For the indigenous peoples of Guyana, cassava is a staple, and they use it in various ways. Using a matapee, the liquid is squeezed from the grated cassava. This is used to make cassareep – a preservative that is both nutritious and delicious, and which keeps food edible over long periods of time. The solid byproduct of cassava caseep is processed into farine – a food product that is popular in Region 9 and neighboring Brazil. Farine, a high-carb, energy-supplying food product, is often eaten with meat, rice, fish etc, and it carries a very long shelf life.
In this video, a British volunteer teacher in the Rupununi engages in cassava processing that is used to make both cassareep and farine. This video was filmed in Rewa Village, North Rupununi, around the year 2016.
