Village Focus: Catherineville

Apr 28, 2024 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

The sign at the beginning of the village.

By Anasa Williams

Waterfalls Magazine – The Waterfalls has spent quite some time in the Berbice areas, so this week we headed to a village on the outskirts of the Mahaicony District in the County of Demerara. Quite often mistaken as a part of its sister village Calcutta, Catherineville, or Catherine as it’s commonly known, is a little village tucked away in the county of Demerara.

As it is with most countryside communities, peace and quiet are characteristics that this gem holds. The community has approximately 250-300 households and its residents are mostly of African descent. The Waterfalls visited on a Saturday and though there wasn’t much activity since most persons were either at church or still asleep after a long night at one of the many bars scattered throughout the neighboring villages. A trek through the village gives a sense of nostalgia as its familiar territory.

History

This area was once a plantation as well and after its purchase it served as a home for freed slaves. The areas was inhabited sparsely for much of the earlier days and sported dense foliage and lots of cattle. Farming has always been an integral part of Catherineville and as time progressed other person inhabited the area.

The Catherine Ville Methodist Church

The lands were owned by certain families like the Maisons, the Williams and the Inniss but outsiders joined the area, lands were sold to them and in some cases leased to erect their homes and businesses.

Present Day

Present day, Catherine looks nothing like the stories told of its olden days. The residents have a strong religious convictions and those who aren’t Seventh Day Adventists, attend the Catherine Ville Methodist Church in Sundays.

Passing by the church and stopping to snap a quick photograph you can get a clear view of the bell tower. A kind villager explained that back in the day and up until a few years ago when the last ends of the frayed rope rotted away, this bell was used to send messages.

The Blue Dolphin Disco

If there was a meeting it was rung and folks would gather at the square of the church yard to hear what needed to be said. It was also used to usher newlyweds out of the church. The bell tower also served another grim purpose. If a villager passed away, this bell was rung, but the sound coming out can be described as somber and haunting. There was a distinction in the sound of the bell on each occasion.

A little distance away from the church was a snackette and a grocery store. The grocery store was closed since it was the Sabbath but the snackette was open and the owner sitting outside awaiting customers.

A section of the village.

The owner explained that her business is opened everyday from around 10:00 hrs and closed around 20:00hrs, depending on how business went this could be earlier or later.

There is a wide range of snacks available daily including, mittai, eggball, pholourie and peasball. Fridays and Saturdays saw the addition of souse, roti and curry and food. She also sells beverages.

Heather Wilson’s General Store

The villager noted that Blue Dolphin Disco has been a party hotspot for as long as it has been around. Besides the occasional fete thrown there by promoters in the area, there are other annual events held here that everyone looks forward to.

Some of the snacks available at the snackette.

The month of May and June bring the Maypole and June pole competitions to the area. July –August is Soiree season and there will be a lot of jumpstarts and wash downs before and after the big bang Soiree in Hopetown Village West Coast Berbice— the home of traditional Soiree.

Besides the rare occurrence of a squabble the village is a fantastic place to live and it appears to be a place where everyone knows their space. Next time, you need a break head up to Catherine Ville and be sure to have a few snacks!!!

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Catherine Ville, Church, focus, quiet, Village

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