Life-changing Pandama Resort
Relaxing at Pandama
Relaxing at Pandama

By Jasmaine Payne

ONE year ago, after my first visit to Pandama, a retreat tucked neatly away just off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, I had deemed it a hidden gem: A place where one could escape; have some of the best local wine; and access the Guyanese “black water” experience all in one.
Within the last few months, due to an upsurge of posts across social media, I came to realise that more than just a few persons had uncovered the secret of Pandama; and they had all taken full advantage of it.

THE TRUE SECRET
Yet, in all the portrayals of the Retreat, I felt like the public was still missing out on the true secret of what Pandama has to offer: Healing.
As we continue to seek unique means of entertainment and relaxation in Guyana, how often do we consider our greatest needs? How often do we stop to think about the burdens that we bear in daily life, and seek ways to shed them, if only but for a minute?
So I thought about Pandama; its aura and what more this place could possibly be doing for its increasing number of visitors, and thus I took a second trip to uncover just that.
In a nutshell, I displaced myself from the world around me, left (most of) my technological devices behind (That was a struggle!) and retreated to Pandama for 24 hours of pure relaxation. Within that time, I immersed myself in a bit too much of inarguably delicious wine, had good conversation, used the creek as my bath and drinking water, met a Russian backpacker, ate scrumptious food from a calabash, and fell asleep to the natural white noise of crickets, rain and the rhythmic song of the trees.

PANDAMA
But the best part of Pandama was talking with Warren and Tracy Douglas, the couple without whom such a unique experience would not be possible.
“It is our home. And everywhere we have lived, we have always made it a space where people can come and regroup; so Pandama is an extension of that concept. So when people come, it’s not just a commercial place,” Tracy told me as we sat waiting for some more visitors to join us for the day.
Part of their process, she says, is connecting with people by creating a safe space where people don’t feel judged; which is usually the main reason they feel comfortable enough to come back. “So many people are not living in their truth, even in their own home,” she said. “Maybe because they don’t feel like family members understand; so we hear a lot of revealing when people come.”
Added to the ambience created by being fully encircled by nature, these are the things that add to the intrigue of Pandama. “We keep as much of our forests as we can, so it lends itself to a place you can check out of where you are and check in with yourself,” Tracy said.
But before branding this serene location as their home, “home” for Warren and Tracey lay in the United States. Warren, a Guyanese by birth, had migrated decades prior, and had spent most of his adult life there. After meeting Tracy, the couple eventually lent their talents to ‘Real Estate’ in Virginia and North Carolina, while taking advantage of the boom in that industry at the time. Warren explained that the venture was a success, but it only lasted for a while. And after a change in administration and the economy, they both knew it was time to go.
Tracy, an American-born citizen, had already had a taste of Caribbean life, having lived in Dominica for several years, and encouraged a primarily skeptical Warren to return to Guyana. “I think that especially people of colour who have the option to go home, they need to do so and develop their homeland, and not wait till they retire or are too old to contribute anything,” she said.
What at first was an intent to continue their ‘Real Estate’ ventures in Guyana, turned into a desire to live their passion; and after finding their plot of land by events that Tracy felt only fate could be responsible for, the couple embarked on living their dream, with Tracy making soaps and Warren making wine.

WINE AND HEALING
Taking into consideration the couple’s wish to assist in helping persons to heal and regroup, it is therefore no surprise that Pandama Wines are one of the main features of the retreat. “Traditionally, wine and beer were made by the women; and it was made as more of an elixir,” Tracy revealed. The story goes that God created wine because the human experience could be tragic in so many ways, that this elixir created an opportunity for one to escape the tragedy of life and breathe. What is more, the use of Guyana’s endless supply of fruits and other natural ingredients provides for the wines to be used not only recreationally, but medicinally.
Much talk often centres on Pandama’s Pulse Wine, a libido enhancement tonic wine made from the barks of different trees found in Guyana. Others include the Noni Wine, the Herbal Cleanser, and an array of fruit wines and natural vinegars. “I had actually stopped drinking commercial wine, because I would get a headache. So, the fact that we could make wine, using all the local fruits that I love… And I have no side effects. Besides, feeling nice is a great thing,” Tracy said.
DEPRESSION
Talking about healing and finding happiness steered our talk towards the suicide rate in Guyana, and the issue of depression. “When you are bombarded with such negativity… and when you feel there is no outlet, if you don’t know how to find your joy, I can understand why you would want to check out,” Tracy said, as she expressed her concern for the multiple suicides that have recently hit the nation. For that reason, she reiterated why they make Pandama “a destination of happy conversation”, stating that the issue of deep depression is rooted in many social areas, stemming from personal insecurities, body image, isolation, race issues and many others. “So, how do you find that place of not allowing your life to get that dark? So there are many things we need to address in the community, and we can have small group discussions about certain things,” Tracy said.
“If we say we’re so concerned about suicide rates, how can we begin to treat each other better? We really just have to treat each other better at a grassroots level.”

LIVING YOUR PASSION
I asked the couple why they chose to open their home to more than just close friends and family, and the answer was simple: The economics of it. “Spiritual practice and economics don’t have to be separate. So, how do you add economic value to what you love to do? And you read story after story of people who are living their passion. So, pretty much we are doing everything that we would do, anyway, whether we had to get paid or not,” Tracy said.
On a daily excursion, one can be exposed to yoga, dancing, painting, art, counselling and many other activities tailored to alleviating stress. Said Tracy, “The more I help people, the happier people are in our community, which comes back to make us happy.
“And the people who we have made happy, they want to bring people to be in our space, and they come back and buy wine… So, sometimes it’s not about charging people; it’s a constant.”
I ended my day with some dancing and breathing exercises, followed by a late-night visit to the creek, while some others bathed and I reflected. Upon reemerging on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and beginning the short journey back home, I wondered if I could live my daily life like Warren and Tracy: Finding true happiness in the simplicity of things, and transferring that genuine emotion to everyone who share in their presence.
Though I couldn’t truly answer that question, one thing was clear: In my short time there, I saw what Pandama did for the Douglases, and what it can do for people who are really at a difficult point in their life.
That ability to truly check out from reality, and reflect on nothing but what makes you happy is something I am yet to see other resorts offer. And for that, Pandama is, therefore, a true Guyanese enigma.

 

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