Photos by Joanna Dhanraj
Just about 500 people live in Huis T’ Dieren, a bright and beautiful little village on the Esse-quibo Coast. The name Huis T’ Dieren is of Dutch origin and it means ‘House of Animals’.
Teachers, Pastors, a Pandit and an Imam are some of the prominent people to have hailed from Huis T’ Dieren but was also home to other renowned people like former attorney general Dr
Mohamed Shahabuddeen, former minister Harripersaud Nokta and former first lady Deolatchmee Ramotar.
Driver and poultry farmer Richard Seecharran, a resident of Huis T’ Dieren, recalled that when he was much younger the houses were smaller, but there were many fruit trees and very few fences.
“Growing up as a boy we had a loam road with lots of holes. We used to use the water from a trench to bathe and wash and well the rain water was what we used for cooking and drinking. Years later they put stand pipes on the road for us to use. There was always a windmill at the pump station that used to always be spinning but it doesn’t work anymore,” Seecharran said.