian nation as friends, and leave feeling like family.
Priceless.
Once we decided to slake our thirst for adventure, and booked our holiday, we realized that we were able to help provide a viable income to Arawak tribe members. With unemployment nearing 60% on the reservation, the Lokono men are often forced to contract on for 3-4 months at a time with the large lumber and mining companies, the very companies threatening to ruin their tribal homelands. Every visitor contributes directly to the Arawak community by rendering part-time employment to four indigenous tribe members – two vehicle owners to serve as drivers, one for each leg of the round-trip to Cheddi Jagan
26 BIRD SCENE
airport; one lady (unwed mothers get priority) to cook meals and hand-wash clothes, and one male to serve as personal guide and escort for the duration of the visit. The Village Council receives an $8/day per person stipend, which goes into communal funds and the Chief receives a $5 one-time fee per person for the official greeting, which is traditional tribal protocol. Woodcarvings, sales of palm basketry souvenirs woven by Amerindian women, and miscellaneous snacks and refreshments purchased in the village additionally aid the community. Every single tribe member who provides a service for the visiting guests is entitled to a share of the pot. Right down to the families with extraordinary pets – like monkeys, peccaries, or macaws - who
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