The Bushiningue people of French Guiana

One of the largest ethnic groups of French Guiana is the Bushiningue. The word Bushiningue is actually a generic word that refers to the ancestors of the African slaves who risked their lives and fled from the sugar plantations in Surinam and into the jungle, often crossing over into French Guiana territory. These peoples have passed down their old traditions from generation to generation and still speak "Sranan Tongo" as their mother tongue. This was the language used on the Surinamese plantations centuries ago as the slaves weren't allowed to speak Dutch.

The Bushiningue are divided into many tribes such as the Aluku, Saramaca, the Boni, and more. They live mostly in western French Guiana, near the border with Surinam, but more and more live today in the cities of Cayenne and Kourou.

I have a lot of Bushiningue students at school and I've already learned a few Sranan Tongo words.

In the video below, I wanted to share with you the reality of French Guiana. A famous Bushiningue singer has just released a new song and the music video depicts traditional Bushiningue villages and dances. The video gives you also some high-quality images of what French Guiana looks like... Even if you don't like the song, please enjoy the dances and nature views.

Meteor in the sky...

Jack and I were mesmerized at 6:38 pm yesterday by a giant ball of fire that we saw crossing the evening sky. We took some photos in our backyard of this incredible sight to share the unique experience with you. Can you guess what it is? (Click on photos to enlarge) I'll give you some clues...

 Clue #1: This phenomenon occurs about every three months.

Clue #2: This ball of fire originates from the city of Kourou, about 80 kilometers from Cayenne where we live.

Clue #3: The ball of fire leaves behind it a trail of smoke that slowly dissipates into the atmosphere.

Answer: It's the Ariane rocket launch! Kourou is the "Cape Canaveral" of French Guiana where the European Space Center is located. The Ariane rocket has been successfully sending satellites into space for decades now and has proved itself as the world's most reliable rocket. The space industry is also French Guiana's most important economic sector worth several billions of dollars.

Below is a photo of last evening's launch taken by some of Jack's friends. They were down at the beach and had an excellent view of the Ariane rocket as it lifted into space.

A trip to the zoo

There's only one zoo in French Guiana, and it's located about 25 minutes by car from our home. One of the particularities of this zoo is that it only displays animals that are actually found in French Guiana. However, as you wander from one display to another, you are quickly amazed by the gigantic diversity of Guiana's native species. In fact, experts say that there is more flora and fauna diversity in one square kilometer of Guianese rainforest that in all of western Europe.

For example, did you know that French Guiana is home to two different species of toucans? Look carefully at these two males and spot their differences...! (Click on photos to enlarge)

Out of all of Guiana's native species, the jaguar is usually the big favorite for most jungle tourists.

Jack and I have already spotted a few caimen and crocodiles while visiting the Kaw marsh in eastern Guiana. These reptiles keep growing all their lives and can become huge.

The tapir is the largest mammal in South America and can weigh up to 300 kilos. This animal is hunted in French Guiana and you can find its meat served in Creole restaurants.

 Brightly colored parrots and parokeets are also a common sight here.

Wait...! I've forgotten the name of this specimen, but judging from its stealthy gait and stately appearance, I'd say we're in the presence of the king of the jungle...

... oops. No, it's just Jack having fun on the treetop bridges adventure trail. Although we were a bit high off the ground, I enjoyed it too!

Celebrating the ramboutan

One of the best things about living in French Guiana is the incredible variety of delicious tropical fruit you can buy all year long. At the market today, Jack and I bought my favorite fruit in the whole world: the ramboutan. And to think: before coming to French Guiana, I had never even heard of this fruit! (click on photos to enlarge)

The ramboutan is available seasonly-- it appears only from February to May (during our rainy season). The ramboutan is not native to French Guiana but was brought here by the Hmong people when they immigrated to this territory after the French Indochinese war. Today, the ramboutan has become so popular in French Guiana that there is even a famous ramboutan festival organized every year in April.

Ramboutans are oval and look somewhat like litchis. However, they're light reddish to deep red in color.

Although they're a prickly fruit, their prickles are very soft and can be handled without being scratched. Either you take a knife or you use your fingernail to help you peel off the skin.

Inside, you'll find a white fruit you can pop into your mouth; however, you have to spit out the pit.
The taste is delicate, juicy and sweet. It's very refreshing to eat ramboutans you've stored in the refrigerator on a hot day.