Were your childhood stories full of clever jaguars, mischievous monkeys and rainbow-coloured parrots? In the forests of the Guiana Amazonian Park, tales and myths are passed down from generation to generation like pearls of wisdom. As you wander through the thick vegetation, you will hear, like an echo of your childhood, the legends fostered in the local land.
An ideal mythical land, within the Guiana Amazonian Park lies a strong imagination linked to its thriving nature and dense forests. According to recent studies, between eight and ten million people lived in the Amazon before the arrival of European explorers. This significant occupation has left many traces, although most of them have been covered over time by vegetation.
A legacy of nature culture
French Guiana’s forests are not only home to humans. Exploring the forests of the Amazonian Park, you will tread the ground of emblematic animal species: Jaguars, primates, Giant Otters, tapirs, caimans and boas. You can tempt to spot colourful poison dart frogs or giant beetles. You will see metallic-coloured morpho butterflies dancing before you. This unique biodiversity dwells in stories passed down from generation to generation since the dawn of time, revealing the strong links between local communities and the environment. Come and explore French Guiana’s forests to discover these mythical populations and all the tales they inspire!
Uncovering “crowned mountains”, remnants of a glorious past
“Crowned mountain” is the local name for pre-Columbian remains located on a mound or hill and surrounded by a defensive ditch. There are about seventy of them in French Guiana. Hard to find and little-known, these locations are said to have been sites of long and lasting human occupation. Among the other traces of pre-Columbian Amerindian societies that you can admire in French Guiana are several thousand grinder stones, located mainly along rivers, rock carvings and a few rock paintings.
See the mysterious rock paintings of the Mamilipan Rock
At the extreme south-western tip of French Guiana, visit the Mamilipan Rock, an isolated inselberg preserved from the impacts of human activity. 0ne of its walls has rock paintings showing signs of occupation of this site in pre-Columbian times. Two very recent scientific missions have confirmed its archaeological value with the remarkable discovery of ceramic shards and ancient paths that converge towards a plateau.
Passing on tales from the past in southern French Guiana
The Amerindian and Businenge communities living in southern French Guiana have a very strong bond with the land. Their many legends and myths bear witness to this, presenting a plurality of visions about the world and nature. Stories from the past thus pass from generation to generation, explaining creation or relating true facts, always with nature as the main character.
