Located about 15 miles north of the Pearl Lagoon basin, is Orinoco, which can be reached by a small boat from Pearl Lagoon. The village is home to one of the many unique ethnic groups in the region, the Garifuna. This African tribe originally came from Venezuela, but eventually migrated to Central America. The Garifuna of Nicaragua live in the small village of Orinoco and are comprised of the Sambola and Velasquez families, who speak English as well as their own language, Garifuna. However, because of low literacy rates, only fifty people still speak the language. The village, comprised of about a thousand people is very friendly, and they live in lush green farmland. Aside from the diverse birds, animals and plant-life to observe, interacting with the unique tribe is an unforgettable experience in and of itself. 

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By Dyani Makous

Dyani Makous has a B.F.A. in writing and a minor in Photography from Emerson College. She is currently living in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, working...