The Kalinago Barana Aute’( Kalinago Village by the Sea) can now boast itself as a truly resilient structural model, one which the rest of Dominica can begin to learn from, in the wake of new dialogue on making the nature island the first resilient nation of the world.
The local tourism site honors the diversity, history and heritage of the Kalinago people, by presenting their customs and cultural traditions at the model village situated around the Isulukati Waterfall in Crayfish River.
The village located on the east coast of Dominica sustained significant damages due to the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017. While majority of the structures stood firm, particularly damages were sustained to the traditional roofing materials, trails and smaller structures as the ‘Mwinas’ and ‘Ajupas’.
Following the Hurricane, new strategies have been employed to improve the sustainability of roofing materials by introducing a modern alternative which retains the traditional feel of the village. Much effort has also been placed in strengthening structural changes in keeping with new standards of Dominica.
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture has invested in excess of EC$500, 000.00 to restore the site to its original capacity, reconstructing and refurbishing its structures, trails and overall site in preparation for the 2018 Cruise Season. Due to the pro-active nature of the Ministry of Tourism and staff of the KBA, much work has been accomplished to date.
In light of the improvements made, the Kalinago Barana was officially re-opened on Thursday January 31st 2018, at 10:00am with a small official ceremony followed by a press tour.
Brief remarks were delivered by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, KBA Manager, Kalinago Chief and the Minister for Kalinago Affairs. Special invitees included former Kalinago Chiefs; grade six of the Salybia Primary School and other Ministry officials and staff.
For more information on Dominica, contact Discover Dominica Authority at 767 448 2045. Or, visit Dominica’s official website: www.DiscoverDominica.com, see Dominica’s updates on the tourism sector post Hurricane Maria: www.dominicaupdate.com, follow Dominica on Twitter and Facebook and take a look at our videos on YouTube.
