Wapichan land map, proposals stir controversy in Rupununi
THE locally made digital map of their traditional territory, published last February 7 by representatives of the Wapichan people of Guyana,  alongside a community proposal to care for 1.4 million hectares of pristine rainforest to benefit their communities, has become a source of controversy. A spokesman for the publishers said the mapping of lands in South Central Rupununi was done by residents, with the assistance of global
positioning systems (GPS) technology and involved 10 years of painstaking work.
The community proposals attached to it is titled ‘Thinking together for those coming behind us’ and contains some 40 agreements to secure land rights, safeguard and sustainably use valuable livelihood resources and conserve important cultural heritage and wildlife sites under controlled reserves.
But the map is now, however, proving to be controversial within Region Nine (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo), particularly with members of the Makushi tribe who also have traditional lands in the area.
They are challenging the accuracy of the drawing, saying it contains sections of their lands South of the Kanuku Mountains and they are to meet this weekend, in Lethem, to discuss the implications, a spokesman said.
The disclosure of the map and proposals took place at the Umana Yana in Georgetown and, on that occasion, Toshao Habert Wilson, Chairperson of the South-Central District Toshaos Council, said the Wapichans had organised about 80 community consultations, workshops and public meetings, between 2008 and 2011, to gather collective propositions for
promoting sustainable land use, supporting local livelihoods and protecting their territory against harmful development.

Crucial time
He said the mapping and grassroots proposal had come at a crucial time because the entire Wapichan territory in Guyana, like many other parts of the Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield, is threatened
by mega road and dam projects as well as external plans for logging, mining and agri-business development.
“The Wapichan people have responded to these threats by mapping their customary land use as part of a longstanding campaign to have their rights to their traditional lands legally recognised,” Wilson said.
He added:”We are now keen to share our territorial map with Government authorities to show how we occupy and use the land according to custom and how we are attached to our territory.”
A spokesman for the Makushi said, as he understood it, the controversial Wapichan map was, at this stage, merely a proposal for Government to assent to and was not official.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that the persons involved had not, at any time, consulted the Makushi as stakeholders in the process.
“We, of the Makushi community, are very disturbed about this development and will decide on a comprehensive response after our meeting this weekend,” he said.