SANTA Aratak Craft Shop was established in the Amerindian village located in the Demerara River a few years ago to empower women to earn.

President of the Santa Aratak Craft Shop, Gwendolyn Campbell-Smith told the Guyana Chronicle recently that it has been three years since they have been participating in the Amerindian Crafts and Cuisine at the Whirlwind Village, Sophia Exhibition Site. This event is part of the annual Amerindian Heritage Month events.

This year, they brought a wide variety of handcrafted items made from tibisri (dried Ite Palm) to make hand-held fans, necklaces, hand bands, earrings, head dresses, coaster sets, costumes, jewel box, placemats, and wooden craft such as keepsakes and ornamental items.

Campbell-Smith related that there are 18 active members of the Santa Aratak Craft Shop, and they would bring their products there, where they are labelled, tagged with the maker’s information and displayed for sale.

She explained that once the products are sold at the craft shop, 12 per cent of the sale price goes towards the general upkeep of the craft shop, while the reminder of the money goes to the craft maker.

Campbell-Smith said that she and another resident represented the village’s craft producers at the event. They had with them a variety of craft products produced by the native women of the remote village, whose only source of income is craft-making.

She related that under the leadership of Toshao Christopher Gouveia, they have benefitted from training programmes and other upskill projects that have empowered them and boosted the productivity of the women in the community.

“The experience of being in the city is refreshing. Our only issue is transportation back to our village, but it was nice interacting with fellow crafters from the Indigenous community, and to see what other things others are making,” she said.

Santa Aratak, also known as Santa Mission, is an Indigenous village in Guyana located in the Kamuni Creek, a tributary of the Demerara River.

The village, established by Alfred Patterson in the mid-1800s, is primarily inhabited by Lokono (Arawak) Amerindians, and is known for its art and craft shop, a monument for former Toshaos (chiefs), and the sacred Kamaka silk-cotton tree.

The village is only accessible by boat, and serves as a popular stop for eco-tourism, particularly for those heading to nearby resorts.

As a tourism hub, it is an ideal destination to experience the natural nature of the village, a destination for persons interested in Indigenous culture and craft.

Often, visitors are intrigued by the beauty of this village, and more so the craft shop, which is conveniently located near the boat landing.

The residents of Santa Aratak mainly do small-scale logging and handicraft production.