– Says young Wapichan woman of Aishalton Village

By Telesha Ramnarine

IMMACULATA ‘Mackie’ Casinero, initially shy and reserved, is now an outspoken, trained and empowered young woman whose interest lies in helping other women in the various Amerindian villages of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequigo).

Born and raised at Aishalton Village, the mother of four, left many times in pursuit of different initiatives but always found herself returning to her village.
The last time she returned would probably be the last she’d think of leaving for good, because she said she suddenly realised that she could do so much to help others right there in her village.

“I began to see things differently after getting involved in the affairs of my village. I started to value my environment, my people, my culture and I got involved in many activities in my community,” she recalled during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.
Speaking from the village via an online interview, Casinero remembered how difficult it was for her to adjust to ‘town life’ when she left Aishalton at age 11 on a scholarship to further her education at Central High School.

“Thank god,” she said, for having a guardian like Veronica Lewis, a kind woman who looked out for Casinero’s interests and ensured that she had everything she needed to attend school. “It was very hard for me to adjust. It was a totally different environment; the food, dress, even the way persons spoke. Everything was different.”
Leaving home at that age was one of the hardest things for her to do, yet she says she realised she needed to make the sacrifice. She opted not to go to university, something she said she later regretted and returned home, after which she again decided to leave for Brazil in pursuit of learning Portuguese.
When this did not work out too well, Aishalton Village it was once again for her. She then gained on-and-off employment with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in 2001 and served as the clerk to the deputy returning officer in those elections.

She moved again, this time to Lethem, where she started a family. Eventually, however, she moved back to her village where she remains with her family to date.
Now the information officer for the South Rupununi District Council and Chairperson of the Aishara Toon Women’s Association, Casinero has been doing a lot to help her community. Having participated in many workshops and conferences locally and internationally, she has specific plans to further assist women in the villages, especially those who are vulnerable to abuse and discrimination.

In 2019, she represented the Wapichan people at the 73rd Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) session of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where she did an oral presentation that outlined the discriminatory behaviour that indigenous women — and Guyanese women in general — face. All of her recommendations were accepted by the committee and were reflected on in its concluding observations.

Casinero has also attended conferences in The Netherlands and Peru, and these she said have shaped her into a more confident, outgoing individual. “I’ve become more brave and I can speak out against discrimination against indigenous women. I am now more passionate about my land, my culture, my traditions, everything about being a Wapichan. I am very proud of my identity and I really would like to ensure that my culture and language remain here forever,” she expressed.

“Because of my exposure in these ways, I really have an interest in women’s empowerment. That is something that is really important to me. I would like to see more of my Wapichan women empowered and being able to speak out when things are not going right,” she added.

Being part of the Aishara Toon Women’s group Association right there in the village sees a group of about 18 women who are unemployed coming together on occasion to do small business ventures together that would enable them to buy basic items for their families.

One of Casinero’s future goals is to train a group of women who can, in turn, go into various communities and train other women. “I can’t wait on the government to do everything for us. That’s why I’ve set out to start on my own, seeking funding to do outreaches to communities to specifically deal with women, so we can brainstorm together and see how we can assist in curbing the social issues and also advance women’s rights.”

Casinero noted the negative stereotype that is associated with the indigenous peoples and said she wished instead, that those guilty of thinking like this would actually try to be more like the Amerindian people.

“People would say we are stupid. I know this for a fact. But no. We have our own knowledge and our customary laws of how we do things. We are a kind, peaceful people and that’s something we want others to respect us for,” she said. “ Maybe others can look at us and try to be like us. No one is better than anyone because when we die, we are all going to the same place. So they must treat us with the dignity that we deserve.”