PERMANENT Secretary, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Mr. Nigel Dharamlall, at the weekend joined with scores of residents of Annai, Region Nine, for its
Mr. Henry Smith who was born in 1913 said that the first set of people to settle in the Annai area were the payako, the name used by the Makushi to refer to themselves because they lived near the Rupununi River, pa’ya. The other tribes used to envy those payako and would come as ku’yu to kill those payako one by one. Mrs. Smith said that finally the ku’yu got rid of the payako. Some escaped through the trail to Iwokrama Mountain where they are still living, transformed into wild Amerindians. Following the routing of the payako, Mrs. Smith said that the Arikuna came and settled in the Annai area. Her great-great-grandmother was Arikuna.
According to Stephen Williams, (who died in 1996) Annai was named after its three separate hills, Aniz iz yepi yen. Peter Moses, an elder now resident in Wowetta, claims that Annai, the Carib word for pineapple, is a Carib place name which has endured. Certainly, as Schaumburg recorded, Annai was the site of a Carib village as late as the 1840s. Yakarinta also is said by knowledgeable elders to be a Carib place name.
Stephen Williams’ father was Captain during the period when he was a little boy. Few people settled in the Annai area then, he said; most lived on their farm places, coming out to Annai only during the holiday period. When his father died he succeeded him as Toshao. He was village leader from 1948 to 1961. In the early days they used to invite villagers from other settlements to visit and dance Parishara for days at a time.
Other elders claim, however that is was Stephen William, during his time as Toshao, who brought the practice of Parishara to an end. He warned, in their recollection, that foreign visitors would laugh when the payako started to dance, and that the payako must leave the old way aside, and that Anglicanism and parishara were incompatible.
Resources
Crops types
Sweet and better cassava
Banana
Corn
Potato
Pumpkin
Pepper
Yam
Eddoes
Plantain
Dashing
Sugar cane
Fishing and hunting
Bow and arrow
Hook and line
Traps
nets
Animals Fish and Birds hunted
Animals
Fish
Bird
Bush deer
Collette
Powis
Savannah deer
Logo logo
Macaw
Tapir
Hassar
Parrot
Agouti
Pacu
Quail
Labba
perai
Dove
Arawana
Pigeon
Haimara
Marudi
Arapaima
Lukunai
Resources used by the people
NTFP
medicine
fruits
Nebbi
Balata sap
Balata fruit
Ite palm
Kiambia bark
Lue
Mucuro
Cashew bark
Cocorite
Wild cashew
Seasonal calendar for farming-, April, September January
Strengths:
Titled Village under the Amerindian Act
The Village Council in place – meets regularly to discuss matters related to the development of the community.
Most of the community supports the village council.
Women on the village council
Village has its own transportation service also has a tractor for the development of agriculture in the area.
The Toshao sit on the National Toshao council.
Has an area set aside for sustainable forestry?
Access to Nursery, Primary and Secondary School Education
Weakness
Lack of leadership outside of the village council.
Not enough interest in the affairs of the community.
Not enough job opportunities being created locally.
Crowded living environment in the community not a lot of space for future housing for new families.
No proper way of disposing garbage.
Community members tend not to support activities driven by the community as much as before.
Alcohol consumption is high among many families, in leadership and in Administration of the school etc.
Opportunities
Close to the road so there is an opportunity for small businesses such as craft makers, farine, casareep and other local products
Training for young people at institutions such as Bina Hill Learning Centre
Access to Secondary School Education
Threats
Close to the main road this could lead to negative influences from outsiders.
Not enough job opportunities in the community causing people to leave and go to other
Importing other values and norms from the places where villager are employed
Competition for local natural resources with residents of other communities and other people living on state land.
Over harvesting of natural resources such as fish stock
Animals in the area could destroy garden and other crops
Human hurt animals
Introduction of use of illicit drugs. (Marijuana, cocaine etc)
Development Plans
Annual Community Priority Plans
Project
Objective
Activity
Timeline
Remarks
Sign Board in the Village
To have signs in place so that residents and visitors know that they are in the Annai Village, visibility and promotion of the village
Purchase power saw to cut materials for signs
Select site for signs
Purchase paint and other materials for signs
Paint signs
Erect signs
By May 2010
Internet Connection
To have connection to the internet for the community
This will help with increased communication for members of the community, also to help students and residents with school work and research.
Select building to house internet and computer equipment
Source equipment
Buy equipment
Pay internet fees
Install equipment
By May 2010
Hot meals school feeding programme Building
Provide supplemental nutrients to school students
Select site
Cut materials
Transport materials
Purchase other hardware and materials for building
Build building
By September 2010
Tourism site and fish pond
Develop tourism product for the Annai Central Village
Develop fish pond to supplement protein needs in the community
Select site
Develop site, trail and accommodation
Select Fish pond site
Dig site
Populate site with fish
Feed and monitor fish
Harvest and sale
December 2010
Upgrading of Annai Sports Ground. Highlight and promote sports to involve recognition and possible remuneration
Have the ground fenced and grassed over, well laid out football pitch with pavilions
Source fencing materials
Cut posts and rails for fence
Transport fence posts and rails
Dig holes for fence posts
Erect posts
Build pavilion
By October 2010
Annai Boundary line to be justified
To have boundaries defined and marked
Get boundary surveyed and justified on the ground.
Cut and mark boundary
Erect signs at boundary lines
Awaiting word on MOAA
And availability of surveyors
Sewing Centre
To help to improve the livelihood of the women in the sewing group
Source materials
Buy materials
Sew materials for sale
Awaiting response on proposal submitted to funding agency
Fencing of Annai Nursery School
Security of the school and children when at school
Cut fence post and rails
Transport fence posts and rails to site
Awaiting response for funding
Community will cut all wooden materials for this project
Bee keeping to be reintroduced
Income generation for the residents
Awaiting response on proposal submitted to funding agency
Cassava project for women
Income generation project for the women in the community
By April and continued throughout the year
Farm Road
Upgrade road for ease of access
Regional Government to say when project will be done
Potable Water
Have safe and clean water for residents
Regional Government to say when project will be done
Electricity
Have electricity for residents on a consistent basis
Regional Government to say when project will be done
Village priority plan
Agriculture-need
Irrigation needed to have crops all year round.
The village plans to have an Agriculture building since they would like to bring in their finished products to a central location and have a secure place to store their tools and equipment.
Motor driven cassava grater for greater production of farine and other cassava related products
The farm road needs to be improved since residents find it difficult to travel to and from their farms during the rainy season.
Cassava factory at a location which is central to the residents
Canning factory-to preserve the fruits and vegetables so that it can be sold to other communities.
Health
The Health Centre should be upgraded to a hospital with all the relevant staff and equipment.
The hospital should have transportation for emergencies.
Training provided to have qualified staff e.g. doctor ,mid-wife ,nursing assistant, Medex, dentist and microscopist
Communication –telephone network should be improved so that public buildings have telephone access.
Access to cell phone service
Social activities-must have trained counselors so that people must go for counseling on various issues they are facing. The councilor must be trust worthy.
Ambulance with equipment e.g. radio, oxygen tank, back board
24 hour medical staff
Transportation
Residents should have access to adequate transportation services at affordable rates
Communication-
Internet system
Residents must be able to access cellular phone service
Radio set in each public building
Improve Radio broadcast
Television
Satellite phone
Improve postal service
Wire transfer service
Newspapers local and international
Telephone ( cellular) to be followed up by council urgently
Education
Library-access to educational materials(old test papers math’s, English etc
More trained teachers in the Secondary Primary and Nursery school
training for professional drivers
catering e.g. cooking
pre nursery and Primary education-
Adults education (Distance education via internet)
Skills training
Community policing training
Guide training.
Traditional skills- e.g. traditional crafts such as basketry, matapees, sifters, fans
Agriculture extension officers
Carpentry training center
Business management training
Leadership skills
Religions Education
Training in financial management(in the home) Money used inappropriately especially to purchase liquor and tabaccos
