Tumatumari Hydro-Electric Power Scheme

Image 01 - Scene from the dam construction (1953)

Image 02 - Scene from the dam construction (1953)

Image 03 - Scene from the dam construction (1953)

Sources:

[image 01] - Unknown
[image 02] - Unknown
[image 03] - Unknown

Camaria Landing, Cuyuni River, Essequibo

Image 01 - Watercolor image showing the scene at Camaria Landing, Cuyuni River (1922)

Sources:

[image01] - Booker Brothers, Demerara

Tumatumari Landing, Essequibo

Image 01 - Tumatumari Landing, opposite side of the Potaro River from Tumatumari, Essequibo (1908)

Sources:

[image 01] - Unknown

The Africans arrive in Essequibo

The date of the first arrival of African slaves to Novo Zeelandia (later called Essequibo, British Guiana) is not exactly known, but some historians believe the Dutch were the first to bring West African slaves to work on the expanding plantations during 1658. These early Dutch plantations were mainly on the Essequibo coast. In 1665, Essequibo was taken by the British and then by the French, and regained by the Dutch in 1666. In 1831, the British were able to unite Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice to be called British Guiana under one government. During the trip from Africa, the slaves were usually chained and placed in cramped quarters. Once the slaves arrive at various coastal ports, they were assembled and auctioned off to the various plantation owners. These owners would conduct a detailed inspection by subjecting the individuals to an almost naked body check-up. Complete families were on the auction block and usually there was no desire to keep family units and frienships together. This practice also enabled the "divide and rule" practice that minimized threats associated with rebellion. The diverse groups that were now on each plantation necessitated a common language between the owners and the slaves, and so language forms such as Creole-Dutch and later Creole-English emerged on the plantations. Religions and beliefs from the motherland were also forbidden and Christian missionaries were introduced on the plantations to preach a Christian message. Once settled into the work environment, Africans were stratified into various categories of work such as field workers, sugar factory workers, and skilled artisans such as carpenters, masons, etc. Slave homes were made of earth and thatched roofs, standard clothing was provided, and a kitchen garden supplemented food and sustenance received from their daily meals. The work hours were from sunrise to 8:00pm with a one-hour break at midday. Flogging and other forms of punishment were a common occurrence. Conditions on these plantations were brutal and the owners collaborated with the Amerindians to help re-capture any runaway slaves. The situation came to a head on 23rd February 1763 with the Berbice uprising lead by Cuffy, Atta, Accara and Accabre. The Demerara Revolution of 1823 lead by Quamina Gladstone from Success Plantation was also another milestone on the road to the emancipation of the African slaves. On 1st August 1834, slavery was abolished in British Guiana and the plantation owners received compensation for the loss of slave labour. Afterwards, the British used "new Africans" from Africa as immigrants to work on the sugar plantations, and some freed slaves from other countries such as the USA were also allowed to migrate to British Guiana to work as immigrants. In addition, other groups of people such as the Portuguese, East Indians and Chinese were brought to the British Guiana plantations to supplement the workforce. The images show scenes from the initial African experience in Essequibo.

Image 01 - Africans boarding the slave ships forcefully (undated).

Image 02 - African male being physically examined to determine health condition (undated).

Image 03 - Auction of the Africans in progress (undated).

Image 04 - Branding Africans to establish ownership (undated).

Image 05 - Africans who came to British Guiana as immigrants post-emancipation (1870).

Sources

[Image 01] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 02] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 03] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - UK National Archives, 1870.


Bibliography

• Facts about slavery in Guyana, Atlanta Black Star.

The Pakatuk Falls, Essequibo

The Pakatuk Falls is located on the Potaro River in the Potaro-Siparuni region of the country. The terrain elevation is estimated to be about 320 feet above mean sea level. The surrounding region is relatively flat and mostly uninhabited. The image shows the Pakatuk Fall in 1920 British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Pakatuk Falls, Potaro River, Essequibo (1920).

Sources
[Image 01] - Unknown

The Kaieteur Falls, Essequibo

The Kaieteur Falls was seen by the first European Charles Barrington Brown on 24th April 1870 during an expedition for the Geological Survey of British Guiana. Kaieteur falls is on the Potaro river tributary of the Essequibo river. The Essequibo river is contained in a wide valley and flows in a northerly direction, and the Potaro river at a higher elevation flows from the west into the Essequibo river. Due to limited food provisions, the expedition organized a second trip in July of the same year to conduct physical measurements. This second expedition started at the Mazaruni Penal Settlement and took fifteen days to reach the Falls. During the trip they encountered five other Falls on the Potaro River that were less than 20 feet in height. The height of the Kaieteur Falls is 822 feet of which 741 feet is the vertical height of the first continuous water drop from the curved lip above, and the remaining 81 feet forming the second drop. The width of the river bed at the top of the Falls is 369 feet with a maximum river depth of 20 feet. The cavern behind the Falls is the home to flocks of swallows that leave in droves in the morning and return at nights. Kaieteur Falls is considered to be the largest single-drop waterfall by the volume of water flowing over its escarpment. The name for the Falls comes from the legend where the Amerindian Chief Kai paddled his canoe over the Falls and sacrificed his life so the Great Spirit can protect his tribe. The images and sketches show scenes of Kaieteur Falls in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Sketch of Kaieteur Falls (1873).

Image 02 - Kaieteur Falls under drought conditions (1878).

Image 03 - Front view of Kaieteur Falls (1915).

Image 04 - Kaieteur Falls from the bottom (1924)

Image 05 - Kaieteur from the bottom (1924).

Image 06 - The lip of the Falls (1924).

Image 07 - Front view of Kaieteur Falls (1924).

Image 08 - The gorge looking down from the Falls (1924).

Image 09 - The curved lip of the Falls (1944).

Sources

[Image 01] - The London Illustrated News, 1873.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - Unknown.
[Image 06] - Unknown.
[Image 07] - Unknown.
[Image 08] - Unknown.
[Image 09] - Unknown.

The Mazaruni Penal Settlement, Essequibo

The Mazaruni Penal Settlement is located at the intersection of the Mazaruni and Essequibo Rivers. The official impetus to create the facility began around 1841 and completed in stages. The facility contained cells (10 feet x 15 feet) for the male and female prisoners, guards housed at each end of the cells, superintendent quarters, kitchen spaces, hospital, chapel, observatory tower, and a work area to process quarry materials. At the time of completion the prison was able to accommodate seventy-one prisoners. The name "Settlement" suggested a goal to be a self-sufficient and socially-organized space. Life on the Settlement was regimented - prisoners wore partially processed cotton (Calico) clothing, were allowed two minutes to wash themselves in the river, and received half-a-pound of bread with a pint of molasses and water for supper. Prisoners processed rocks from the nearby quarry to be used for road-building. The Amerindian villages around the area would assist in the capture of escaped prisoners as there was substantial reward. The sketches and images show scenes from the Mazaruni Penal Settlement in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Prisoners breaking stones (1888).

Image 02 - Prisoners going to bathe (1888).

Image 03 - A prisoner (1888).

Image 04 - A prison warden (1888).

Image 05 - View of the penal settlement from the river (1888).

Image 06 - The Chapel (1895).

Image 07 - Discharged convicts waiting for the boat (1895).

Image 08 - View of the penal settlement (1898).

Image 09 - View of the penal settlement (1898).

Image 10 - Warden quarters (1905).

Image 11 - The Cottage, Superintendent's house (1905).

Image 12 - View of the penal settlement from the river (1910).

Image 13 - The landing stage (1912).

Image 14 - The landing stage (1915).

Image 15 - Perspective view of the penal settlement (1921).

Image 16 - Perspective view of the penal settlement (1921).

Sources

[Image 01] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1888-05-12.
[Image 02] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1888-05-12.
[Image 03] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1888-05-12.
[Image 04] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1888-05-12.
[Image 05] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1888-05-12.
[Image 06] - Unknown.
[Image 07] - Illustrated News of London, England, 1895.
[Image 08] - H.K.L von Ziegesar, Georgetown, British Guiana, 1898.
[Image 09] - Unknown.
[Image 10] - H.P. Kaps Jeweller, Georgetown, Demerara, 1905.
[Image 11] - H.K.L von Ziegesar, Georgetown, British Guiana, 1905.
[Image 12] - Unknown.
[Image 13] - Unknown.
[Image 14] - H.P. Kaps Jeweller, Georgetown, Demerara, 1915.
[Image 15] - UK National Archives, 1921.
[Image 16] - UK National Archives, 1921.


Bibliography

• History of the early development of the Mazaruni Penal Settlement (Stabroek News)
• Early history of Penal Settlement Mazaruni (1842-1853) (Stabroek News)

Fort Kyk-Over-Al, Essequibo

Fort Kyk-Over-Al was constructed in 1616 and completed in around 1623 by the Dutch in the colony of Essequibo at the intersection of the Cuyuni and Mazaruni rivers. The name Kyk-Over-Al translates to mean "see over all" since the Fort had a bird-eye view of the river. The terrain elevation at the location is estimated to be about 6 feet above mean sea level. The Fort had two floors; a ground floor for storage of ammunition and food, and a top floor for dwelling quarters of the soldiers. Today only the entry arch remains. The image shows the arch in 1921 British Guiana.



Sources

[image] - Unknown

The Taruma people of British Guiana

The Taruma people lived mostly in the extreme south of British Guiana. In the early 1900s they were exposed to influenza due to external contact. It seems these people have disappeared out of the history of British Guiana and Guyana.

Image 1 - Members of a Taruma village (1900s)

Image 2 - Taruma boys at breakfast (1922)

Sources:
[Image 1] Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, 1900
[Image 2] R.G Humphrey, 1922