The Women of Kalebaskreek

Come and Relax at Marakka

Location: Kalebaskreek, an Amer-Indian village on the shores of the
                   Coppename river

Theme:    Community based eco-tourism

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Entering Kalebaskreek

The well-spirited women of Kalebaskreek are driving a relentless effort to develop tourism in their village. For the 180 inhabitants of this Amerindian village, tourism and in particular eco-tourism represents the promise of more substantial revenue than what is currently obtained primarily through fishing and logging.

Although the natural potential is not yet fully recognized, there is a lot to offer. The village is situated on the Coppename river, relatively close to the sea at a point where the river is wide and majestic. It is reachable by boat only, about 1,5 hour travel time from Boskamp. The Coppename muddy waters are said to be free of pollution, partly due to the lack of industrial activity and the low number of settlements.  The river carries sediments from up the river into the sea. In reverse, a lot of salt water comes up the river, enough to provide a suitable habitat to the Suriname dolphin – profosoe.

The beautiful Mangrove Shores, habitat of many species

The profosoe was hard to spot, although we did see the wings of a pair of them playing around our boat.

Our boatman Louise is awaiting us at the docks of Boskamp. During the journey he drives close to the mangrove shores, to offer a glimpse at the variety of the animals that live around there. A famous, yet sadly endangered Ara bird stretched its wings. The forest surrounding the village are full of monkey’s (“monki monki” as the locals call them) and a variety of snakes, although we saw none. The forest is well preserved and of good quality, a different natural habitat than what we had seen so far – somewhere between the rainforest and the savannah. It seems like an excellent location for a natural reserve.

The boat also passes Batavia, a former lepracy colony, whose patron, the priest Petrus Donders, became a wellknown figure and  was beatified by the Vatican for his work in Suriname.

The Kalebaskreek Lodge

In contrast with the bustling tourist industry on the Suriname river, Kalebaskreek is a quiet, pristine place really well suited for relaxation. It has a nice and relatively well served food shop, a very exotic outdoors bar and it has a brand new medical centre and an artisanal shop.

The name of the village Kalebaskreek -Calabashkreek-  refers to a  tree with similarly named fruits that plays a central role in Amer-Indian culture. The dried calabash is often beautifully decorated and used as a storage or drinking vessel or music instrument and is called Marakka or Ametare, in the local language of the villagers. The people are called Karinha, Carrib, and are descendants of the original inhabitants of Suriname.

Ruben Scholsberg, the village captain

Ruben Scholsberg, the village captain,  kindly spends an hour with us explaining the ambition of the village to move into a new development stage through tourism. Tourism would not only employ many more people in the village than there currently are employed, but it would also provide some further benefits. There is a strong need for improvement of the village’s infrastructure, water availability, electricity and transportation. All are eagerly awaiting the completion of the new dock. In addition, by providing a more significant and more stable revenue stream, tourism would help relieve the pressure on fishing and logging.

The Women's Art & Craftshop, Kupakatong

Beautiful

The captain has established a very interesting decentralized governance and decision-making process. The different issues of concern and village projects are delegated to different groups who take ownership and develop the expertise to deal with them. The development of eco-tourism for the village was adopted by the Women’s Organization Kupakatong. Meredice Scholsberg – the President, Hillegonda Birambi – the Vice-President, Agnes and Linda, are very active. They are supported by another village cooperation Kraba. Kraba members Wilson and Louise often give a hand where needed or generate fresh ideas.

Discussion with the women of Kupakatong on Eco-Tourism

Recently a visitor’s lodge was completed, it is a basic accommodation, a short walk from the village through a breathtaking bamboo forest.

The women of Kalabaskreek are clear about their vision for Marakka, it should become a well known tourist destination, with many overnight stays and a variety of activities that build on the natural and cultural capital of the village.  They have identified and prioritized their needs: A new dock is needed as it is their gateway to the outerworld, capacity building for the villagers especially when it comes to understanding the concept of environmental sustainability and the opportunities created trough tourism.  The women share stories of lectures and workshops in the capital Paramaribo, on REDD+ and other environmental initiatives. Unfortunately these are often complex, high level and somehow fail to translate into understandable language and practical tools for villages such as Kalabaskreek. They require support on outreach and promotional activities for their village. As we deliberate with them for hours, other ideas cross our mind; solar energy, water pumps.

We are captured by the woman’s energy, wrapped in layers of modesty, as they walk us through the village.

What is encouraging is their openness for feedback  and their eagerness to learn.  Tourists are invited to try out accommodation facilities.  “ We are doing the best we can, please tell us what we can do better”.  We share our experiences and pictures from Pikin Slee,  and explain how the woodcarvers managed to create a welcoming atmosphere by displaying their artefacts.

The houses of Kalebaskreek

Accommodation tips:

Bring your own mosquito nets and repellent, sunscreen, lantern, water and washing amenities. Especially for large groups, we advise to bring staple food, snacks, water and vegetables along. The food is very basic, but the cook is good.

Boattrip: SRD 400 return (approx. 120 USD)

Accomodation: SRD 15 per person per day (approx. 4,50 USD)

Tour through the village: SRD 20 (approx. 6 USD)

Contact: Agnes Stuger at Ph. (+597)8807653

For further information visit:

Kalebaskreek Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kalebaskreek/147038185316262?sk=wall 

Another traveler's blog about Kalebaskreek
http://rudyvanbruggen.waarbenjij.nu/Reisverslag/?