Apoteri is located at the confluence of the Rupununi and Essequibo rivers, about two and a half hours, during high water season, from the administrative centre of Annai. The village is the most remote of the North Rupununi communities.
Apoteri is an old Carib village known since the days of Schomburgk and Im Thurn. It was a stopping point for travellers exploring Guyana’s hinterland in the early 1800s.
The name Apoteri comes from the Arawak name of a tree. The history and development of Apoteri village is closely tied to the balata industry. In the 1970s, Apoteri was formed as a base for the business firm – Booker Brothers, McConnell & Company, popularly known as Bookers. Workers from all over the region came to work there mainly from villages in the South Rupununi like Shea, Sand Creek, Sawariwau and Kraudarnau.
In 1973, the village got its first paid teacher and other villages, namely Rewa, also came to attend the school. The community credits retired headmaster and long-time resident, Naidu (from Anna Regina) with the high standard of education and the progression of several students to secondary school in recent years.
In 1987, Guyana Stores started working in the area. The main activities in the community are mainly agricultural such as farming cash crops, planting peanut and fishing, which were then bought by Guyana Stores. In 1998, Guyana Stores handed over its activities to the community. The community still relies heavily on subsistence farming and hunting.
Today, the village has several indigenous nations including Patamona, Wapishana and Makushi.
The general culture of the people has changed from purely indigenous to a mixture of practices. Influences include music, food and fashion, brought back by those visiting other locations, especially Brazil. But these new influences do not affect community togetherness. The villagers still work together on community self-help projects and celebrating special occasions. They also organise sport events with other communities, helping the people to remain connected, and promote positive relations.
One of the most scenic locations near the village is the King William Falls, located along the Upper Essequibo River. There you can enjoy a wilderness experience unlike any other in the world. (Information from Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, https://moipa.gov.gy)
