The Guianas: South America's Weirdest Countries?

[@AlexRothman]

A note on the map outlines in this video. I have used outlines that I first took from a map showing all of 'the Guianas', which include the Spanish and Portuguese ones. These, I now realise, don't recognise the disputed nature of some of the borders, particularly that Suriname has with some of its neighbours. That map may have been out of date. I don't believe this invalidates any of the information in this particular video but in the next videos in this series (on Guyana, and later on Suriname and Guyane) I'm going to make some adjustments to reflect that some of these borders are contested. Needless to say that I don't take a position on these disputes themselves, but I probably could have drawn these borders in a way that shows more accurately that some parts of these borders are not settled. Sorry. My apologies for any offence caused.

[@Lionrisesproductions]

I appreciate the disclaimer.

[@rrvoigt]

Thanks for pointing that out

[@Brucemcleod2345]

This saddens me as for The British empire for instance , was not essentially racist especially for the past 200 years. , Many motives were from “cultural curiosity” and not always morally wrong. For instance although their were always bad people many had good intentions and often practices of cannibalism, tribal warfare and the abolishment of slavery was ended by the British by the last 200 years of the empire. British paid reparations and even attacked other countries slaves boats. Sometimes places like India wanted British rule rather than being governed by another another tribe. So this one eyed anti colonialism narrative is very one sided.

[@chinezen10]

that is the correct border of Suriname and Guyana.. Guyana has been trying to take our land for years.. they want our shiny stuff

[@DenUitvreter]

Britain twice the military power of both the Dutch Republic and France in the 17th century? I don't think so. They are called the Anglo-Dutch wars, it's the English that started them because they couldn't compete in the European trade and attacked Dutch merchants, they deserve the credits for those wars.

[@Lepretr0n]

thought this was going to be a no-budget no-effort wikipedia recite video, then this dude actually GOES there and puts out something genuinely unique and informative

[@rworded]

Yeah me too, fascinating.

[@faustuskrauss6457]

I love it when it’s pure in verbatim and cover it like they did intense research.

[@vibesz]

I’m from British Guiana now called Guyana. We are now the most wealthiest country in South America. We are friendly, hardworking, hospitable, family-oriented, not loud as many cultures in South America. We are nature lovers and our food is delicious and reflects the 5 different ethnic races in our land.

[@karaiwonder]

But being gay is illegal

[@theoteddy9665]

love to visit, but theres a but.. what about bugs, insects? we have almost none🤷👏🙋🇨🇿

[@Picasso_Picante92]

Do you still have Baku there? I recall a Guyanese coworker telling me stories about the dreaded Baku, devilish dwarfs that smoke cigars and do their masters bidding.

[@vibesz]

@@Picasso_Picante92 I remember my childhood home was haunted and my sister described small scary spirit looking at her at night. Not sure if that was a Baku

[@vibesz]

@@theoteddy9665 since we are literally in the Amazon, there are flying insects

[@lucysphotosfromar]

I am so thankful to people like Alex who now post their great adventures and video work on KZbin. When I was about 12 in the 1950's I remember my mom taking me to see films like this at the Santa Monica Playhouse Theater. It was twenty five years ago when in order to see shows like this we had to see a series being offered in our local newspaper and pay to enter a small community hall or theater in order to see what was advertised as a travel documentary. I often bought a VHS copy just to support the filmmakers for their future travels. Now at 79, I can watch them all day or night at home on my large computer screen, WHAT A TREAT! There have always been travelers who wanted to record and share their adventures with those of us who stay closer to home. I AM SO THANKFUL TO THEM ALL.

[@spiritseas]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@spiritseas]

it also feels like a gift to read your comment. i appreciate your appreciation

[@BORN-to-Run]

I sense him to be MUCH MORE than just a traveler! He's a HISTORY BUFF, bar none!

[@deborahaldrich8640]

I agree! He's clear, articulate and has gone to a place that would be difficult to deal with.

[@LucilleJones]

I am from Suriname. I seldom comment on videos that I watch in the afternoon. But THIS is It. You clearly did your homework well. You are telling the story so calm and beautifull. You took into account the history and the stories our people have told you. I can tell because. You use the correct names for the different ethnic groups. And you are careful not to step on our toes. You explained the border issues well and dealt professional with it. As for the scenery: that is superb. I felt as if I was right there with you watching the mighty Kaieteur. I could feel the waterdrops and hear the falls. The music is wel chosen and enhances the story. And you voice is calm and soothing. Conclusion: WELL DONE. As an inhabitant of the Guyanas. A big thumps up. I will go and watch other videos. You might have a new subscriber here.

[@Mail_in_voter]

How did you get internet

[@maxwashere6544]

@@Mail_in_voter probably the same way you did

[@Mail_in_voter]

@@maxwashere6544 doubt it

[@jonaswhale6451]

@@Mail_in_voter Even in Gaza there is internet !

[@Mail_in_voter]

@@jonaswhale6451 who?

[@JoshFealy]

I don't understand how content this polished has not lead to many more subscribers. Fantastic work!

[@squirlmy]

Personally, I'm A little uneasy because it's one person's name, rather than something like VICE, for example. Obviously many people are willing to work for him under his name to support the channel, but it does lead to many questions...

[@OmarRBR]

​@@squirlmywhat are you uneasy about?

[@briskioO]

@@squirlmy huh?

[@MeanBeanComedy]

​@@squirlmyWho cares if it's his name?

[@TheM0nsterX]

I mean Johnny Harris channel has a persons name too, but he has a team of people working with him

[@dharpbend2801]

Our Medical Doctor in the Psychiatric Unit I worked at the 1980's was originally from the Philippines. He and his wife established a clinic in the interior of Guianas where they had to cover all medical emergency that came their way. I remember his stories of critical surgeries under the duress of the lack of proper medical tools, medicines, imaging devices...etc. Doctor A's wife learned her role of surgical nurse on the job, in the moment. They are now a mighty fine team and asset to our community. I am enjoying this presentation a bunch. Thanks

[@genevievedolan1288]

What an interesting story.

[@lynndavid1066]

🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

[@noorgonzalez1076]

⁠♥️🕊️@@lynndavid1066♥️🕊️ Matthew 22:36-40

[@Neutron91939]

Dude your video is outstanding. Better than most big budget documentaries.. My family moved from Guyana when I was a kid to NYC and I was trying to learn the history of Guyana and I’m glad I came across your video can’t want for you to release the rest. You are actually the first channel that I have turned on notifications for just because of the great quality of your work… I think it would also be a good idea for you to label the videos in episodes so it will be easier to watch in chronological order should someone look for it. Keep doing what you do my man

[@LVTRAVELS]

I agree! I met him personally in one of my tour inn Turkmenistan. He's a down to earth person! I like his Channel!

[@RobespierreThePoof]

There's not much history in this video. However, the history of the Guyanas is thankfully not extremely complex. You can definitely pick it up quite quickly.

[@DiscoDashco]

Heard! It might be helpful to get the videos sorted in the order they were uploaded by visiting the channel itself, then clicking on the videos tab, then sort from oldest.

[@VickyNicoll-r2m]

Excellent idea labelling & dating these videos that consist of history in the making

[@CrisWhetstone]

Terrific work. Your calm, to the point delivery free from sensationalization, unnecessarily reaching pauses and hyper editing really makes this a joy to watch. Looking forward to the whole series. This is truly a region most of the world knows almost nothing about.

[@gidiess7880]

Thank you for this fantastic video. My dad was born and raised in Guyana when it was still under British rule. He often talks about how they didn't learn any Guyanese history or geography - only British. I always send him videos like this and he loves them. He's almost 90 (!) and to this day still talks about the beauty and drama of the Kaeiteur Falls. Thanks for teaching us both!

[@LetMeThink007]

I lived and worked in Guyana from 1995-97 and left my heart there. As I worked with the government, I was privileged enough to travel extensively and freely. The falls were absolutely breathtaking, I found very sad to see the levels of gold mining devastation in relatively short time, as I have many photos taken from the planes with zero damage.

[@thediaz07]

Where do you live now? The Netherlands?

[@CarlosCenteno-ec5vh]

Hello...good evening...My name Is Carlos Centeno...I'm living un Equador....but I want to go yo Guyana...Can you give me any idea about this culture?.

[@FuShengAlex]

​@@CarlosCenteno-ec5vh A lot of Venezuelans are in guyana right now. But the economy is amongst the fastest growing in the world

[@CarlosCenteno-ec5vh]

@@FuShengAlex O.k thank you so much for your reply.

[@waynereiffenstein7153]

Did you know a guy named John?

[@charliemango]

This was my first time stumbling across your page. KZbin suggested it to me, cause I have always watched geography videos about the Guianas. A lot of videos I've seen have been repetitive information about the Guianas, but this was super refreshing! Bravo! Honestly, I instantly subscribed- I love the delivery of infiormation and the real world footage. You can't find a lot of quality pics/videos about this region online. Thank you fo your service!!!

[@AlexRothman]

Thanks a lot, many more videos to come!

[@KodKomplex]

Very well said. Great comment and I couldn't agree more about this video!

[@josh0g]

I recommend reading Wild Coast by John Gimlette. Tons of history I'd never heard before about this part of the world.

[@AlexRothman]

@@josh0g I can also highly recommend this book

[@brieziethirteen13]

Informative video...thanks!! Ive been to almost 100 countries, but never there.

[@5220640]

Love how you talk. Very calm. With no fake and annoying hype

[@lisaalexander1824]

Yes, I could go to sleep every night listening to him..😂

[@SisterShirley]

No annoying "uptalk" or "vocal fry". Just pleasant sounds for my ears. 😊

[@roballen5720]

Kiwi accent

[@redbullsalz]

I'm from Suriname, this is a great video! Thanks for using the right map of Suriname

[@johnanita9251]

Tigri hoort bij ons. Simpel. Punt.

[@LiveYourLifeWithJoy]

​@@johnanita9251what is the average living cost per month there? 🙏

[@johnanita9251]

@LiveYourLifeWithJoy well on average between 600 and 800 USD. Depends a bit on where you stay , amount of rent etcetera. Power usage about 30 USD, water 7 USD per month.

[@OomJo3TV]

@@LiveYourLifeWithJoy 500 usd

[@stageiiwappie950]

Zijn er veel lekkere billen in sranang?

[@randysingh6548]

I am from guyana. Great video Alex.

[@neilifill4819]

I’m so glad that someone is taking the time to tell the real history of the Guianas. I grew up in Barbados in the 70s and 80s. It was common for the older folks to denigrate people from Guyana because their country was far less developed than ours. Some Caribbean islands were described as the “low islands” (St Lucia, St Vincent, Dominica, and some others) because they were years behind Barbados in development. These disparities were wholly caused by colonialism and the vestiges of slavery. When Guyana and other countries achieved independence, they started with nothing, just like other Caribbean nations. It’s a testament to the resilience of leaders and citizens, alike, for how far they have all come!

[@boethius1812]

Not true. Some of the most enslaved Caribbean Islands became the most developed.

[@neilifill4819]

@@boethius1812 I’m not clear what you mean by “most enslaved islands.” Also, which islands are you referring to? The entire Caribbean has progressed so much since the independence trend started in the 1960s. They haven’t all gone in the same direction. For example, Barbados, St Lucia, and others have focused heavily on tourism, while Trinidad and Tobago went heavily into industry. Jamaica did both. It was really all about what they started with.

[@earlysda]

neil, Interesting that your education has been so poor.

[@neilifill4819]

@@earlysda anyone who ever lived in a country that had been colonized, and was not a member of the colonial class, their education was poor… intentionally.

[@ShamieShaw]

Watching from Guyana

[@bluesideup007]

This is a lot of history we never get in the US. When I was a child and through my teens I collected stamps. This taught me a lot about geography and a minuscule amount the country and famous people based on the stamp graphics. But I never learned much about the who and why and when. Now, approaching 70, I'm learning a lot more about history because of channels like yours. Thank you. (subbed)

[@globallibran378]

I feel the same way. KZbin has become the new history teacher and the fascinating thing is everyone can see and learn from all corners of the world simultaneously. Amazing time and method to gather knowledge of our world. This medium may have been created for funny cat videos but it has morphed into a one stop knowledge and enlightenment hub. As a direct result I have traveled to South America and Africa and will hopefully get to visit other parts of the world thanx to YT😊🎉

[@grondhero]

If you were taught about every country, school would be about 20 years long.

[@bluesideup007]

@@grondhero You're right! 🙂Still working on it 50+ years after grade school.

[@sheronoswaldoguzmanocamp-tv2xm]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@naturerazzi7shi495]

​@@grondhero And history exams would be 3 days 😂 . .. still, better than an hour of Mathematics.

[@101happyfuntime]

Insanely good video man. So much effort put into this and it shows.

[@AlexRothman]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@KathrynHaugan]

And a very open perspective on the population dynamics. I love colonial videos that point out when relevant that the Europeans did very little if any of the work of settlement and agriculture.

[@esampson2369]

With videos like this, I don't have to go on expensive and exhausting tours with strangers. You make it possible to tour the world from the comfort of our living room. Thank you. 🇨🇦 🇹🇹

[@winstonmiller9649]

We travel for many different reasons, but mainly to have first hand experience of a place. These vid enable us not to do the hard work of being bitten, broken and sickened by travel bugs. These vids are mainly for mature people, not for the young who can still do the rigorous first had travel experience.

[@ashesrockstotaldrama]

Not the same, sorry

[@chrissmith3509]

You wouldn't have the money or stamina anyways. Just sayin.

[@christopherbiomass7155]

KZbin doesn't always have good video suggestions, but when it does, it delivers gems like this. Thanks. I've always wondered about those three territories. And I look forward to learning more.

[@dr.briandecker496]

The algorithm nailed this one for sure. Seems like it was getting pushed to a lot of new people

[@lucysphotosfromar]

Think of or question anything and use the SEARCH on KZbin and you will learn something.

[@yuckyool]

Me too. Went to Paramaribo once on a 48hr business trip, and it was a confusing multicultural whirlwind. Getting driven down to the airport (40+ km? away) over dirt roads at 5am felt surreal.

[@adandd]

My parents are Anglo Guyanese and there are thriving Guyanese communities in Toronto, New York and London. Weird isn’t the word I’d use to describe them. We have a wonderful culture we are very proud of.

[@vta70]

I'd say it's weird because the average person can't find these countries on a map, let alone have ever even heard of them.

[@Kap3lka]

@@vta70 Is the average prson that dumb? If the average person is looking at an accurate map, these 3 countries will be there. They don't just magically disappear from it.

[@Kap3lka]

Yeah, hearing the country I grew up in being referred to as weird is strange to me😂

[@LeydenAigg]

Queens, NY is FULL of Guyanese people! For me, they're a welcome addition to NYC.

[@shtf-un6nn]

ok, so why arent they still there? ​@LeydenAigg

[@mattmctour]

So glad your site just went viral. The world will be a better place if folks (especially Americans) tune in to the concise insightful education you offer. Thank you and congrats on a job well done.

[@davidtaco8890]

Very true. The US definitely has the most power and financial influence out of any other country in the world, therefore it would be beneficial for Americans to watch.

[@happyseany]

Just an incredible, informative video... My Wife and I being from Trinidad & Tobago - we have some Guyanese friends and some Trinidadian friends that live or have lived there. But I NEVER knew the history like this! I'm blown away...I'm subscribing to your channel for sure :)

[@BinroWasRight]

This was an absolutely delightful watch, thank you! The Guianas have long been one of my favorite obscure, gorgeous, remote and mysterious corners of this planet. A complex and unique stew of so many cultures, ways of life and languages, all mixed together. Highly multicultural, intersectional and unique in ways to have led to amazing fusions in the arts, cuisine and musical traditions in spite of their dark past of colonialism and slavery. Such an untamed, biodiverse and vibrant group of places. As you said, this is where Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe meet like nowhere else.

[@erikharaldsson2416]

Great video, it was really impressive that you actually went there instead of just relaying on stock photo, look forward to the rest of the series. I visited all three of them shortly before the Pandemic, and your video brought back good memories. I actually thought there were more Javanese people than Indian in Suriname since the Javanese culture and cuisine felt more visible.

[@michip.904]

I would love to travel there too but I have a little arachnophobia. Did you see many hairy spiders in the cities?

[@shavonnelynch6508]

@@michip.904 I would say as long as you stay away from areas with lots of forest. I've lived in suriname for almost 10 years now and I've only seen a hairy spider in the city once. the other big spider was when i went to swim with friends 3 hours away from the capital (:

[@MrGregory777]

Watching this from Suriname 🇸🇷

[@henzoko5946]

is Tyron Spong popular over there?

[@NuncEstBibendumX]

Greeting from the Netherlands! I hope to visit one day. Met a lot of Surinamers here and appearently there are people with my last name living there! I'd love to hear their stories. Asking around my family it turns out one of my forefathers brothers married a local and started a family there.

[@thelonenoob2489]

Rare 😯

[@trappenweisseguy27]

The Snakewood that comes from Suriname is probably the most beautiful wood on the planet.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

Your food saved my life in Den Hag,,, (Cubana Erica's here)

[@varximus]

I just came back from Suriname. Took a trip inside the interieur as well, i stayed at Kabalebo in the middle of the jungle. Think i was never so far isolated from other people in my life before, it was a great trip! Really excited for your series!

[@higherresolution4490]

The country of Suriname is still Dutch, correct? Is Dutch still spoken there? That's one heck of a rare destination for a vacation! It would seem to me that none of these countries receive many tourists. Excellent choice. All the best to you.

[@tahirghoerahoe8246]

We speak dutch,but are not a colony of the netherlands anymore,the most tourists comes from the netherlands​@@higherresolution4490

[@annekec5307]

Became independant from the Netherlands in 1975. The official language is still Dutch@@higherresolution4490

[@toren1970]

As s world geo teacher I was amazed at this video. Great work. This content it's what KZbin was meant for. I hope your channel grows because you deserve it. This region is almost often overlooked. Our current curriculum only mentions the tapuis and that's about it. Thanks for sharing the rich history of the region. Can't wait for the next video.

[@higherresolution4490]

I haven't listened to such an informed, articulate, dispassionate presenter in many years, to be precise, since listening to Michael Wood, from the University of London, in his series "Legacy: The Origins of Civilization". Top channel. I subscribed immediately. I've always wondered about these three countries, or rather, what were previously five countries, or rather, what were tribal territories without national identities. I'm very much in anticipation of seeing the entire series as they are posted.

[@apexxxx10]

😅😮Thanks '@higherresolution4490' I found "Legacy: The Origin of Civilization" I'll watch it tonight. Greetings from sunny, tropical Thailand, Kingdom of Thailand. Never colonized. I live here in the northern Thai hinterland a small village: Khlong Nam Lai, where rice,tapioca, coconuts, ananas, and lemon and other farm products are cultivated. Myanmar formerly called Burma is over there about 300 km across the dense, bright green (we are in the rainy season) jungles, mountains and valleys. No roads to Burma here. Only asphalt road # 1117 which ends at the Chong Yen National Park 2,000 m above the sea level. My name is Johannes Koistinen-Lindgren. Originally from Suomi-Finland, Helsinki. A Nordic country. After 28 years in a busy air-conditioned Bangkok mega city. Enough! Nowadays, quiet days in Khlong Nam Lai. I like it here. Outside the village. So peaceful almost silent only the insects in the tall grass. And darkness like velvet. No stars tonight. Time 21:52 (officially, we prefer not to use AM/PM in Thailand) Me and my wife Sue Bunnag plus a cat and a dog. No A/C. Only a couple of fans. In Old Burma the colonial masters had "Punka-wallahs" and Pink Gin in the evening. But, here in our village. Anno Domini 2024 we have electricity and internet WiFi with a fiberoptic cable! They call it 5G! That's how I can type and send you this reply. Sitting here on the terrace of our family 'Dacha' Temperature 26 degrees Celsius /Centigrade FAHRENHEIT by the way is only used by the US Embassy in Thailand. And some homesick Brits and Americans.

[@lynnerodgers4461]

Fascinating! Took accelerated World History and Geography in 8th and 9th grades in VA, USA in the early 1970's. Learned more in less than 30 minutes watching this. So much for two semesters. I've learned more as an adult while seeking historical places and reading about places out of curosity. Excited for the rest of the series.

[@prodigy8868]

Big respect to you for actually going to the place. Setting yourself apart from the competition. Great video 💪

[@createone100]

So interesting! I have been quite curious about (and confused about!) the guianas for a long long time. You are right that they seem never to be discussed anywhere. Thank you for this!

[@thecurmudg3on]

Absolutely fascinating! As a geography/anthropology enthusiast, I cant believe I know nothing of this region of the world. I'm excited to learn more. Thanks for the great video!

[@titus2120]

I just now stumbled across this presentation on your site. It is stunning and heartbreaking. I am a 73 year old black man with a college education and a bit of home schooling from my grandmother. Much of what I learned and was taught is included in your clip. But you speak richly of the co mingling and familial relations and similarities and differences of so many who came from Europe and Africa to land and clash in South America. I can only offer my thanks and appreciation for your work, the interviews and rich findings you are offering, I will be look at much of your works. Thank you so much for what you have done.

[@breanna132a]

This video has blown my mind. So educational and told through great, informative storytelling. It all relates to what we see now. Fascinating.

[@dolittle6781]

Very impressive and informative overview of that part of the Americas! This is the kind of scholarly material that should make YT proud. Mr. Rothman has a speaking style that is as once authoritative, accessible and most of all encyclopedic.

[@charlynegezze8536]

And eye candy. 😊

[@dr.briandecker496]

I hope your channel blows up. You deserve it. Top tier content!!!

[@mikeclarke952]

Well done, I had no idea how interesting the history and uniqueness the Guianas are from the rest of SA.

[@arfaannoermahomed3443]

You should visit suriname one day our country is for people who love the jungle cause 93% of suriname is covered with forest

[@christianclark5194]

Mate that was an awesome video. So we’ll put together. Fascinating insights and a great spine to your storytelling. You should be proud of that! Great effort. And brilliant soundtrack

[@carmencollor1224]

Thanks so much! I have goosebumps. I lived and worked in Suriname for almost 4 years, traveled several times to the interior and to both Guiana & French Guiana and left my heart there many years ago. It is such a fascinating area and so little is known about it. I am glad someone took an interest and made such good, balanced and informative videos about it.

[@MaureenSilos-v1q]

Thank you very much for this video!! I watched the video 2 hours ago and forwarded it to my friends and everybody is impressed. I live in Suriname and your approach to the story of the Guyanas is very impressive. The quality of the video and the obvious effort that you put in the storyline is really great. My friends and I are now waiting for the next video 🙂🇸🇷.

[@Suresh8848m]

Wow...what a captivating and eye-opening documentary video. Awesome! Please keep up the great work that you are doing...

[@SuperMsk28]

This has to be by far the best documentary in terms of accuracy and respect to the peoples of the Guianas that I have seen on KZbin. Thank you so much for the time that you have placed into this introduction video. I am looking forward to watching the rest of the series. As a Surinamese descendant born in the United States, I am excited to share this series with the rest of my family scattered between the Netherlands, United States, and Suriname.

[@AlexRothman]

This was a wonderful comment to read! Thanks for watching. Videos on Suriname will be coming, but they are right at the end of the series, so it might be a while I'm afraid

[@maurienpetrusi5303]

​@AlexRothman I will wait for it...Seeing my country in the documentary makes me subscribe. Thank you for Highlighting Suriname and our neighbours❤❤

[@nihao4587]

such a great presentation of places i never imagined anyone would cover in details. what a treasure, definitely deserve a lot more views on YT. GREAT WORK AGAIN, alex!

[@AlexRothman]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thomgizziz]

There are literally dozens of videos about these countries and many of them cover the history... so you are praising something that others have done and you are just being a bit daft.

[@dirtydingus5465]

True, however, there would be none of this without the forethought, and execution. It made millionaires more millionaires, but then if that never had occurred what we look like. In most ways the world is still turning in this fashion. Nothing has changed yet everything has changed.@@thomgizziz

[@dios_dong]

Insanely high quality video. So many of the other geographical and historical documentaries on youtube are similar in how they talk about the places in their videos as yours, but the added effort of conversing with the people there and showing new footage of the countries and territory, actually GOING THERE yourself really brings this a level up on many others. Thank you for using the funds from this channel to make even better videos. Instant subscribe, can't wait for the next one.

[@SeanPaulHernandez]

Every once in a while the YT algorithm gets it perfectly right. Admittedly I haven’t watched any of your other videos, yet, but I agree with the overwhelming majority of commenters. Great job! You have my like and subscribe!

[@sportel4644]

This mix of reporting and history is a breath of fresh air from the normal youtube geography video!

[@mattturner2040]

So interesting. Can't wait for the next videos!

[@AlexRothman]

More to come! Thanks for watching

[@brianandrea3249]

Thank you! Being the cricket tragic, it has always fascinated me that Guyana, located on the most football mad continent, has produced some of the greatest cricketers ever - Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd, Shiv Chnderpaul etc. Their football team is associated with the same group as Canada and not the rest of South America. Such an anomaly!

[@namename3130]

Probably ties into the indian population he mentioned then 😂

[@brianandrea3249]

@@namename3130 Possibly, but I suspect it has more to do with Guyana being a former British colony.

[@chrisz7494]

As a Caribbean native from a nearby island, i gotta say you did REALLY WELL about our South American brethren!! I was recomended this video and now I'm going to stick around to see the rest of the series

[@reginaldbotchaby5375]

I've been to some of the islands nearby Guyana including the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, Saint Lucia, the Commonwealth of Dominica and Antigua & Barbuda. Each island is unique. I note that Trinidad - the accents and people are really similar to Guyana. Although I must say the Belizean accent sounds a lot closer to the Guyanese accent even though Belize (formerly British Honduras) is located far away in Central America. Belize is the only English speaking country in Central America just as Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America.

[@TaLeng2023]

Are the people of the Caribbean still the Caribs or they eventually got replaced by different groups of people, like how Haiti is mostly African these days or how America is mostly white?

[@Cyz171]

This BLEW ME AWAY. Amazing reporting and breaking down of the information fairly sourced and transparent. It's an understatement saying it's such an unknown part of the world that's right in the middle of everything. Like a blackhole of information the entire continent around it obscures.

[@KodKomplex]

Can't wait for the next part of thia series! This is one of the best made videos of its kind I think I've ever seen. I must confess, I am envious! EXCELLENT content! Thank you for your work!

[@Evvins]

Now this is the content I am looking for on youtube! As frenchman myself I genuinely can't remember ever talking about Guiana in school (I would assume because it doesn't exactly pain us as "the good guys") and I know shamefully little about its people and history. Well researched and respectful educational content on places like this is something that is way too rare and I commend you for doing it, I definitely will check out the rest of your channel and be waiting for the follow up videos :)

[@vlcr9259]

On ne parle jamais de la Guyane parce qu'il s'agit d'une région française. Sans mentionner sa faible importance. Pour ce qui est de passer pour les "gentils" ne t'inquiètes pas l'éducation nationale fait son travail sur le colonialisme

[@Evvins]

@@vlcr9259Cela fait quelques que temps que j'ai été moi même à l'école, peut être que le sujet est mieux couvert de nos jours. Personnellement je n'ai aucun souvenir que la Guyane, ou tout autre territoires français, est été discuté pendant mes cours, mais c'est aussi une lacune que j'aurais put facilement combler de mon côté. Jusqu'à il y a quelques jours je ne savais même pas que la Polynésie française existait :x

[@vlcr9259]

@@Evvins oui c'est notable que l'outre-mer est assez peu évoqué, ce qui est cocasse puisque des sujets sur le reste de l'Europe et la colonisation/de l'Afrique et de l'Amérique sont inclus, notamment sur les volets tel que le commerce triangulaire ou la colonisation

[@michaelofsydney6128]

As an Australian, I am very familiar with French Polynesia and also Muraroa Attol where France let off nuclear bombs and even blew up a vessel in Auckland Harbour,killing a man. The region protested massively against the so called French Tests. Still I can't be too smug and sanctimonious in my condemnation; it was with uranium bought from Australia.​@@Evvins

[@deusvult.92]

On parle jamais de la Vendée non plus donc pourquoi aborderait-on le sujet de la Guyane qui ne nous concerne en rien. Faut arrêter d’etre des paillassons a un moment. Moi je suis très fier de ce que nous avons fait.

[@pippa3150]

Hi Alex. I doubt you'll see this, but FANTASTIC video! Thank you for bringing to light such a beautiful and fascinating area of the world. I lived in the Caribbean for 15 years and am somewhat familiar with the wars and populations in that area, but you have expanded on it greatly! I am looking forward to learning more and subscribed 5 minutes into the video. 💚

[@KeirBo]

This is the most informative video I've seen about Guyana. Thank you so much

[@FLStelth]

That was a fascinating video. I knew nothing about Guyana before this. Clearly your exploration and research were put to good use. I will watch your other videos on this topic.

[@fatimahrahman6158]

I was born in British Guiana before it became Guyana. My father was a land surveyor and worked for ‘Lands and Mines’ as a civil servant. He and his men walked the jungles, preventing missionaries from converting the indigenous population, hunting and overseeing the mining of gold and bauxite, while growing into manhood. He died in 2018. Growing up, I learned world geography in addition to unique South American diversity of flora and fauna. This is among the best historical, geographical and cultural documentary I’ve seen. Great presentation and enunciation of the Dutch and Amerindian words! And, the music is exquisite! 🥰

[@Cyax_Rex]

Fantastic! How have you gone under my radar? I'm subscribed and chomping at the bit for more. Well done, mate. Can't wait to watch more of your content.

[@k.r.baylor8825]

Mr. Rothman has a very relaxing voice, almost ASMR. Subbed, a great video about a very obscure part of the Americas.

[@apexxxx10]

*ASMR - please explain, thanks*

[@OysteinAasen]

Love when I (rarely) find gems like this channel educating me beyond the depressing news picture of today! Ashamed to admit that this part of the world only generated mental images of Cool Aid and cults before this video...

[@brucewooley8694]

Wow! Alex I do believe this is the first in-depth historical documentary of these beautiful countries. Good job. Spent some time in Suriname. Got Dengue fever and had to leave because the mortality rate is high enough the first time, the second time is a death sentence. Leaving those kids (I was a teacher) was the hardest thing I've ever done; there wasn't a dry eye among us as I boarded the plane . . . and it wasn't because of the pouring down rain.

[@Thatveganlifestyle]

Thank you for your service to my country🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷♥️.

[@vivianarmstrong1086]

I’m a New Zealander & have been writing a factional book set in British Guiana 1800s. My father & other 17:26 ancestors lived there. I was amazed to find another kiwi having made this very recent & excellent video about Guyana. I’m looking forward to the videos on Surinam & French Guiana.

[@antinorest]

Thank you so much. I´m from Colombia, South America, and I´m astonished at the beauty of this region of the world

[@nicsilk8238]

Fascinating, I'm hooked already and thirsty for more about this huge place with such a checkered history. Thank you for opening this amazing book for us all.

[@afromolukker]

Was blessed to visit Suriname in October 2023. Got to go down the Surinane river for 5 hours in the small canoes to get to Maroon villages. What an amazing experience!

[@snipedotgenius]

These are the documentaries I live for thanks for this bro .. brilliant work and well covered 💯👊🏾

[@havingalook2]

Brilliant, what a fabulous introduction to these fascinating lands.

[@AyaAya-fh2wx]

Hi Alex. Yours must be the most underrated channel. Love your videos and wish you would do more. Your videos are filled with love and the beautiful energy of yours. Apart from being really interesting and well researched

[@AlexRothman]

Thanks for watching and for the comment! I'm trying to put them out as fast as possible, but they take a ton of time. More to come soon though

[@BananaGamingYT7]

We love you Mr.Alex -Rishik

[@billbixby557]

I've been a fan of history and geography my entire Life and although I've seen some quality documentaries in my day I must say that you truly encapsulated a wealth of various subjects / knowledge into smaller 'bite size' portions. Thank you 🤝 I look forward to diving into more of your videos!

[@Viajesygeopolitica]

It's always nice to watch your videos: the quality of the images, the music, the sound and the passion and effort you put on all this. Keep up with the good work!

[@michaelfarrow5817]

I haven't watched videos where I am absolutely sold on learning more about the subject but this sold me on a series.

[@mikaelb7735]

VERY interesting. Thank you! And so nice to "see" a person explaining these things while walking through the history. Superb!

[@Dwilso621]

It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a travel documentary like this from you! Excited for it!

[@justavillain]

I enjoyed the info and I am thankful that you are not talking super fast and not yelling like so many channels now. As someone who has lost hearing and resulting tinnitus it is nice to be able to have a video not on closed caption!

[@telebubba5527]

Interesting video and a good study. I like it that you're a Kiwi, I recognized the accent immediately. As Aussie myself, I moved to the Netherlands at an early age and got involved with many of the people you are speaking of from non American origin, as many now live here because of political complications there. It's an interesting mix of people and an example to the world on integration. One thing though, only the Africans were brought against their will and became real slaves. The others often were fleeing bad and poor conditions, and took the opportunities to go to another country in the hope for a better life. That kind of 'motivation' still happens all over the world today.

[@voidmind108]

This popped up in my feed - what a professionally made, informative video! You should have a million subscribers, hopefully that will happen soon!

[@diarrayaw]

Thank you for this wonderful highlight and educational video. You made this guyanese woman proud!

[@MyApps-uf1dz]

best video I've seen on the Guyanas so far, excellent work!

[@AlexRothman]

Thanks! 😃

[@jesserowlingsify]

mate, what the fuck? first time stumbling across this channel. i'm a geographer and social scientist and can often be pretty critical / skeptical of this content on youtube, particularly when a 'new' channel pops up via the algorithm... but if this is representative of all your work, your channel is a massive exception. are you a one-man team? highly impressive if so. even if not, this was a really great video. well done, hope to see much more from you mate - particularly on this fascinating topic. cheers!

[@bycracky22]

I lived in Paramaribo for approximately a year installing a map control system for alcoa in paranam. If I had bèen younger I would have stayed. Beautiful country and wonderful locals . Best of luck to all in Surinam. Shalom!

[@sharonconstan8234]

Such a solid fascinating presentation. So well done. Ty!

[@noelricardomedina494]

I'm from Venezuela, I think that our history is less complicated. This is a wonderful documentary. Greetings to all of Guyana.

[@resireg]

I think Venezuela is a disappointment. Not only they don't fix their own problems, they keep exporting their worst people like the Tren de Aragua gang to USA.

[@SplashMcKenzie]

Wonderful video, as a Guyanese person it was very insightful learning some things about my country I’ve never knew before. Looking forward to watching your other videos!

[@CZMaestro]

Looking forward to the videos on each of the three countries.

[@kevinbuda7087]

I lived in french guanne for 6 months. 30 years ago. it was the wild west with no police,a bankrobbery where all 8 employees died, linemen sent out and never came back found with arrows in them, I would stand hitching a ride at the harbour with the" boni" who had spears and wore red loin cloths. and that night watch as Kouru sent off a satellite rocket red across the black sky. surreal. paddled in with 20 dollars in my pocket,spent 3 months barely surviving and the next 3 working as a capenter where built a beautiful mortice and tennin roof for a land owner, 1 meal a day and cash money. I slept on a 3 meter sailboat and had a dinghy to shore. guyanne is not a place for sissys. It is a place of storys earned.

[@higherresolution4490]

And I thought I was adventurous! What a brilliant life experience. Sounds like you might be from Australia or another country in the British Commonwealth. Most of my fellow Americans could not even identify a single country in South America, let alone any of the Guianas.

[@kevinbuda7087]

@@higherresolution4490 I could go on forever about guanne. I am an american that became a french bohemian for a while.For the french guanne is a stop over of 2 years to replenish their moneys to continue their voyage by sail. It is the best life.

[@Archerfootball89]

Gççççççcçcccccc7​@@higherresolution4490

[@justinjustinallison4523]

⁠​⁠@@higherresolution4490whatta self righteous clown. Just because you only pay attention to the sheep of my country don’t assume we are all like that. It’s very prevalent but the media makes it look like a far worse problem than what it is. There’s a great deal of individuals in America who are polite, adventurous, educated, ambitious, with unique perspectives and interests. To believe all Americans are dull or unintelligent is so ignorant and actually shows how arrogant the British common wealth is. We have our problems but we are still the main military and political super power of the world. And that is not because of the dull or sheep Americans that are constantly speaking on Facebook.

[@Seagaltalk]

or apparently just getting dead

[@12fretsteven]

Devil’s Island, French Guyana was featured in Papillon. From what I can find hardly any of the film was actually shot there. Fascinating intro to your series, now a subscriber! A great insight to both history and geography let alone current affairs.

[@chaosXP3RT]

That waterfall is absolutely beautiful and amazing! And being able to see the river wind it's way between the mountains!

[@danporter4027]

Fascinating and expertly told! Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

[@mikecontos9423]

Such an interesting video, im rarely interested in travel videos. Love the history too. In the video you mention you would be releasing stories on French Guyana etc... I couldn't see more. I can understand in that environment anything can happen (spent some years in remote areas of Vietnam and Indonesia ... not to mention Guatemala). I hope all went well for you. Thanks for this video, I really incourage more 😊

[@jennhanna8126]

very well done sir!, i feel blessed to have found your channel!, i love learning all day as i can barely walk around any more!

[@mollydcanada7276]

One of my best friends in highschool was from British Guiana. She was very petite, very dark & very smart. She came to Canada as her father-in-law was a British diplomat. All on her own, she became my higschool's valedictorian! Plus a star athlete! I was 5'7" ; yet this diminutive woman took over from on the baton race to win!! I was a hundred feet behind the rest of the race when Philippa took over! She won! She also garnered a scholarship to U of Toronto, an unheard of accomplishment for my small town highschool! And let me assure you there was no black/indigenous preference at this time! Philippa was just so good, no-one could deny her - she became a lawyer!

[@y13ei]

Amazing video. It's incredible how little we know about the Guianas here in Brazil, especially in the south. Such a complex territory with such a history, it's baffling how it feels like the place is in a whole different continent. It's also great to hear from people that are neighbors for us Brazilian, and yet we know so little about, I learnt a lot from reading the comments and watching the video. Great content!

[@Shani_Tev]

Wow you have an amazingly informative channel, iv always been interested in Suriname for it's diverse food with Indian influence and it's uniqueness of landscape and language within south America but this opened my eyes to a very sad past. Looking forward to your next one on this! Thanks for making well researched content that's interesting

[@murphaph]

Looking forward to more of these. I've always been fascinated by these countries.

[@edream9]

Wow! This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen! Thank you, Alex.

[@BrianOh-uc3gm]

Very well put together video. A lot of research went into the making of it for sure. When I visited the Guyana's more than 10 years ago I was struck by the fact that they had so little interaction with each other. How distrustful of each other they were. How separate they were from South America, and at the same time separate from their Caribbean neighborurs.

[@Spark3r2]

Fantastic video! I love the editing and narrating. The information was super interesting.

[@TheTMax]

I'm visiting the Guyanas right now, and I'm in Georgetown. I've learned so much from your video! I'll be heading to Suriname next week, then French Guiana, and then back to Brazil, where I'm currently living and traveling around making KZbin videos. Just wanted to say thanks🙏

[@memarkiam]

Fascinating video. Thank you so much. Looking forward to exploring your other videos.