Capoey

Capoey is a village in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region of Guyana. The village is mainly inhabited by Lokono Amerindians.^[4] It is located on Lake Capoey, a blackwater lake, which is one of largest lakes of Essequibo.^[4]

Capoey
Village
Capoey Location in Guyana
Coordinates: 7.1932°N 58.5340°W / 7.1932; -58.5340
Country	Guyana
Region	Pomeroon-Supenaam
Government
• Toshao	Ralph Hendricks[1]
Area [2]
• Total	9.31 km2 (3.59 sq mi)
Population  (2012)[3]
• Total	523
• Density	56/km2 (150/sq mi)

History

Capoey was originally settled by Wapishana who named the village. The name translates to "Land of the Rising Moon". The tribe was wiped out by a plague. A group of Lokono Amerindians who were enslaved on a plantation on the Essequibo coast escaped from captivity, crossed the lake, and resettled the abandoned village.^[1] In the early 20th century, a mission was founded by the Methodist Church.^[2]

Overview

The economy of Capoey is based logging, subsistence farming, gold mining,^[2] and tourism has become important.^[5] The village has a primary school, village office,^[2] and a health care clinic.^[4] The village provides free transportation to the coast for secondary and trade education.^[2] Electricity is provided by solar panels.^[4]

Lake Capoey

Lake Capoey is one of the largest lakes in Essequibo. The lake is known for its large beige beaches, black water,^[4] and benabs (palm thatched hut).^[1] The lake is steadily growing in size.^[4]

Transport

The lake is accessible via a side road of the Essequibo Coast Road. The village is located on the other side of the lake, and can only be accessed by boat. There is a tiny hamlet on the northern edge of the lake called Mary Point which is part of the Capoey reserve.^[4]