On wara wii kesi awyaso tooto komo
Amna niire cewton COCA me amna Wai Wai komo comota chewno komo. Pahaxa onwara exihra xakne amna tiroowon tan kayana po. Censom komo nasi amna yewton po merpora cemporen komo. Oni yepu komo, torowo, tanhamya cetarisom komo miyarma (comota marha). Comota rakatawno amna Kirwan iro maki amna yewton, titkenari, ocowo kenariokre, Kirwan tuuna keyehtopo, animtopo, ketaritopo kanawa yaw, torowo yentope marha.
Eroke cmare mimokyaxe enso, tahwore awehtomeso, ona amna yewton pona, on yipu yapona exihra romaki nasi ha roowo po.
Eroke amna niire kirwanhe cemyapore miyaroronome ehtome. Amna yepamtho komo nenirme ehtome. THuris komo mohtome marha. Yaro xa amna netakronomekne kayaritomo komo yakro COCA poko.
Tooto komo yanihtopo poko marha ahnoro roowo poko haknoamyamro. Amokuxe soro maki nasi amna, ona amna yewton pono. Eroke awenixeso ro miki nasi amna.
Translation
We indeed find it a great pleasure to welcome you to beautiful community, the home of the peaceful and friendly Wai Wai located in the deep south of Guyana.
Our Community-Owned Conservation Area (COCA) has much to offer in adventure, comfort, beauty and genuine hospitality of the Wai Wai people. Experience the scenic sites trekking through the pristine forests, swimming in the natural, refreshing waters of the mightyl Essequibo, fishing, canoeing and bird watching. Here you will experience rare indigenous hospitality and breathtaking flora and fauna beyond your wildest imagination. We invite you to enjoy and experience an environment that cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world.
We are committed to preserving our natural environment and biodiversity by dedicating ourselves to sustainable tourism. There is genuine partnership between the government and our community as we open our COCA to visitors from all over the world.
We cherish and invite you to come. The community anxiously awaits you. Visit us.
EXPEDITION: Follow along with CI scientists to the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area in southern Guyana.
In February 2004, the Government of Guyana issued a title to more than 1 million acres of land in the Konashen Indigenous District, declaring this land as the Konashen Community-Owned Conservation Area (COCA) to be managed by the Wai Wai. This important event followed a request made by the Wai Wai community to the government of Guyana and Conservation International Guyana (CIG) for assistance in developing a sustainable plan for their lands in Konashen.
The three parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation which outlines a plan for sustainable use of the Konashen COCA’s biological resources, identifies threats to the area’s biodiversity, and helps develop projects to increase awareness of the COCA as well as generate the income necessary to maintain its protected status.
IN DEPTH: Learn more about CI's work with the Wai Wai.