Moraikobai is an Amerindian village located in the
Mahaica-Berbice
Mahaica-Berbice (Region 5) is a region of Guyana, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the north, the region of East Berbice-Corentyne to the east, the region of Upper Demerara-Berbice to the south and the region of Demerara-Mahaica to the west.
It c ...
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 ...
, South America.
History
The community was initially called “Moracoba”; a name that was birthed from a combination of two Arawak words; ‘Mora’ meaning tree and ‘Coba’ meaning stump.
However, several decades ago the name was officially changed to ‘Moraikobai’. The village is situated approximately from the confluence of the
Mahaicony River
The Mahaicony River is a small river in northern Guyana that drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Mahaicony village is found at the mouth of the river.
Farming and cattle rearing are the predominant human use of the lower reaches of the river. Sea de ...
, and is only accessible by the Mahaicony creek, helicopter, and trail, the latter of which can be treacherous given that it is of sand; it connects the village to Linden in Region 10 and consists of a population of just over five hundred residents, who are predominantly indigenous peoples from the Arawak tribe.
Dorothy Patoir is said to be the first individual born in the village when it was established many decades ago. Presently, the village is led by a Toshao (Indigenous leader).
Geography
The geographical construct of the village is relatively large, naturally fertile, and mostly unoccupied. Logging and farming are the major economic activities of the village.
Features
Moraikobai has a rich religious heritage, and its people endorse the Christian religion to a large extent.
In this respect, the village consists of three churches including an Anglican church which was established when the community was first inaugurated as a mission. It follows that in the early days the village was known as St. Francis Mission
and later, St. Francis District. Moraikobai is also known for its huge benab and exquisite handicraft produced by its skilled residents.
Moraikobai is supported by a health centre, nursery and primary schools and a guest house, which is funded by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of region 5.
Secondary schooling is done in
Mahaicony
Mahaicony is a community that is made up several villages in East Coast Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Guyana. Mahaicony's physical boundaries on the coast is from De Hoop village in the west to Calcutta village in the east.
Central Mahaicony incorp ...
.
References
External links
Heritage Day at Moraikobai from Guyana Chronicle 2005-09-11 (The University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC))
{{Settlements in Guyana
Populated places in Mahaica-Berbice
Indigenous villages in Guyana
Populated places in Guyana