Santa Mission
Santa Mission Santa Aratak | |
---|---|
Village | |
![]() | |
6°33′42″N 58°19′49″W / 6.5618°N 58.3304°W / 6.5618; -58.3304 | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Essequibo Islands-West Demerara |
Settled | 1858[1] |
Government | |
• Toshao | Hilton Williams[2] |
Area [3] | |
• Total | 220 km2 (84 sq mi) |
Population (2012)[4] | |
• Total | 277 |
Santa Mission (also: Santa Aratak[2] or Santa Aratack[5]) is a village in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Region of Guyana. Santa Mission is mainly inhabited by Lokono Amerindians.[1] The village is located on the Kamuni Creek, a tributary of the Demerara River.[6] The village of Hopetown, an early Chinese settlement, is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Santa Mission.[7]
Overview
Santa Mission was founded in 1858 by Alfred Patterson, a lumberjack who was looking for Wallaba trees (Eperua falcata). The village is built on white sand hills along the blackwater Kamuni Creek.[1]
The economy of Santa Mission is based on tourism, craft making, and logging.[2] The village has a Nursery and Primary school,[1] a healthcare centre,[6] and a local library.[3] In 2008, the festivities of the Amerindian Heritage Month were held in Santa Mission.[3] As of 2015, it was the only indigenous village in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara with titled land.[1]
Sights
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Lovely_Savannah_View_-_panoramio.jpg/220px-Lovely_Savannah_View_-_panoramio.jpg)
Located on top of the hill is a giant silk-cotton tree. During the Dutch colonial era, the tree was used a navigation aid on the Demerara River. In the Lokono language, the tree is called Kamaka which means "mother of all trees."[1] There is a village monument dedicated to the past toshaos (village chiefs) and a kamuni Women Craft shop.[8] Near the village is the Arrowpoint Nature Resort, a privately owned tourist resort with its own nature reserve.[9]
Transport
Santa Mission does not have a connection to the road network and can only be accessed via the river.[1] Arrowpoint Nature Resort operates a ferry service from Timehri (Cheddi Jagan International Airport) which makes a stop at Santa Mission.[9] The journey will take between 45 minutes and one hour.[1]
Hopetown
In 1864, Chinese missionary O'Tye Kim petitioned the Court of Policy for a Chinese settlement.[10] In 1865, Hopetown was founded on the Kamuni Creek and started with 25 settlers. The village was named Hopetown after Admiral James Hope who had visited the village. It is located at 6°31′58″N 58°16′51″W / 6.53277°N 58.2808°W / 6.53277; -58.2808.[7]
Hopetown flourished and peaked at 800 people in 1874.[7] The economy was mainly based on charcoal production. When the demand dwindled, many Chinese moved to other towns.[11] By 1914, about a third of the population was non-Chinese and there were only 46 Chinese left.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mariah Lall (20 September 2015). "Santa Mission". Stabroek News. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
Santa Mission had just celebrated its 157th anniversary
- ^ a b c Ravena Gildharie (13 August 2017). "Santa/Aratak villagers driving community's tourism". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b c "Santa Aratak prepares for Heritage Day, 150th anniversary". 10 September 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "2012 Population by Village". Statistics Guyana. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Indigenous Villages". Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Santa Aratack …A tranquil slice of destination Guyana". Guyanese Online. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d "The Hopetown Chinese settlement". Guyana Times International. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "Santa Aratak Mission seeks slice of tourism pie". Department of Public Information. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Arrowpoint Nature Resort". Guyana Chronicle via Land of Six People. 18 July 2004. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Tota C. Mangar (29 April 2004). "Background to the emergence of the Chinese settlement of Hopetown". Stabroek News via Land of Six People. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "Hopetown". DevNet. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- v
- t
- e
- Georgetown (neighborhoods: Cummingsburg, Kingston, Sophia, Stabroek, Werk-en-rust)
- Achiwib
- Adventure
- Agatash
- Aishalton
- Albion
- Annai
- Annandale, Demerara-Mahaica
- Annandale, Pomeroon-Supenaam
- Apoteri
- Aranaputa
- Assakata
- Awarewaunau
- Baracara
- Baramita
- Belfield
- Belladrum
- Beterverwagting
- Better Hope
- Burma
- Buxton
- Campbelltown
- Cane Grove
- Capoey
- Charity
- Clonbrook
- Cove and John
- Crabwood Creek
- Den Amstel
- Enmore
- Enterprise
- Esau and Jacob
- Fort Island
- Fort Wellington
- Goed Fortuin
- Hackney
- Hampton Court
- Helena
- Hiawa
- Hogg Island
- Hosororo
- Hyde Park
- Imbaimadai
- Isseneru
- Issano
- Ituni
- Jacklow
- Jonestown
- Kabakaburi
- Kamarang
- Kamwatta Hill
- Kanashen
- Karasabai
- Karaudarnau
- Kartabo
- Kasuela
- Kato
- Katoonarib
- Koriabo
- Kuru Kururu
- Kurupukari
- Kurupung
- Kwakwani
- Kwebanna
- Leonora
- Lima Sands
- Lusignan
- Mahaica
- Mahaicony
- Maruranau
- Matthews Ridge
- Met-en-Meerzorg
- Micobie
- Moleson Creek
- Monkey Mountain
- Moraikobai
- Morawhanna
- Nabaclis
- Nappi
- Nonpareil
- Onderneeming
- Orealla
- Paradise
- Paramakatoi
- Parika
- Pickersgill
- Plaisance
- Port Kaituma
- Port Mourant
- Providence
- Queenstown
- Rewa
- Rockstone
- Rosignol
- Sand Creek
- Santa Mission
- Santa Rosa
- Sawariwau
- Saxacalli
- Skeldon
- Soesdyke
- Spring Garden
- St. Cuthbert's Mission
- St. Ignatius
- St. Monica Karawab
- Stewartville
- Suddie
- Supenaam
- Surama
- Timehri
- Toka
- Triumph
- Tumatumari
- Tuschen
- Uitvlugt
- Unity
- Victoria
- Vreed en Hoop
- Vriesland
- Wakapau
- Weldaad
- Whitewater
- Windsor Forest
- Wowetta
- Yupukari
- Zeeburg
- Zeelandia