The Spaceport

French Guiana facts & figures:

Surface area: 90,000 sq. kilometers
Capital city: Cayenne
Geographical location: The northeast coast of South America, between the countries of Brazil and Surinam
Status: A French overseas department since 1947. French Guiana has been a French possession since 1664
Population: 158,000 inhabitants (1999 census), of which more than half are under 25 years of age
Languages spoken: French, Creole and several local dialects
Currency: Euro

Exploring French Guiana > Speaking the local language: a glossary

Glossary terms:

A

Abattis: A section of land that has been cleared of trees by families within the region to grow food and crops.
Acoupa: A word used by locals for a large fish found native to the northern coastline and found in the rivers.
Aimara or Hoplias malabaricus macrophtalmus: Creole for a local meat-eating fish that it measures in at about one meter in length. This sharp-toothed killer fish lurks alone, stalking its prey. When caught, its flesh is considered a delicacy.
Amerindiens: This term encompasses all American Indians from regions other than the East Indies. Today's Guiana is comprised of six nomadic or semi-nomadic Amerindians, with a population of 3,500. They are derived from different linguistic families.

B

Boucaner: A rupi word that refers to the preservation of meat and fish through the smoking process.

C

Carbet: A basic, open-sided communal hut.
Carnaval: This French Guiana festival, held between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, is celebrated with costumes, parades and parties.
Cassave: The pancake-like cassave is made from manioc (yuca) flour, and is a tropical Amerindian staple.
Creole: Originally referring to any white person born in the colonies, La Reunion, the West Indies or Guiana, the meaning of this word has changed. Today "Creole" refers to any black or mixed-blood person born in these countries. It is also used to describe the mélange of French and African languages spoken by these groups.
Crique: Having the same meaning and derived from the English word "creek," this is a thin stream of water that flows through forests and savannahs.

E

Emerillions: This is the smallest group of Guiana's Amerindian population and lives in the Canopi region.

G

Galibis: Residing in the Awalaylimapo region, most of Guiana's Ameridinian elites are descendents of this tribe.

H

Habitation: Once referring to a plantation that housed everything from farmland to the servants' quarters, the term "habitation" is now used among Guyanese Creoles to describe additional areas known as "abattis," "carbets" or huts.

M

Mangrove: An inhospitable forest of tropical evergreens. The trees' roots grow in the damp soil and soggy sea banks.

N

Noirs Marrons: This term is used to describe the black slaves who escaped during the 17th and 19th centuries. Also known as "Businenge." "Bush Negroes" and "Bosnegers," they sought refuge in the forest and rivers, and later formed six groups: the Bonis, the Saramacas, the Paramacas, the Djukas, the Kwintis and the Matawais. Each society lives its own region, known as a "great country," and is governed by matriarchs. "Marron" is derived from a distortion of the American Spanish word for refugee: "Cimarron."

O

Orpailleur: Originating from Guiana's gold mining days, "orpailleur" is the word for gold miner who rinsed alluvial deposits in order to mine the precious metal.

P

Placer: This term is derived from the Spanish word for "sand-bank" and refers to sediment filled with gold, diamonds, precious metals and stones.
Pri-pri: A low-lying wetland with grassy vegetation.

R

Rochambeau: The French Commanding Officer who rescued the Americans and won the Battle of Yorktown during the Revolutionary War. In 1943, the international airfield built near Cayenne, took his name.

T

Takari: A long pole made of firm but flexible wood, it is used to steer or push a canoe.
Ti' Punch: This on-ice concoction of rum, lime juice and sugar cane syrup is a refreshing cocktail served throughout French Guiana.
Tortue Luth: (Dermochelys Coricea) This is the largest Chelonia tortoise in existence. Also known as the "leathery tortoise" because of its shell-like appearance, it measures 192 cm and weighs up to 807 kilos. The females lay their eggs on the sandy Guyana beaches each year.
Touloulou: During the 19th century, this Créole distortion of the word "tourlourlou," or "red crab," was used to refer to the marine light infantry soldiers and later to any person dressed in disguise during Carnaval.

W

Wayanas: A tribe of Amerindian expert fishers, they live in Guiana, Surinam and Brazil. Their communities center around a chief (or the group's founder) and range in size from 20 to 70.

Z

Zone Intertropicale de Convergence (Z.I.C.): An area where the Northeast and Southwest trade winds converge, creating a low pressure system from November to February that brings on the rainy season.

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