The evolution of life in Tapakuma

HOME to a rapidly growing population, the village of Tapakuma has a captivating aura and the villagers are working towards a better future; from creating more jobs to exploring the field of eco-tourism, the community is hard at work on self-development. Tapakuma has drawn people from far and wide, creating a culture of togetherness and unity that survives amidst the village’s greatest struggles. The Pepperpot Magazine spoke to two of the village’s long-time residents as they shared how far the community has come and how hard they are working to take it further.

Yvonne Lowe is a woman of the soil, having been born and raised in the village of Tapakuma. The mother of six has only ever known Tapakuma to be home, and throughout the years, her home has seen many changes. She explained that the community has progressed a great deal. She shared that, “Tapakuma is not how it was before. It has developed more now. It has developed a lot. As years go and come, different projects come into the village.”

These different projects have done much to develop the community, especially in the area of job opportunities. Finding work outside of the norm is oftentimes a challenge in Tapakuma; because of the village’s location, most people try to find work within the bounds of the community.

Apart from farming, lumber, gold mining, and the occasional wildlife trapping are popular jobs among the men of the community. For those who see the need to stay close to home, nursing or teaching at the community health centre and schools are among the options for work. Although Tapakuma is seeing an influx of work now, Yvonne says that a few years prior, job opportunities were scarce. This placed many people under immense financial strain. As Yvonne explained, “Before we started getting jobs in the community, it used to be rough. Sometimes, there are no jobs, and we do not get any food to eat. We had to see what was growing or go and catch fish.”

As much as the community was founded on farming and self-sustainability, there are challenges with living off the land in current times. According to Yvonne and a few other residents, getting work in the community was among the biggest challenges. Although farming and fishing are easy ways to get food, in some instances, living authentically made it almost impossible to survive. Yvonne stated, “Jobs used to be really rough at one time.” But things are changing. Several projects have been introduced into the community. Small things like the expansion of public buildings and services have greatly impacted the village’s economic state.

One such project introduced is the community enhancement project. The project was introduced as a way of preserving the natural beauty of the community. And for people like Yvonne, it has been a major job opportunity for themselves, their families, and the community’s overall development. Yvonne believes that little projects such as this one can go a long way in developing the community. “Now the place has developed. We count our jobs, we could get our own money,” she stated. Although the project is not yet a year old, it has played a big role in the village’s upward trajectory.

Yvonne explained that most people in the community enhancement team have never worked in community preservation before. However, the team has worked tirelessly with each other and are growing well into their new responsibilities. Yvonne shared that, “Not all of us were in the job before. But we are working and now everybody likes the work.” The team is tasked with various aspects of community development, including the community’s cleaning and the lake’s maintenance. Members of the lake have long depended on the lake. Yvonne explained that some time ago, and even in current times, people depended on the lake for countless things.

Apart from providing fish for the people of Tapakuma, the lake is also used as a major water source for many of the villagers’ everyday activities. The village of Tapakuma has, without a doubt, come a long way. People of the village are happy to call it home, and many like Yvonne do not see themselves leaving the community. Despite the challenges, they say that the peace, serenity, and love that Tapakuma offers are invaluable. The life of the people of Tapakuma may be somewhat different from people living in other places. But the people of Tapakuma are dedicated to developing both themselves and their community.