Shawarowaoro : means the grandfather spirit of fishes area in Pawi shian language. The place was named by a tribe many years ago before it was made into a village. The first settlements were at Koshada Paawaza and KowaibaTawwa north west of Sawariwau village approximately 14 miles. The chief of that settlers was Koshara a Dawuzai man.
Masokannoa Taawa leader was Chipizii a pawishian elder. At Torudukuo was Dazao a wapishana man and Mandork an Atorada as lead elders At Kadibaaroda was Dakara Sakon a wapishana chief, but Kursad and Torudukuo were the two larger settlements.
The first settlement where all the remaining tribes came together to settle was at `Pirazanaawa` meaning grandfather of agoti pawishian language. The first chief of all was a man named Suubau a Chibizaidin tribe. He invited all other settlers to come out from to form a settlement near a clear running water with lots of fish and game animals until missionaries discovered the settles in 1900`s.
HISTORY OF TOSHAO`S
1.Toshao Johnson 8. Jerome Marques 2. Lawerence 9.Cletus Johnson 3.Alwaysus Johnson 10.Dereck Johnson 4.Stanislaus Bernard 11.Gregory Thomas 5.Joseph Anthone 6.Paul Johnson 7.Silas Anthone
LAND RIGHTS
As a result of previous land titling errors our villagers do not occupy the title. This situation is currently being addressed by the Village Council and SRDC in official talks with Government of Guyana. The village has submitted a formal application for extension of land title over two tracts of customary lands. This application is currently being processed by Government of Guyana and the final outcome of our extension request that has been outstanding for many years remains pending in 2017.
POPULATION
Total houses in Sawariwau is one hundred four and the population is five hundred twenty-one for 2017.
MAIN ECOSYSTEM AND RESOURCES USE
The system of Sawariwau is small patches of bush islands, rivers and creeks/lakes, bush mountains and savannah mountains, savannah and hills and scrubs.
The savannah is used for rearing livestock, hunting and gathering. the bush islands are used for rotational farming, hunting, gathering and important bush islands with valuable resources are put up for community conserved areas. All water bodies are used for fishing and some important pool with spirit keepers as put up and respected as no go zones by the wapichan people.
The mountains are our hunting grounds whiles some are respected as special to the wapichanao` e.g. Shiriri Top, Tozaobana Ticha Kizi, Madara wao dukuo.
ECONOMY AND LAND USE
Farming: Cash crop planting –peanuts and cassava Ranching: Rearing of livestocks.
SERVICES AND FACILITIES
Primary School Nursery School Health Post Airstrip Village office/Community centre Catholic: Catholic Play field Teacher`s Quarters Hot Meal Building-that serves it`s school children with a balanced diet of lunch. Snack for nursery students Solar pump Two radio set on, installed at the health post and the other at the village ranch. The village also has Digicel Signal nearly all around the village so residents own mobile phones for communication link.
GOVERNANCE
Toshao, DPT Toshao, Secretary, Treasurer and assistant secretary and Treasurer - and four other councillors.
COMMUNITY ORGANISATION
Village council Church Team Health board committee Youth Village Sports Church youth planting of fruit trees and reaching out the needy Community Policing group Security Parents Teachers Friends Association-Primary and Nursery Women group: sewing and catering Culture group: Village Church culture group Wapichan wadauniinao Ati’o Amerindian People Association Unite Village Ranch manager “Kapatash” School welfare committee Hot meal management board Local manager
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
*Cattle rearing *Upgrading of corral and fencing of grazing pasture *Sheep rearing *Village farm
FUTURE PLANS
*Gaining recognition to our traditional lands land, our extension land *Building benabs at Parzanaaw for future important events *Renovation of village benab *Poultry rearing *Tannery and craft *Arrow processing
WILD LIFE INTEREST AND TOURIST ATTRACTION
Raada mountain. All type of insects, birds and animals and sighting. Toruduko: A large cave where the first settlers were living- clay pots and plates pieces. Sararaipin: Untouched rock carvings and battle field ground and different types of wild animals, birds, plants are beautiful for sighting. Pokont Toon: Rock carvings.
HOW WE CARE FOR OUR RESOURCES
We have written village rules and regulations for the right way of use of our resources. We also include some of our customary laws into our village rules. We have intercommunity agreement on our resources. We have local manager taking care of our resources and giving advices to young people and strangers in the right use of our resources.
PHOTOS: The caves.
: Village coral
: The rock carvings
Nursery School children graduation ceremony in Sawariwau Village 2018
Fish pepper pot( Kopau damorid)
Making ite balls.