Indigenous heritage advocate, Carlotta Hopkinson, is a ‘Special Person’

Sep 27, 2020 News, Special Person

---

Serving her community in many ways…

 

By Rehanna Ramsay

Throughout the month of September, Guyanese across the country joined in the observance and celebration of Indigenous heritage.

However for Carlotta John Hopkinson or “Aunty Carla,” as she is mostly known, everyday is worth celebrating her unique Indigenous roots.
This week’s ‘Special Person’ is a proud Indigenous woman of the Carib tribe, who has spent a considerable amount of her life preserving and teaching the younger generations about the importance of native culture.
In the community of Dog Point located some three miles from Bartica Region Seven, where Aunty Carla is best known, she is a staunch advocate for the preservation of every aspect of the Indigenous way of life.
Through her capacity as a Councillor on the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Aunty Carla finds ways to help promote and safeguard the legacy of her ancestors.
And much like her ancestors, she values the simplicity of nature and the perks that come along with it. She spends most of her days farming, making cassava bread, cassareep, tuma pot and other delectable Indigenous cuisine and beverages. She sometimes sells the latter as a means of sustaining her household—one of the many life skills, she picked up from her parents.

Her parents worked the land to provide for her and siblings and she is doing the same for her generation. She said that it is a way of life from which she could never deviate.
“My parents were hardworking and I learnt so much about the culture from them; how to provide for my family by the using of my hands was one of them and it’s something I passed on to my children and grandchildren,” she said.
Aunty Carla is also fluent in speaking the Carib dialect, another ability, which she adapted from her parents and hopes to pass on the next generation.
During the interview with Kaieteur News, Aunty Carla was keen on sharing the importance of preserving the Carib dialect.
“Understanding and speaking the dialect is important because there will come a moment when you may need it,” she said before recalling an instance when the dialect came in useful.
Aunty Carla explained that “some years ago, my daughter was hospitalised at Georgetown Public Hospital and I went to visit her when she told me that nurses were having trouble understanding a patient who was speaking in the Indigenous dialect. I sought permission to speak with the woman. She spoke in another indigenous dialect but because I spoke a similar language, we were able to communicate because the dialects are all somehow interrelated.”
“Due to my understanding and speaking the languages, the medical staff, at Georgetown Hospital were able to know what was happening with the patient’s condition and possibly save her life,” she said.

She noted that there are other instances when the dialect became useful; as such, she has been advocating and promoting the use of Indigenous languages. The Indigenous Culture advocate noted, however, that there are many challenges with teaching it to the younger generation.
“Often, they do not see the importance of the old way of communication. They prefer modern languages,” she added.
INDIGENOUS ROOTS
As a child, the Indigenous advocate recalled that she loved to read and attended St. Bede Primary School; at a mission settlement in Wacarabi Creek, Region One.
She recalled that her parents were very strict, especially her father; a disciplinarian who was keen on ensuring she and her siblings had understood the value of good manners and hard work.
“One of the things my parents taught me is the importance of earning an honest dollar and that stuck with me and I believe that is one of the reasons I work so hard even today,” she stated.
The family left the mission and only moved to Region Seven when she was 15 years old. Ever since, her life has been in Bartica and its surrounding villages.
She raised her family of seven children, 30 grandchildren and one great grandchild there. She recalled that providing for such a large household

was not easy – she was a stay at home mother but did sewing and embroidery work part-time.
Eventually, due to circumstances beyond her control, Aunty Carla recalled that she was forced to seek permanent employment at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in Bartica.
First, she worked as a charwoman (cleaner) and later as an office assistant – a post she held for 27 years.
During those years, Aunty Carla never lost sight of her Indigenous heritage.
She still did part-time farming to help boost the family’s income. She made cassava bread, cassareep and different types of Indigenous beverages and bush medicine to sell. She would even sell fruits to some of her friends and colleagues.
Now that she is retired, Aunty Carla is focused on her farming and enjoys every moment. She continues to make cassava bread, cassareep, tuma pot and a variety of Indigenous dishes regularly.
“My beverages are so tantalizing that I never have enough to supply my clients and customers,” she boasted.
A HERITAGE TO CELEBRATE
Along with their rich nomadic legacy, Indigenous peoples are known for their unique bond with nature. Their tribes have for centuries co-existed with nature in a manner which benefits both them and the environment. Their belief system allows them to appreciate and practice sustainable management of the earth’s natural resources.

As such, Aunty Carla says that she is proud of her heritage. She noted that it’s not just about the farming, fishing, food and crafts.
“Indigenous have so much to offer, our knowledge of the earth dates back centuries, we understand the importance of sustainable living and we can teach the modern world how to achieve it.”
Aunty Carla noted however that her life is a good combination of modern and Indigenous culture. Her home has modern features but it must have that Indigenous touch aesthetics.
“I use technology but I understand there some things that modernization can’t replace,” she said, adding that her happiest moments are preparing Indigenous meals for her grandchildren, relatives and friends.
As it relates to heritage month activities, Aunty Carla plays an integral role in the village celebrations.
She noted that usually every year, there is a grand celebration but this year due to COVID-19, the Indigenous celebrations slated for today, September 27, has been reduced to just the sharing of food, particularly Indigenous cuisine and beverages, among the villagers.
“I will be helping to share out the meals to the people…,” she said. On Thursday every week, she joins the rest of the villagers for self -elp activities. But due to COVID-9, “our activities have become smaller but we manage by God’s grace.”
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
However, she noted that her days are not consumed with farming and preparing Indigenous cuisine.
In her capacity as a councillor, the Dogg Point resident has been part of the development of its youths.
Through the provision of the Presidential and Jubilee grants by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Aunty Carla has over the past three years, helped youths participate in the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service Programme (HEYS).
In 2017, she helped facilitate a sewing programme for youths funded by the Ministry. During that time, many of the participants, secondary school-aged children, were able to sew their own uniforms.
The councillor noted that the investment in the youths have thus far been fruitful, adding that the monies acquired from the initiative was pegged for purchasing more machines and improving the business.
According to her, both boys and girls showed an interest in the initiative.
Back then, the Village Rep. said that the monies garnered from the programme were also slated to go towards the expansion of facilities used for training youths — to accommodate more persons, and for the storing of their equipment and materials.

 

 

 

---

---