General Information

Karasabai is a Makushi village located in the South Pakaraimas district of Guyana and it is one of the largest communities in the area. It is a developing community with about 1160 residents and about 145 households.  The village has 5 satellites (smaller villages) that are scattered a few miles away. The current Toshao is Mr. Elvis Edwards and he oversees the village functions with the help of 13 councilors.

The first language is Makushi and the second language is English. The major religion is Christianity.

Infrastructure

The roads in Karasabai are generally underdeveloped trails that run through the village linking the areas of interests – schools, shops, community center and homes, etc.

Karasabai has a Nursery and a Primary School. Secondary-level students are required to leave the village to attend Secondary School in Lethem, St Ignatious (Secondary).

The major source of electricity in the village is the use of generators and solar energy.  Water is supplied by several secured wells in the village.

Karasabai has a health center which provides medical services to the residents in the region.

There are also several shops in the village where you can get just about anything. Be warned however, that basic items, like bottled waters and soda, are relatively more expensive in the village because of the transportation cost to get the items to the village.

How to get to Karasabai

Getting to Karasabai is fairly easy, and you have two options with a few variations; by road or by air. You can travel to Lethem and you can take a bus from Lethem to Karasabai. If you would like to visit the village with your personal transportation then you can do so via one of two trails that is connected to the Linden/Lethem Road. There is “short-cut” trail if you are traveling form Annai and there is another trail (the main trail) opposite “Gun Oil Road”, close to the Santa Fe Farming Project. The main trail runs for miles along a fence – possibly the longest fence in Guyana. Remember that there are no paved roads in this part of Guyana so a capable off-road vehicle is required.

You can fly directly to Karasabai airport (KRG/SYKS), possibly the fastest way to get there.  You can also choose to fly to Lethem and then take the bus to Karasabai.  At the time of writing, we could not find any details of direct flights to the village from Georgetown.

Modes of transportation in the village

Residents use bicycles, motorbikes, tractors and ATVs to move about in the village and to travel to the other sub-communities.

Economic Activities

Subsistence farming and cattle rearing are currently the major economic activities in the village.

Recently, Marlon James, a Youth Council Leader has started the initiative to create jobs and empower the youths in the village. Marlon indicates that peanut farming, cassava processing (making cassareep and cassava bread) and poultry rearing are key activities that can cause a positive economic shift in the village. He has, so far, engaged several organisations for funding for these ventures.

Accommodations

There is a Government operated guest house in the village and also there are private accommodations provided by residents.  In addition, the recently opened Kezee  Eco-Lodge is a good place to stay and enjoy nature in Karasabai. The Eco-Lodge is operated by members of the community and it was officially opened in January 2018. The Government hopes to encourage tourism in this part of the country and as such it has pledged funding for the new Eco-Lodge.

Major Attractions

Annual Activities

There is bike safari every year in May to the village. It is the first stop for the annual North Pakaraimas Mountain Safari (March/April). Heritage is usually a fun time in the village and it is held annually in September (during Amerindian Heritage Month in Guyana). In April and December each year the village comes alive with football where teams from the entire Karasabai sub district compete.

Other Attractions

Karasabai offers the unique setting to relax and enjoy nature. The easy way of life in the village is the perfect therapy for the stress of city life. The sunsets in Karasabai are amazingly beautiful – the unique combination of the mountainous horizon and the setting sun is amazing. There is also a creek close by the village where you can go for a swim.

My Personal Notes (Girendra)

• 

  Doc rounding up his herd

  The homes in Karasabai Village are simple but they are filled everything one needs to survive – comfort, peace, bliss and harmony.

• I met Doc at Karasabai, he has a down-to-earth sort of personality and he is a really kool old man. Doc is the man you need to talk with if you want a sheep – he sold us at $250 per pound (live weight). And at that price, we bought a 68lbs sheep. We roasted some, curried some, fried the blood, made ‘morgatani’ aka multani with the parts and even had some bungal sheep guts. Nothing was wasted. This fed us for 5 days on our trip (three safarians), 80% of it was shared to others on the trip.
• It was admirable to see how the residents of Karasabai take care of their village. By 7AM all the leaves and other stray debris were swept and picked up, leaving a clean and inviting surrounding for all to enjoy.

 

Photo Gallery

 

Resources:

• You can purchase and download these images in high-quality at http://girendrapersaud.zenfolio.com/p916260089
• Kezee Eco-Lodge in Karasabai Launched: http://dpi.gov.gy/kezee-eco-lodge-in-karasabai-launched/
• Karasabai Village Profile: https://moipa.gov.gy/indigenous-villages/karasabai/