A very hospitable community

This week, the Pepperpot Magazine visited the countryside village of Dundee, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, to highlight the way of life of the locals.

This small village is sandwiched between Novar and Airy Hall, all agricultural communities and tightly-knit.

The population is about 2,000, with people of predominantly East Indian ancestry.

The residents rear chickens, pigs, sheep, goats and cows; some are farmers planting rice and cash crops and there are a handful of self-employed folk as well, young professionals and businessmen and businesswomen, who own stores, supermarkets, hardware stores, spare parts stores, shops and other businesses.

Dundee Village is home to a lot of fishermen who spend much time at sea fishing and the catches are usually sold to wholesale buyers.

On the roadside, tyre shops, spare parts places, and some businesses are conveniently located and supported by the locals, some of whom also work there.

Dundee Village has a health centre, a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Office, a mosque and two churches.

There are also several bars, a cambio, and places where utility bills are paid, all located within the village, on the public road.

The people are very hospitable and friendly and are willing to sit and have a chat despite their busy schedules being hardworking folk.

Dundee Village has several one-vehicle internal streets which were recently upgraded, and they go way down to the foreshore area.

The community also has a large savannah section where rice cultivation takes place, and the people refer to it as ‘backdam.’

Dundee is a small but highly populated village that runs deep into the backlands section, and it is used for farming and catching fish.

It is a place where the people have converted every available land space into kitchen gardens of fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants, making it a ‘green village.’

The villagers grow their own foods, and bulk shopping is usually done in New Amsterdam, Rosignol or the city.

The locals utilise the many shops, supermarkets, stores within the village to make necessary purchases and hardly ever leave the community unless they have to.

Dundee Village has barbershops and a salon where the people would get groomed and have their nails done.

The village has a lot of rum shops and under-the- ‘bottom-house’ bars and it was observed that on rainy day some of the men, who were unable to work were having some liquid refreshments and playing pools and friendly games of dominoes.

There is no ballfield in the village, but locals would go to the beach via Good Faith, Mahaicony Village, a few villages away to picnic and dip in the salty water.

Dundee Village is a very safe place and it is a quiet, peaceful place where the people are neighbourly and they co-exist with little or no boiling issues.

Most of the villagers have lived most of their lives there and it is the only place they call home and is accustomed to.

Dundee Village is a place where the people know each other and many things including doors are left unlocked and unattended.

The people aim for full self-sufficiency and do whatever it takes to use their skills to do more than one job to bring in extra income to their homes.

Dundee Village is a place where the women work alongside their husbands to earn and they are an enterprising people, who do not waste time.

The women are also cash crop farmers and they utilise the empty spaces in and around the village to plant many crops of tomatoes and sweet peppers.

Some locals in Tailey Avenue have dozens of sheep, poultry, cows, goats and pigs rearing for their livelihoods, and this street goes way down to the foreshore area.

All activities are centred on the roadside where Tuss Bar is located, a popular watering hole for both locals and visitors and it is noted for its tasty cutters of bunjal goat, mutton, duck and fried fish with chips.