The President's Award!

Some time in January, Paul Stephenson, the Chairman of the Karanambu Lodge, Inc. and also the President of THAG (Tourisim and Hospitality Association of Guyana) called us on Skype to inform us that we needed to be in Georgetown on January 28th to attend the President's Award dinner.  Not being too keen to leave Karanambu, especially when we had guests, we protested.  Paul said, "Just be there!"  Of course, we assumed that he was asking us to present the award to Rewa Lodge.  So we agreed.

Paul Stephenson

The evening the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) presented the awards for 2012 was an amazing evening!  It took place in the ballroom of the Princess Hotel.  The President of Guyana, His Excellency Donald Ramotar, The Honorable Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali and the President of THAG Mr. Paul Stephenson presided over the Award Ceremony.  They began the ceremony by explaining that this year traditions were going to be broken.  Awards were NOT going to be presented  to institutions, businesses or any of the traditional "fixtures", instead they would be focusing on the faces of tourism in Guyana, the individuals who had made the difference in the development of tourism in Guyana.

It was terribly exciting to see our friends from Rewa Lodge, those who we had gone to support before their first big tour arrived in November, receive the award for OUTSTANDING RESORT OF THE YEAR!!!

And then....We received the award for "MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR!"  Paul made a lovely speech about how we raised the bar and set higher standards!  We were both quite emotional as we walked up hand in hand to receive our award from the Honorable Prime Minister, who immediately said, "Ah, we have met before!  At Ms. Diane's birthday, how nice to see you again.  Congratulations on your accomplishments!"  Fortunately, we didn't have to speak!  We shook hands with all and smiled and held on tight, as we were both a bit teary.

And Diane sent her words of Congratulations!

"I wish that I were with you, in person, today to congratulate Andrea and Salvador on adding the President 's Award to our recent crown of laurels within the tourism industry. It is due to their unfailing dedication to duty, with efficiency, courage, warmth and generosity - the stamp of their management style - that Karanambu has achieved the status of a world class tourism destination.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our hospitality, itself a tradition reaching back over 90 years to the days when a traveler in the Rupununi, approaching the smallest house, would be offered a welcome: perhaps a calabash of water, if was all to be had."

WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN!!  

The recognition of our efforts was overwhelming! 

Karanambu Trust on the move!

For years, Diane's vision for the Karanambu Trust has been…

To ensure the sustainable use of Karanambu land through wildlife and habitat conservation, research, training, and technology transfer in partnership with local communities. 

Early in January, Karanambu Trustees, Dr. Godfrey Bourne, a Professor of Evolutionary and Tropical Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St, Louis and Dr. Lucy Spelman, a biologist and wildlife veterinarian who is also a professor at RISD, Rhode Island arrived at Karanambu with 6 American biology students.

 Being dropped off by a small plane in the middle of nowhere did not seem to deter them.

Diane welcoming the students to the Karanambu Compound as Andrea hugs Dr. Lucy

Godfrey soon paired the American students with their local Guyanese counterparts. Each pair chose a specific research project and their fieldwork schedules were organized. 

Susan George (in the red shirt) from Katoka Village was the only Guyanese female participant...all the American students were female.  It took her 2 hours to arrive from Katoka by motorbike. She was nervous that she would not be able to keep up with the university students.  Makushi is her first language and she has not attended university.  She brought all of her school books, including her dictionary. We reassured  her that this was her home and she knew more about it than they did. They might have computer skills, but they were coming to study biodiversity.  The Guyanese students knew more about it than they did, which made them equal partners as they began their research projects.

 Whether it was learning about the termites 

and their mounds

 Or learning about their predator, the Giant Anteater 

and observing Martien's amazing ability to interact with them. The students nicknamed him, 

"The Anteater Whisperer"

 

Three veterinary students got hands on experience working with Marvin the Senior Vaquero.

 Anum and Oswin studied the Water Lilies

And it's pollination

Another project was the study of

Acushi(LEAF CUTTER)Ants

 and figuring out their favorite diet

The students also visited Kwaimatta school

Auntie Doris and Benita and "Baby Jane"

showed them how to make Cassava Bread

Sleeping in a hammock was a new experience for the American students

But eating under a cashew tree

and showering outside was not difficult

Before we knew it, the 10 days were over and it was time to say "good-bye", until the next time!

 Even after all the logistical nightmares 

(the TRUCK of supplies arrived 5 days after the students! So the toilets weren't finished...and we are still trying to figure how we managed to feed everyone!) 

It was wonderful to see Diane's vision for the Karanambu Trust realized.

It had all been a great success and everyone is looking forward to the next one!

"MYU!!"

Myu is the Makushi word for "Self Help".  Friends, neighbors come together to work on a community project.  The "host" or community asking for the help provides a meal and Cassava beer, which is called "Cari". There is tremendous strength in numbers!  It is just amazing how much can get accomplished when everyone works together!

Karanambu has two airstrips.  The larger one is maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority.  The smaller one on the compound is our responsibility to maintain.   After the rainy season, the grasses and weeds had taken it over.  Charter flights and the RAM (Remote Area Medical) plane use it.  So we went to our closest village, Kwiamatta and called a MYU!  Friends and neighbors all came to help clear the runway.

  Men, women and children all came to help.

We slaughtered a cow and made plenty Cari and the work began

and continued

Everyone working together to clear the grass

burning and pulling and hoeing 

While clearing the runway we came across a large rattlesnake.  

Salvador tried to remove it, but accidentally sliced him with a sickle!

It was definitely time for a "Cari" break

 Cari is the local drink.  It's a beer made from Cassava,

it is very strong and definitely an acquired taste.

I think it tastes like warm fermented yogurt, 

but Salvador doesn't mind the taste!

When you see the white bucket, you know Cari is about.

But soon enough, it was back to work...a little happier for the Cari

It was a long day

Finally everyone was ready to head home

and they all piled into the Landrover

 and we took them home

Karanambu goes to Rewa!!

Before Robin left us to go back home to the States, she visited Rewa Lodge.  Rewa is a community run Eco-Lodge. She told us that they were expecting 15  people for 7 days!!!  She said she was really worried about her new friends, this was a huge opportunity for this community run Eco-Lodge, but they had little experience hosting such a large group.  The group coming are professional "Catch and Release" fishermen. 

Karanambu is a member of THAG

(Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana), http://www.exploreguyana.org/ 

and a member of the NRDDB 

(North Rupununi District Development Board) http://www.entrepreneurstoolkit.org/index.php?title=NRDDB_Community_Tourism_in_Guyana 

So, in our capacity as members of both, we offered to go and visit and see what we could do to help.  We took our head cook, Ms. Yonette Roberts, with us. 

Our boats took us by river the first 1-1/2 hours to Genip Landing where we were picked up in a vehicle and drove us another hour to Kwattaman Landing where the Rewa boats met us and carried us for the next 2-1/2 hours to Rewa Lodge

Rewa Lodge is located where the Rewa River

meets the Rupununi River. 

Our mission was to provide them with as much support as we possibly could in 3 DAYS!!

Our first job was to get things organized so that the staff could function easily.  Looking around the kitchen, we discovered that the stove was in the back corner where there was no light and no window. So we moved it to the other side of the room.

ROVIN adding an electric outlet for the freezer

Secondly, the freezer was in the middle of the wall, so we requested a new outlet and we moved the freezer out of the way.  Previously, nothing had been kept in sealed containers. Now everything has its own container which will prevent cross contamination. The supplies were due to arrive in a matter of hours.  In anticipation of their arriving, our next step was to request substantial new shelving in the storeroom.   1,2, 3 it was done!  The supplies arrived on time. Then we began to organize the storeroom.   To someone who doesn't know the meaning of "whiskey on the ROCKS" this shelf is very daunting and bewildering. Then we asked for new shelving in the kitchen and began to organize everything from pots and pans to the spices.  Everything needed to be within reach and easy to find.   First thing each morning we had a meeting to discuss what we needed to achieve that day and why! The thought process is not an easy one to learn. "How to see Rewa Lodge through the eyes of a guest"  * Anticipate their needs  * Which cabin is best for which guest and why  * Planning healthy menus and appropriate quantities  * The importance of protein and hydration for guests  * Dividing the responsibilities of all that goes into making a guest happy   * Preparing the coolers for the boats, the importance of ALWAYS taking water along in EVERY boat  * Preparing cabins - each morning and each night   * Providing drinks and snacks during the day & why  * Welcoming the guests back after an activity  * Preparing meals - timing and quantities  * Serving and Entertaining  * How to talk to guests  * How to prepare the kitchen for the following day The staff was eager to learn.  Yonette worked with each person individually.  Sometimes in Makushi and sometimes in English. She would ask questions and invite their comments, ideas and suggestions.  Yonette would show them something new, and then each person had an opportunity to try it. Together we discussed what changes would be best for Rewa Lodge.  We decided that a buffet table would be easier for both the guests and the staff when there was a large group visiting. We also requested an additional dining table to seat everyone comfortably. We practiced using the buffet table (purpleheart wood) We also decided that several lounge areas would be good before meals, for drinks and snacks.  A place for guests to have a drink and talk with each other and their guides.  We also made suggestions on how to prepare the guesthouses; how to make it easier for each guest to hang their clothes and prepare for their activities.  When and how to put down the mosquito nets, change the linens and respond to the needs of the guests. And then, just as quickly as we arrived,  it was time  for us to leave. With hugs and tears and promises to return, we were on our way back home to Karanambu!