A blossoming paradise on the Essequibo Coast

THE striking beauty and vibrant natural diversity of Mashabo are unparalleled. A notable name along the Essequibo Coast, Mashabo is one of those communities that display the true uniqueness of Guyana, home to savannahs, lakes, and hills. Boasting a population of just over 500 people, the community has drastically developed over the years, with more investments being made. Now, the community is optimistically looking forward, with the Toshao of the community saying Mashabo’s plan is simple: develop, unite, and modernise.

Toshao of the community, Henry Hendricks, fell in love with Mashabo more than three decades ago when his first wife introduced him to the village. Now, he stands as Toshao of a community that became his home and so much more. As he stated, “I am the newly elected Toshao for the very first time. I just want to say thanks to my people who have made this choice to place me here as a leader.”

Henry wears many hats in the community and now dedicates himself to his family and the village. As he shared with the Pepperpot Magazine, having long been passionate about the village, he was still pleasantly surprised at the opportunity to step up to the plate, “I am so surprised that at this age, at the age of 61, to be still a leader for Mashabo. And also, I am an elder for the Mashabo Seventh-day Adventist Church, supporting not only the village but also in a religious way.”

Like a few of the nation’s more far-flung villages, the community went undeveloped for quite some time. In recent years, changes in systems have been a massive boost for Mashabo and its growing population. As the Toshao stated, “Mashabo became a developing community not too long ago. When I came to Mashabo, Mashabo had only approximately 18 to 20 families. But today, Mashabo has approximately 130 families. The population has grown to what we have now, presently, 516 community residents.”

Reminiscing about his early years in the village, Hendricks is proud of the changes the community has seen, with some areas like transportation being completely upgraded and revamped. As he explained, “When I came here first, we didn’t have outboard engines. We had these dugout canoes. I used to paddle to go across the lake. But today, we have better access, where the government tried to assist us with some modernising systems.”

Beyond the life of the residents, the community continues to see support as an indigenous community, with various systems being introduced to tackle the village’s unique environment. Projects like the community’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hub, health centre, and upgrades in education have all played a role in developing the quality of life in Mashabo. As Hendricks added, “As we look back, Mashabo keeps developing gradually. Not only with the residents but also with new developments within the Amerindian community.”

With a natural landscape as breathtaking as Mashabo’s, it’s a wonder why more tourists don’t flock to its white sandy beaches. Although the potential for tourism exists in the community, it is a new area the village is exploring with recent changes. As the Toshao explains, developing the necessary infrastructure is the first step in the right direction. “Tourism could be one of the beneficiaries in Mashabo. We have a big lake, so if we could create things like regatta sessions open a place for regattas, we could have more people coming to Mashabo.”

Most of these steps are already in this direction, says the Toshao, as he stated, “We have a small guest house for tourism now. But in the near future, that guest house could be two or three times the size, where we could have more people in Mashabo.” He further added that the tourism industry would be managed by the village’s young people as he stated, “Bringing tourism into this community is one of the best accesses I feel that young people could get involved in. Everybody could get the benefits from it.”

As one of the oldest Amerindian communities in Region 2, culture and tradition continue to be a big part of the village’s identity. A proud community of people, the men and women of Mashabo are always ready to share their community’s traditions, food, and maybe even a story or two. As Toshao Hendricks told the Pepperpot Magazine, “Heritage could be a big tourist attraction. A lot of people from the coast, when they come here, they want some wild meat, some fish, and the local drink, and cassava bread. We prepare these things for people that come from outside.” He further added, “It’s very important for us to celebrate our heritage. We have activities throughout the month.”

Although the village is still finding its footing, Mashabo is a model for community development, preserving tradition and unity. “My vision plan was to unite the people, develop Mashabo, and modernise it. As we know, the technology has really increased now in Guyana, and we start to implement these things in the community to bring more development.” He further added, “Mashabo is a very beautiful community, and I want to encourage many more people who may come, asking what Mashabo will be like in the future.”