The vanishing celebrations of the Wapichan

A Wapichan rancher going home after rounding up cattle in the Savannah 

In Guyana, there is enormous diversity among Indigenous nations, each of which have their own distinct culture, language, history and unique way of life.

For the Wapichan nation, whose peoples occupy the southern Rupununi Savannahs, a lot has changed since they first came into contact with the modern world. Yet, despite that, some aspects of life remain little altered over decades.

On Mondays, after sending their children to school, villagers gather at a meeting point, which varies, to do their weekly community ‘manore’ or communal work, whether it is weeding the bushes in the village or rounding up the village cattle. Most of the women opt to work alongside their spouses so meals and drinks are prepared by only a few women. For almost the entire day, they brave the weather and don’t give up until their goal is met.