Cove and John is located on the Atlantic coast of
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
(East Coast of
Demerara), 18 miles east of
Georgetown and bordered by
Nabacalis
Nabaclis also Nabacalis is a community on the East Coast of Demerara, in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is in low-lying country by the coast, which is subject to flooding in the rainy season.
The local tradition for the name of the village claim ...
to the west and
Victoria to the east. It has a population of 494 people as of 2012.
This village has the Guyana
Sevashram (Hindu Temple).
Location
It is located about 19 miles southeast of the capital city Georgetown. The
Atlantic Ocean sits to the North; and some of the country's largest rice fields are just beyond its southern horizon.
Culture
The population is over 90%
Indo-Guyanese with a small group of Chinese and
Amerindian families. The culture is very similar to that of the rest of the
British Caribbean
The British West Indies (BWI) were colonized British territories in the West Indies: Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, ...
, but with, according to the locals, an East Indian flair.
In the beginning, the culture of Cove and John resembled very much that of India, but as African and Chinese infiltrated the village a slight variety was added. The residents of Cove and John, Indo-Guyanese,
Afro-Guyanese, and
Chinese Guyanese
The first numbers of Chinese arrived in British Guiana in 1853, forming an important minority of the indentured workforce. After their indenture, many who stayed on in Guyana came to be known as successful retailers, with considerable integration w ...
brought their foods, traditions, religion and customs with them.
Over the years, the population of Indians has lost their mother tongue completely, and although Indian music remains very popular, the
English language, with a slight
Creole touch, has taken complete control. No one speaks
Hindi anymore in Cove and John, and it is considered a dead language.
Public Services
Cove and John has two primary schools and one high school. The schools are Cove and John Primary School, St. Andrew's Primary School, and the
Hindu College
Hindu College may refers to several colleges around the world, including:
India
*Dharmamurthi Rao Bhahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty's Hindu College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
* Gobardanga Hindu College, West Bengal
* Gokul Das Hindu Girls College, Moradab ...
. Women's Leadership Institute in Cove and John hosts workshops on business and self-reliance. The village also has a police station and magistrate's court.
Cove and John Ashram is a significant location of worship during
Maha Shivaratri.
Seawall
This small village is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by large concrete seawalls. The main pump station pumps water out whenever rain falls.
References
{{Settlements in Guyana
Populated places in Demerara-Mahaica