ETWAROOO Pabaroo, popularly known as “Sanchari Mai”, of Uitvlugt Estate Road, West Coast Demerara, became Guyana’s latest centenarian yesterday. Mother of two sons and one daughter, grandmother of 15, great grandmother of 52 and great great grandmother of 25. She has outlived her husband and three children.
Her eldest son died at 14 under tragic circumstances. He was crushed in the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate factory while working there. One grandchild and one great grandchild have also died. Her daughter died at 70, while the other son lived to be 74.
Still mentally alert, with relatively good sight and hearing, Sanchari Mai has no medical complaint, such as hypertension or diabetes, and is fairly mobile. Her only complaint is that she suffered a fall some time ago and injured her hip which has restricted her mobility. But according to her grandchildren and great grandchildren, up to recently she used to get away for walks, and they have put a padlock on the gate to keep her in. She does not wear spectacles.
Her appetite is good and she eats vegetables, fish and meat. In fact, one granddaughter said they have to restrict the amount she eats.
Born in Doornhaag, Leguan, Sancahri Mai was married at 12 and it was then she moved to Uitvlugt where she began a life of extremely hard work at the sugar estate. She worked as a weeder and cane-cutter. She also worked in the rice fields.
Sanchari Mai’s parents came from India as indentured labourers. Her father died at 104, and her mother lived for over 100 years.