Rupertee

Village Profile

Community Profile



 

Population

329

Males

159

Females

170

Households

55

Peoples

Makushi

Skills

Farming, Hunting, Fishing, brick making, embroidery , masons, chain saw operators, leather crafts, vaquero

Religion

Anglican, Christian Brethren

Village assets

chainsaw, water pump, brush cutter, water tanks

Employment

Teachers, Health Workers, cooks, shopkeeper,

Economic activities

Farming, Hunting, Fishing, brick making, embroidery, lumber,

Buildings

Nursery School, Health Post, Church, Village market, Multi-purpose building

Local Organization

Wildlife club, Parent teachers friends association, Sewing Group, Mothers Union, football club

 

 

History

History of Rupertee

Rupertee settlement began when Roberto Andrew and his family moved there from Aranaputa. First they camped at a place called prouyankiri, at Kwatamang, east of Rupertee. After a year Roberto decided to build his house in Rupertee, where it still stands. In those days the area was named after the prominent mountain, monoiyen. Roberto had come from Brazil originally. He worked as a vaquero with the rancher D’ Aguiar. At that also, many wild buffalo grazed in Rupertee savannah, providing a ready meat supply to the vaquero and their families.

After Roberto, another vaquero named Francisco settled at the mountain corner named woyomiyen, to the north of the village. Over time, other settlers moved in, particularly from the Aranaputa area, since they could not afford to pay the annual lease rates for what had been declared State Land. Other settlers, like the Daniels family, moved from Yakarinta. Later residents banded together to build an Anglican Church so as to cut out the long walk to Annai.

The word ‘Rupertee’ comes from a special type of bamboo called rapoye’ which grows in abundance at the ‘bush mouth’ of Rupertee. This Bamboo was used to make arrow points which would be dipped into the poison, curare.

 

Resources

Strengths

  • Is part of the larger Annai Amerindian Land Title under the present Amerindian Act

  • Community members are willing to give of their time in self help activities

  • Have an active cultural group

  • Have an active women’s group, this group gives out small loans to women for enhanced livelihood

  • Active Mother’s Union group in the community

  • Has access to Nursery, Primary and Secondary school education- note that Primary and Secondary Education is not available directly in the community

  • Conservation site – an area that has the Paurine trees have been set aside as a conservation area so that some natural resources are managed in a sustainable way.

Weakness

  • Poor communication – not enough or timely communication on issues that affect community members of the community from the village council to the community and from the leader to the community members.

  • Weak leadership in the community – the community needs more leaders who have leadership skills to deal with issues that face community members and to provide direction for the development of the community.

  • Poor mobilization of the people for community affairs

  • Not enough interest in development of cultural aspects in the community

  • Few young people are involved in decisions making processes in the community.

  • No Primary School in the community – a primary school is needed for the community as the community has all of its’ students of primary school age attending school in a close by community.

  • Limited job opportunities for residents of the community

Opportunities

  • Small business enterprises can be developed as the road passes through the community. The community is about to embark on a brick making project to provide some employment to members of the community and also generate some funds for the community

  • Training opportunities for youths at institutions such as the Bina Hill Institute

  • Transfer of traditional skills in areas such as craft making, embroidery and other areas to young people in the community.

  • Opportunities for community members to be trained in the tourism and hospitality business at places such as the Rock view Lodge.

 

 

Threats

  • Community close to the road where the impacts of the impending road development can be a negative one, this could include young people leaving,

  • Competition for resources with other nearby communities

  • Farm lands not on titled community land and is far away

  • Not enough employment for people in the community

  • Development of the road and community not prepared for it.

  • Overharvesting of natural resources such and wildlife from the area.

 

Development Plans

Annual Community Priority Plans






Project

Objective

Activity

Timeline

Remarks

Handicraft Centre

Have a place where craft makers can have their crafts and art on display

Have an area where there training can be done

Select site

Acquire bricks and other building materials

Put up posts

Put up rafters and runners

Cut leaves

Transport leaves

Cut and pack leaves

Trash roof

Put up clay brick walls

Insert window and door frames

Lay floor

Complete doors and windows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presently laying brick walls

Building to be complete in 4 weeks

 

 

 

 

Clay brick project

Have a project being done which can generate income for the individual and the community

Select site

Mash mud

Form brick and leave to dry

Get firewood

Fire bricks

Cool and pack bricks

To be done during the dry season

 

Rest House

Have a place where visitors to the community can stay

Select site

Acquire materials

Transport materials

Build building

 

 

 

Primary School

Have primary school where children from the community can have access to primary education

Get requisite permission from the relevant authorities to have school in the community

 

 

 

Drainage and irrigation

Place drains and dams in areas in the community so that there can be access during the raining season

Select areas for dams to be build and drains to be dug

Dig drains and build dams

 

 

Wildlife club house

Have a building where the club members meet and have their activities

Select site for building

Acquire materials for building

Lay foundation

Build building

 

 

Nature Trail

Refurbish the existing nature trail and look at areas that may be extended

Clear trail and explore other areas of interest where the trail might be further developed

 

 

Agro-forestry plot

Further develop the agro-forestry plot

Drain plot that was selected

Plant selected crops