By Shaniya Harding

BATAVIA is special in the unique way that its people combine and preserve tradition and work in harmony with its surroundings. For people living in Georgetown, getting to Batavia would include a trip to the port village of Parika, then next to Bartica. And finally, in a boat for the twenty-minute boat ride into the little village of Batavia.

The village is heavily involved in farming and, interestingly, herbal medicine while simultaneously having plans and hopes of becoming a tourism destination with its falls and rapids being the attractions.

Every culture and every age have had their own interpretation and way of caring for their sick. Today, most of the world’s population look towards medicine and care administered by doctors and nurses.

But there are still people who believe in other forms of medicine. Whether it began out of pure necessity or it was culture, many people still believe in herbalists and their work. Many Batavians may find going out of the village in search of care a difficult task. This leads them to the herbalist or ‘bush doctor’.

Irving Miguel has lived in one of Batavia’s subdistricts for over ten years. And he has been practising his work as a herbalist for more than twenty years. Irving is aware of the apprehension people may have about his herbal treatment. He believes that the work he does is not hearsay or imaginary. But he considers it ancient knowledge passed down to keep its people safe and healthy.

Irving explained that “My skills are really agriculture, herbalist and crafts. I got the knowledge from my generation. My ancestors, my grandfather was a herbalist and he taught me these herbs, showing me the herbs.” And for the last 20 years, he has made it his mission to become fully versed in treating many ailments with herbs right from his backyard.

Irving initially turned to herbs as an alternative to the medicine he and his family couldn’t access. “The medical help was not like at this time. In that time, we didn’t have health posts in the Amerindian villages. It was very hard for us to come out. We didn’t have transportation; we had to paddle. It was very hard for us to come and see doctors. So I had to study something to make medicine to secure my family.”

The 73-year-old says that his medicine and teachings have reached a number of people all across Guyana. And in cases where he meets people who don’t believe in his treatments, he urged them to just try it. “I tell them this will help them. If it works, call be back, and they do. So it has been approved.”

Irving admits that there are things that he cannot fix. Things like broken bones, he says, are beyond his medical constraints for fixing. “If your body or bones break, I can’t help with that. You would have to go to the medical doctors.” He went on to explain that there are women, called bush nurses, who have an interesting way of dealing with sprains and fractures, “The ladies don’t know how they learn, but it’s a gift. They can fix the bones that have been sprained and move and fix it.”

Irving believes that both herbal medicine and Western medicine could prevail if they work together. Everything in Batavia seems better, simpler and easier. The village has a simplistic and fascinating way of dealing with things. The people have a strong sense of culture and tradition, surrounded by beautiful and breathtaking scenery.

Irving himself lives on a hill that overlooks the Cuyuni Batavia. Despite the challenges the village may have, the fact that they have managed to hold on so profoundly to their traditional ways and practices makes the atmosphere of the village feel like a breath of fresh air.

The village is home to a series of waterfalls. Including the ‘Small Matope’ and the ‘Five Star Falls’, both of which attract a number of people every year. With the upcoming heritage month, the village heads have plans of showcasing Batavia’s falls as a must-have on visitors’ list of places to be. The village’s council expressed that, on the 17th of September, people visiting Batavia will have the opportunity to have a guided tour among the rapids and through the falls.

Irving himself will be taking part in the village’s heritage celebrations. He will be making a variety of craft in the form of miniature matapees and sifters. The 17th will be a culmination of traditional pieces and displays. This unique mix of originally maintained culture and the all too exciting idea of tourism is what makes Batavia an interesting find and an enigmatic experience.