Pemón Indigenous Exchange
Volunteers with a genuine interest in anthropology, indigenous rights and experiencing immersion into a foreign culture will especially thrive in the Chirykayen community.
The Gran Sabana is home to the Pemón Nation
There are about are about 6,000 ethnic Pemón people. The community of Chirikayen, where you will be placed, is one of many small, rural Pemón villages. It is 1.5 hours' drive (some parts over extremely bad roads) from Santa Elena, in the beautiful Gran Sabana national park. It has a population of less than 200 people and is located amidst the breathtaking Chirikayen tepuy (flat-top mountain - 1650m). Chirikayen enjoys a healthy climate and environment and has a primary school, a health care station, a community building for meetings, a basic shop and a church.
Gain close insight into the Pemón culture
Chirikayen is a good site for those interested in contemporary indigenous issues and who want to watch and participate as locals decide on the future directions of their communities. Integrate yourself into this strong community, enjoy the different pace of life and the fantastic views of the surrounding tepuis.
I was welcomed into the village with open arms and a huge effort was made to make me feel comfortable, included and totally accepted as a member of the community. Living with an indigenous community may be out of the comfort zone of many but I loved the freedom and simplicity of life and tried to embrace it to its full extent.
∼ Hannah Matthews / August 2009
The value of the actual volunteer work you do will be surpassed by the value of the cross-cultural experience, both for yourself and for the locals in Chirikayen. Your presence in the community will teach the people of Chirikayen about outsiders and what opening their community up for small scale tourism might mean (a project they are taking into consideration).
Practicalities
You can choose to spend the duration of your volunteer placement living with the Pemón or split your time between living in Chirikayen and with the Aldeas de Paz foundation in Santa Elena. Amenities are basic. There is electricity for about 3 hours a day when a generator is run. Clothes are washed in the river. A radio in Chirikayen can call in to the City Hall in Santa Elena in case of emergency. Transport: Collective Taxis go once the day between Santa Elena and Chirikayen. Cost one-way is about $5 USD.
Accommodation & Full Board
Volunteers will be staying with a Pemón indigenous Host Family. The family will provide three meals a day, and a private room. The host family speaks Spanish and their indigenous mother language Taurepan, but some neighbors do know English. All meals are eaten with the family. Volunteers can choose to sleep in either hammocks or beds.
Extremely rewarding: The Chirikayen Tepuy Excursion
A trek can be arranged with locals from the village of Chirikayen to the nearby tepuy. It will take 1 day and is great for beginning backpackers. You will cross savannah, rainforests and see small gold and diamond mines. Make sure you have everything you need with you (see the Chirikayen section on our What to Bring page).
Possible Activities
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Activities in Chirikayen are not fixed. We encourage anyone with an idea for a sustainable project to propose it to us in advance so we can discuss it with the community leaders. Volunteers are also encouraged to be very flexible and to simply help locals with as many daily tasks as they can.
- Gardening side by side with villagers using indigenous techniques
- Daily house, kitchen and garden activities side by side with family members and neighbors
- Conservation activities (e.g. research and protection of wildlife, caring for seedlings, working with the members of the indigenous communities in the areas of the protection of river basins, water sources, and relative wildlife)
- Sustainable community projects such as organic agriculture
- Reforestation of areas affected by burning or mining activities
- Recreational and creative activities with kids, adolescents and school children
- Teaching English to Pemón tour guides and school children
- Building and maintenance work on communal infrastructure
- Initiating an environmental education program and exchanging knowledge of the rainforest and savannah habitat (Spanish required)
Requirements
No previous experience or special skills are required, nor do you have to speak fluent Spanish, but you need to be flexible and willing to get involved in a wide range of activities. Many in these villages speak Spanish and some speak English as well.
Special interest/skills in the areas of sports, music, art, construction, or English teaching are most helpful.
The placement always starts on Friday every week. You should arrive in Santa Elena on its latest on a Thursday if possible for proper preparation. You will then spend Thursday night on the foundation grounds and get an introduction into your program with the Pemón Indigenous.
Chirikayen was a great experience for me too. But I regret to have to say that my time there was too limited. Just when I felt like I was starting to get into the Indian way of life, I had to leave again. But still I think I can say that my time there got me rid of many illusions about Indian community life, and yet gave me some understanding of original contentness and happiness I will keep all my life.
∼ Frederic Heine / Neuenburg, Germany
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