Sans Souci, a community on the north-western coast of Wakenaam Island, is home to approximately 200 people, many of whom are farmers and fishermen.
Sans Souci begins on the border of Good Success community and ends at Belle Plaine. Like its name implies—it means care free in French—it is open and friendly. During my visit, neighbours could be seen chatting with each other or getting together to play dominoes. Fishermen were working on their boats together by the seawalls or throwing cast nets into four-foot canals to catch catfish. Those who farm mostly plant rice, coconuts, ground provision, and plantains. They also plant cash crops though these are often not sold but kept for home use.
While I was walking through the village, a particular building caught my eye. It was a huge wooden, colonial-style building that was unlike the other houses in the village. Two large Guyana flags stood in front in the yard. At first, I assumed it was a public building and paused to take a photo catching the attention of the man sweeping up the leaves in the yard. He briskly walked to the gate and half-invited, half-ordered me in.
