Two preliminary / introductory thoughts, before I tell of my recent” Kaieteur Encounter”, are in order.
Firstly, it is now an unfortunate, even bewildering fact that there are certain “national negatives” about my still-beloved Guyana, some with international implications. The verifiable fact that Guyana now seem to be a major trans-shipment location of choice for Cocaine Barons from Colombia, Venezuela and elsewhere on the continent, has placed our once- innocent Greenland in an embarrassing situation. Though other well-known societies have established similar dubious “reputations”, my Guyana should have never become one of them.
And after the LATEST BIG BUST at Bartica during the second week of June 2011, law enforcement officers hinted broadly at the reasons Guyana was identified and is being utilized, as well as why the local barons frequently avoid capture or conviction.
Secondly, on a much lighter note, Guyana is also known for its relative national disaster-free geographic location, it’s still vast, pristine rain-forests and, yes, it’s numerous natural wonders and scenic beauty spots.
And towering above the others in terms of pure natural majesty, is THE KAIETEUR FALLS.
There are exciting, beautiful waterfalls throughout the world, but Kaieteur is known internationally because of these “tour-guide” facts:
Kaieteur Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. It has a free-fall height of over 700 feet, making it the world’s highest one-drop waterfall. It is in one of the few places in the world where endangered species are easily observed.
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THE LEGEND OF OLD KAIE
There is a beautiful haunting legend behind the name of “Kaieteur”. In summary, the story goes that the Old and Wise Kaie was a distinguished Chief (or Toshoa) of the Patamona tribe. The Patamonas were much more peaceful than their counterparts – the fierce and warlike CARIBS.
Kaie prayed to the Great Spirit MAKONAIMA to save his Patamonas from destruction by the savage Caribs. To appease Makonaima, Old Kaie selflessly rode his wood-skin canoe into the mighty splendor of the roaring falls on the River Potaro. (“Teur” means “falls” hence “Kaieteur”)
The legend further has it that Old Kaie’s woodskin canoe was turned into stone and now forms part of the rocks jutting out around the majestic falls.
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Guyana’s poet A J Seymour wrote an epic poem about Old Kaie. Here is just the first verses:
“Now MAKONAIMA, the Great Spirit dwelt
In the huge mountain rock that throbbed and felt
The swift black waters of Potaro's race
Pause on the lip, commit themselves to space
And dive the half mile to the rocks beneath.
Black were the rocks with sharp and angry teeth
And on those rocks the eager waters died,
Above the gorge that seethed and foamed and hissed
Rose, resurrected into lovely mist.”
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Which brings me to the weekend of June 11th last when I made only my second trip to the mighty, majestic, coffee colored Falls. The thundering water never fails to impress, even intimidate, whatever your age or disposition.
The description “majestic” keeps entering the vocabulary of your mind when you are in the presence of this natural watery wonder.
The tour Guide entertains and informs. I like his jocular descriptions of the overland hike to the Falls, when the foreign tourists exclaim “OH MY GOD- as they strain to the top, of a certain mountain . Then once at the level top they say “THANK YOU JESUS”. That’s after Amatuk and Waratuk.
You then view Kaiteur’s wonder from sites such as Boy Scouts View, Rainbow View and Johnson’s View.
To be frank, I was hesitant to go near the spot where a young lady chose to plunge to her Maker months ago. I suppose as her young spirit merged with her Makers, Old Kaie smiled. He dwells forever in the bowels of the Falls, in the gorge and heartland of Guyana.
Kaieteur’s splendour resides in our national spirit-also – forever.
The Sunday that a followed my visit saw a newspaper recalling earlier KAIETEUR DISCOVERY DAYS in British Guiana. The Discoverer Barrington Browne wrote when he discovered Kaieteur in 1870.
“I was prepared to meet with Great Falls on our down, knowing from our attitude by aneroid that we were some 1200 feet above the sea on the Upper Potaro, and that the mouth of the river was a level of only 65 feet, but nothing of so grand and extraordinary a nature as this, had entered my mind for a moment. Feelings of delight for a time overcame me, and I astonished one of my men by grasping his arm and pointing to the glorious scene. In fact, both myself and my usually stolid men were all in a state of great excitement.”
Today’s generation, one hundred and forty-one years after, can revel in the knowledge that the mighty, majestic kaieteur remains ours.
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