Whitewater, the largest Indigenous settlement in the Mabaruma sub-region, got its name from a crystal stream that runs through it, though over time it has become less transparent. Close to the Venezuelan border, the village has officially been in existence since 1966 and though it began with just four families it has rapidly grown to a population of approximately 1,300 from 147 households. Whitewater comprises seven satellite areas: Central, Arucuru, Western, Blackwater, Kursima, Simarupa and Bamboo Landing. The two most common languages spoken in these areas are English and Warrau. Whitewater is pronounced ‘Ho Ko’ in Warrau.
The World Beyond Georgetown travelled one hour by plane from Ogle and another hour by taxi, along a treacherous