OREALLA is a place of interesting people, some are curious; some silent and observant and others warm and welcoming.

The Pepperpot Magazine encountered Gloria Cruickshank, the co-owner of the only guesthouse in Orealla.

“This guesthouse is my husband’s but I assist him with the daily management of the place and ensure everything is in place to accommodate guests,” she said.

Cruickshank added that since their place is the only guest house in the village they try to accommodate all visitors with the seven rooms they have.

The mother of five told the Pepperpot Magazine that the guesthouse was her husband’s idea and she is there to support him.

“I am originally from Region Two but settled here about 30 years ago and now this is home for me. I find life here good. It’s a simple, peaceful life, if you like that, this is the place to be,” she said.

In addition to running the guesthouse in her spare time, Cruickshank reported that she makes craft tokens, such as jewel boxes, hand fans among other things from tibisri and would sell it to visitors.

The Pepperpot Magazine also met a pleasant and friendly young woman, who operates a shop in the community.

This woman is Millie Hendricks, a resident who lives by the riverside and has her shop in front of her house.

“I does rear my own chickens and do other things like making things like snacks to sell in my shop and it brings in an income,” she said.

The mother of two stated that she was born and grew up in Orealla and it is the only place she knows and will spend the rest of her life there because it is the life she is comfortable with.

Even though her two daughters are grown- one of whom is married and lives outside the village – she would make visits but prefers her life in Orealla, where it is good and quiet.

“Living here is nice but you have to work or do something to maintain yourself because you cannot sit and do nothing and I have a lot to do because I am always making things to sell,” Hendricks said.

She explained that in that village the youths occupy their free time with cricket and football and their team would compete with others from time to time.

Hendricks added that apart from sports activities the youths are also a part of the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) programme where they are taught life skills for their future endeavours and all training and activities are done at the village Benab.

“Apart from my little shop, I have a house which I rent to visitors to make their stay comfortable and the place is equipped with stove and all amenities so visitors can prepare their own meals or I can cook for them,” Hendricks said.

This Orealla resident stated that in September annually, which is designated Indigenous Heritage Month, they usually have a lot of activities which attract a lot of visitors.

In Orealla there is a two-storey concrete building which houses the primary and secondary department school, a river ambulance which caters for emergencies and patients are taken to the nearest hospital that is, Corriverton Public Hospital.

There is a health centre manned by the in-house doctor, which changes every six months and a police station with ranks, who change every three months.

Orealla has a dormitory which houses volunteers teachers and other officials, who visit the community.

The place has four Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs which are located at the health centre, the school, the radio station and the police station.

The village is run by a Toshao and a Village Council which comprises of residents and is home to about 1,000 people including children, the population is made of a mixture of East Indians, Africans and Amerindians.

Orealla is 50 miles south of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice in Region Six on the Corentyne River and overlooks neighbouring Suriname.