Soesdyke man talks about building, boats, minds and homes.

WHEN Christopher Cornelius was still a child, his grandfather crafted a unique wooden horse for him by hand. This seemingly simple gift ignited a passion that would lay dormant for years. It wasn’t until Christopher left his village of Dora that he took this passion and turned it into a livelihood. More than a year later, Christopher has made woodwork his profession, crafting hundreds of beautifully intricate wooden staircases and kitchen cupboards, transforming his passion into a successful career.

The Pepperpot Magazine caught up with Christopher at his Soesdyke home, where he works hard crafting statement pieces. He has called Soesdyke home for more than two decades, but was born and raised in the riverside community of Dora, which is found some miles away. During most of his time in Dora, Christopher was an educator, a profession he cherished. As he stated, “I used to teach in my village. I was the headmaster at Dora for the school for several years.”

As much as he undoubtedly loved his job teaching the children of Dora, Christopher sought to create a better life for himself and his family. He explained, “When I left Dora, my salary was 21,000 or something a month. And with the headmaster’s allowance and the out-of-town allowance, that took it to 27,000 or something. That was in 2004.”

More than 20 years ago, Christopher left Dora to follow new pursuits. The father of one found himself among the streets of the rapidly developing community of Soesdyke. The move from Dora to the quickly changing landscape of Soesdyke was a big environmental shift, but in many ways, there were still similar aspects, with community values and family time among the biggest.

As he stated, “On weekends, we used to play cricket on the road. And now, nobody, not even the children, comes out on the road. I guess they’re just occupied with a phone or a tablet.”
Christopher still frequents his home village, tucked away off the Soesdyke-Linden highway, a village that lies alongside the Demerara River. Dora is a community surrounded and characterised by its rich flora and fauna. Soesdyke, in contrast, is a farming community, with kitchen gardens being the primary greenery. His days back in Dora do plenty for Christopher, as he stated, “Even when I’m out here, and I go into Dora, and I take a walk in the bush, it is like it sucks the stress out of you. So when you come out back, you’ll be a bit energised.”

Since leaving his community, Christopher has been practising as a jack of all trades, performing many jobs around the village. But woodwork has been his real passion, with his skill and work becoming more well known. Christopher’s passion for handcrafted wooden pieces began when he started building boats in his village. As he stated, “I always used to do woodwork, and even though I was teaching in Dora, I used to make boats. I just developed that skill.” He further shared, “I remember when I was about three or four, my grandfather made a wooden horse for me, and I was inspired by that. I think I always tell myself, regardless of what I’m doing, I will always have some time to do woodwork.”

As a teacher, Christopher was well known, and now that he has shifted gears, his skills are still in high demand. Guyanese from all around the country have reached out to him. Christopher stated, “I would normally get calls for kitchen cabinets, and stairs, I would basically do finishing on homes, putting in moulding, I also make doors. But if it’s kitchen cabinets and certain parts of the stairs that would shrink, I would use trim. Some of the most common things I make are stairs and kitchen cabinets and floors.”

His role in the community is still often discussed, however. He was recently asked to join the Soesdyke Primary School’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Christopher turned the position down, stating, “They wanted me to be head of the PTA, but I told them if I was going to be head of the PTA, I wasn’t just going to be a rubber stamp. They would have to do the things that I say have to be done.” He is, however, still deeply invested in the development of the Soesdyke community.

Collaboration is high on the list of things that Christopher would like to see in the village he has come to call home. He urges the community leaders to be more open to the villagers’ opinions and believes the villagers should be more vocal about their concerns and opinions. As he stated, “The things that affect this community in my mind is that remember, in every community, there is a CDC. There is a CDC here as well. I think this community, I think the persons in the community should be more involved or should be included, not more involved. Because they’re willing to be involved, but they’re not being included in the decision making of the CDC.”

Christopher’s journey from educator to skilled woodworker is a testament to the power of following one’s passion. His story showcases the potential for personal growth and reinvention that exists within small communities such as Soesdyke.