Destinations A Brief History of Guyana 28th January, 2025

At Kandoo, we believe understanding our destinations is essential to being the best adventure travel company. That includes respecting the history, culture and current affairs of the places we offer tours and treks to. We think it’s right to offer our travellers as much knowledge as possible when they book with us. If you’re interested in travelling to Guyana, read on to find out about Guyana the country, Guyanese people and its fascinating history.

Like so many countries deeply affected by both colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, Guyana’s history is complex, tumultuous, and continuously evolving. Although Guyana is considered a Caribbean country and a founding member of CARICOM, it is geographically in South America and lies on the Atlantic coast between Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname. A similar size to Great Britain in terms of square miles, it differs greatly in terms of population with roughly 85 times fewer people! Its intricate history has been shaped by its Indigenous cultures, European colonisation, African enslavement, Indian indentureship, and eventual independence.

The name Guyana has evolved over the years from the indigenous term “Guiana” meaning "land of many waters". This reflects its lush, riverine geography. Over centuries, Guyana has metamorphosed from a country populated by indigenous tribes to a contested colonial territory, right through to the modern multicultural independent republic it is today.

Before any European knowledge or contact, Guyana was inhabited by several Indigenous groups, including the Arawaks, Caribs, and Warao peoples. These communities lived sustainably off the land, relying on hunting, fishing, and small-scale agriculture. They developed advanced knowledge of the region’s ecosystems, crafting dugout canoes for travel along the vast rivers and practising slash-and-burn agriculture to grow cassava and other crops. 

Since no written history from indigenous tribes has ever been found, the early recorded history of Guyana can be pieced together with scripts written by Europeans who arrived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, marking the start of colonisation there.

In 1498, Christopher Columbus documented sighting Guyana and the region, but Spain initially claimed the area, only shortly after this. However, the dense rainforests, lack of gold, and the force of the Carib tribe's contestation discouraged Spanish settlement. By the 17th century though, Guyana had captured the attention of other European powers – the Dutch, French, and British. Guyana's fertile land, ideal for sugar, coffee, and cotton plantations held great potential. As well as its strategic location near the emerging major trade routes, its vast natural resources, and navigable rivers were attractive to these European powers, driving competition to exploit its wealth and inducing centuries of rivalry.

The Dutch were the first to establish permanent settlements in the early 1600s and developed plantations for sugar, coffee, and cotton, forcibly introducing African slaves to meet labour demands. The brutal enslavement of Africans became central to the colony’s economy. The Dutch also built extensive canal systems, some of which still function today, to manage flooding and transport goods.

The British began to challenge Dutch dominance in the late 18th century, and by 1814, after a series of military conflicts and treaties, the Dutch ceded control of Guyana to the British.

Under British rule, the sugar industry in Guyana flourished, but like their Dutch predecessors, they were reliant on the labour of enslaved Africans so when the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in 1807 and slavery itself in 1834 was inaugurated this catalysed more cultural changes for Guyana.

The enslaved Africans in Guyana were finally emancipated and subsequently left the plantations in large numbers, establishing their own villages and striving for economic independence.

To address the new labour shortages on plantations and maintain their dirty profits, the British turned to indentured servitude. Between 1838 and 1917, thousands of indentured labourers from India were brought to Guyana under tightly controlled contracts. Chinese and Portuguese indentured labourers were also brought although in considerably smaller numbers.

The Indian workers brought to Guyana retained many aspects of their religion, language, and cuisine. Indentured labour was finally outlawed in 1917 but these workers' contributions as well as those from enslaved Africans during this time of oppression, are recognised to have significantly shaped the colony’s economy and cultural landscape. In a relatively short period, Guyana became a diverse blend of Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese, Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Chinese communities.

By the 20th century, the Guyanese people had grown increasingly dissatisfied with British colonial rule. The global decolonisation movement inspired political activism, and local leaders started demanding greater rights and autonomy.

A turning point for politics in Guyana was the administration of The Moyne Commission report in 1939 which highlighted a deep division between the country's two largest ethnic groups, the Afro-Guyanese and the Indo-Guyanese, and their differing socio-political experience and viewpoint.

Despite the differences between political ideologies, The People's Progressive Party (PPP) was established in 1950 with leaders Cheddi Jagan (an Indo-Guyanese Marxist) and Forbes Burnham (an Afro-Guyanese and more moderate left-wing) at the helm.

In the 1953 elections, the PPP won decisively. Still, the British were concerned about socialist influences during the Cold War and suspended the constitution with military occupation of Guyana and sought to maintain control. This remained in place until 1957. However, demands for independence still grew louder.

Guyana finally achieved independence from Britain on May 26, 1966. Burnham, by then, the leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) which had been created as a split from the PPP, became the country’s first prime minister, while Guyana remained a member of the Commonwealth.

After independence, Guyana faced numerous challenges, including political instability, ethnic tensions, and economic struggles. The divide between Afro-Guyanese (who largely supported the PNC) and Indo-Guyanese (who tended to back the PPP) continued to fuel political rivalries.

Burnham's policies became more socialist, catapulting Guyana’s status into a republic in 1970 and cutting all ties with the British Monarchy. However, these policies, combined with government mismanagement and corrupt activities led to economic decline.

In the early 1980s, an economic crisis ensued resulting in food shortages, high unemployment, and emigration of skilled workers. In addition, quite shockingly, Burnham’s government began logging the pristine forests of Guyana in line with a structural adjustment programme and an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

In 1985, the sudden and unexpected death of Burnham saw a switch of leadership in Guyana to a new president, Desmond Hoyte. Under new rule, Guyana’s economy experienced moderate improvements but it was only in 1992, when Guyana held its first free and fair elections in decades, that proper change started to occur. Cheddi Jagan became president, signalling a shift in leadership and a move toward true economic reform.

The discovery of vast offshore oil reserves in 2015 has transformed Guyana’s economic prospects. Governmental partnerships with international companies to develop its oil industry could drastically improve the GDP of Guyana and make it one of the wealthiest countries in South America.

Despite this, Guyana still faces tough challenges, including environmental risks, poverty, and ethnic divisions. Economists believe that the landscape of Guyana’s future lies in how these issues are managed alongside its newfound oil wealth.

With its lush rainforests, diverse wildlife, and deep-rooted Indigenous cultures, tourists in Guyana can have a truly off-the-beaten-path experience. Travellers have the opportunity to support conservation by choosing sustainable lodges and guided tours, which are often operated by local communities. Guyana promotes tourism initiatives that fund rainforest preservation and empower Indigenous Guyanese people by honouring their traditions and protecting vital ecosystems against deforestation and unsustainable resource exploitation.

From its Indigenous roots to being marred by colonisation and post-independence challenges, Guyana’s history is truly one of resilience and transformation. Not only does it stand out as a symbol of cultural diversity with its plight for a liberal way of life, but it is also a haven of natural beauty, home to some of the world's most pristine rainforests and protected habitats. If you’re in search of a culturally educational, physically challenging and awe-inspiring travel adventure, a Guyana trip might be your holy grail!