LONG Creek Village overlooks the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and is home to more than 400 people of mixed ethnicities, including Amerindians, who maintain a very simple way of life.

At the time of the Pepperpot Team’s visit, the people of Long Creek Village were in preparation mode for their heritage day festivities in their community on September 17, which was scheduled to be held at the ball field at the entrance of the village.

A large stage was being built and other preparations were being made to get everything ready for the much-anticipated day where the local cuisine of wild meats tuma pot, roast, cassava bread, hand-made wines, arts and craft would be on sale as well as, on display for both visitors and locals.

Long Creek is a large community which runs deep, and it has a lot of small trails leading deep into the forested area where there are small creeks, natural springs, shops, poultry farms, dwelling houses, cash crop farms, churches, playfield and schools.

The village is inhabited by East Indians, Afro-Guyanese, Amerindian and Spanish immigrants and they co-exist in relative harmony, even cooperating to pull off the first-ever heritage activity in the village.
The village has a Health Centre, which is strategically located on the highway and is easily accessible. There are also a primary school and anursery school, small shops, and hang-out spots.

The village has no electricity nor potable water. The locals use solar energy and water from the village creeks and store rainwater for drinking and cooking purposes.
There are also no all-weather roads in the community, just small sandy trails, but it is a beautiful place set in nature for a simple life.

The locals, however, had some concerns. They stated that there is a need for a police outpost in the village, noting the fact that an entire ‘chop shop’ was in the village- an operation where cars are hijacked and their parts are stolen.

They allege that they had no idea until the operation was busted and several cars and parts were found and several persons arrested.
It had been reported that the men were believed to be part of a hijacking ring. The stolen vehicles were stored and taken apart at the location deep within the community, down a small trail.

Another call for concern is the disappearance of a 90-year-old woman, who lived alone in the village and was last seen four years ago. Since then, residents claim there haven’t been any clues as to her whereabouts.
Apart from those concerns, the people of Long Creek Village are friendly, and welcoming and they would entertain you with coconut water or a cold beverage, and it is a place with a lot of greenery.

A section of Long Creek is an agricultural block where scores of people were allocated 10 acres each for farming purposes, and the people are spaced out and scattered in the village.
Long Creek is between Hauraruni and Yarrowkabra as neighbouring villages and is bordered by the highway on both sides; the village goes up and downhill and some people reside on a slope.

The people of Long Creek are semi-reliant because they plant their own fruits and vegetables, rear their own poultry and would hunt and catch fish in the many creeks and canals in the village.
The inhabitants of Long Creek Village are charcoal producers, loggers, farmers, shopkeepers, a handful of self-employed folk and employees attached to both the private and public sector.

There are no steady jobs in the village and many people would have to walk for miles to get to school or work and the public transportation system is via taxis which is costly since there is no mini bus service.
Life in Long Creek was described as simple and set in nature with many challenges and in need for an all-weather road, potable water supply and electricity.