Public challenged to name Dominica’s 365 rivers

The White River located in Delices

As preparation for the 30th Anniversary of World Rivers Day 2010 continues, the World Rivers Day Committee invites river enthusiasts to plan activities in their communities and notify the committee of their event(s).

The Dominica Scout Association has been challenged to name and identify the 365 rivers that we boast about in the promotion of Dominica. This challenge is also extended to the schools in the Carib Territory. Special awards will be given to the person who names the most rivers.

The theme for WRD in Dominica is “WHERE HAVE OUR 365 RIVERS GONE?”

For further information contact Clem Rabess- 4491076; Bernard Wiltshire – 4401724, Fr. Franklyn Cuffy- 275 2708/4493651.

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47 Comments

  1. Country
    December 1, 2011

    Stewart river Clark river rosalie river nice way to promote Dominica. It’s all about RIVERS RIVERS and more RIVERS. Water is life! Bless

  2. smoky
    October 27, 2010

    wooooooooooooooooooooooow wat a beute

  3. smoky
    October 27, 2010

    how but it true

  4. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @Vex:

    What names in the Caribbean? We are speaking about Dominica and its rivers. We have rivers in Dominica. I have stated that they should be named as is or in honor of those who contributed significantly to Dominica. Keep them all Dominican and in Dominica!

  5. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @Anonymous:

    Inform the authorities about them prior to celebration of World Rivers.

  6. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @True:

    Great advice.

  7. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @elizabeth xavier:

    Nice to know you reside in Toronto. We may have seen but do not know each other. In time, as God ordains all to be, all of us faithful Dominicans – who continue to love our country and have good memories of it, have something great in common, will meet.
    Thank you also for the rest of the words. As you know, we cannot always remember everything. One remembers some words and others remember other words. Just great! This is a song which should be revived.
    The rivers have been declining – drying up – for some years. Take for instance the Roseau river. What a beautiful river it was in those days when we resided in Dominica and also were attending school and thereafter. It is a landmark. It was disappointing to see what it has become today.
    The government is not responsible for the rainfall and lack of it but I do think that the government could try to do something to preserve the rivers and clean them up. I recognize that funding is absolutely necessary.
    Keep in mind there is always a price to pay for progress and development. This is why our rivers which are necessary are looking the way they do.
    Thank God that Dominica has water and still a lot of it. God will not abandon Dominican residents/us. I just remember a song: “Let us pray, pray for rain.” I believe this calypso originated from Barbados, even Antigua which are not blest as Dominica with many rivers/streams and healthy water.
    In Toronto, I boil and/or filter the water which it has been said is not healthy. Recently I was in Dominica and how delicious it was to drink the water, right from the tap. I do not drink tap water in Toronto, if I can help it.
    I hope that the water is healthy to drink and not polluted with this progress. I just read on this Website and shockingly that some people got sick from drinking the water which appears to be contaminated. This should never occur. May God assist our Dominican people.

    • Anonymous
      November 23, 2012

      We are bless dont matter wat

  8. August 18, 2010

    Gene Toronto, I live in Toronto as well, and just like you I am hoping to return to my Dominica within the next few years, let it be God’s Will.

    I do not know when last you were in Dominica, but I was there two years ago. And I am sure that various situations have contributed to the degenerating of our 365 rivers. For I do believe that we once had 365 rivers. But times have changed.

    The majority of Dominican’s now depend on public water service. Where does all of this water come from? Rivers live longer around clusters of trees. Are we not cutting down the trees to make space to build houses. And yes, throughout the past 36 years quite a large number of houses have evolved all over the island of Dominica.

    I am sure that we still have quite a few rivers in Dominica, but I doubt that we can count up to 365.

    Also thank you for the lyrics of the first verse of that song. I have always remember the verse that followed it, which said: So bring your parents,
    your sons and daughters
    To a vacation in Dominica
    We can assure you
    When you return home
    You will say O yes sir
    That’s a happy land.

  9. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    God willing, when next I visit Dominica which I hope it will be in the not too distant future, I would love to take a trip to see all those rivers whether they are rivers or streams. They are worth visiting. We must be proud of them. I have not forgotten that Dominicans have always boasted of its 365 rivers – days of the year.

    Always proud of my Dominica country, my land-of-birth, my home which God ordained.

  10. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @Dread:

    The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Look and see them! Be not blind. Be enlightened.

  11. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @Driver:

    Be positive. Do not cry down your country/rivers.

  12. Gene, Toronto
    August 18, 2010

    @saphire:

    Wise statement!

  13. Gene, Toronto
    August 17, 2010

    @Reason:

    They are already named. They are located in villages and surrounding ones. It is only a matter of officially naming them as is. I do hope those who are responsible for this will consider it.

  14. Gene, Toronto
    August 17, 2010

    @Tom Thumb:

    Thank you! Many Dominicans in Toronto and no doubt elsewhere would like to know this. We have forgotten some of those rivers and areas where they are located. Will surely advise my Dominican counterparts about them. The government should ensure that they are kept clean. This is a great renewal of our Dominican roots. God bless!

  15. True
    August 17, 2010

    There is jeedor and Malou basseh just to name a few in Wesley. Maybe we can find tem all if people from every village start namimg the rivers in their vicinity.

  16. Gene, Toronto
    August 17, 2010

    @Tom Thumb:

    Excellent description. We surely wish that the present rivers are what we knew them to be as children and adults in those days.

  17. Gene, Toronto
    August 17, 2010

    @madness:
    Hurricanes, tree cutting and road building have decreased the rivers and their strength. I do hope they are all still there. I always boast of the 365 rivers of Dominica.
    Dominica gets a lot of rain and this should replenish the streams into rivers. When the rain falls and the rivers are flooding, if you are in the river and do not see the water flowing heavily, you could be washed away down stream. Therefore, do not be negative about our Dominica rivers. Say something positive.

  18. Gene, Toronto
    August 17, 2010

    Extremely interesting. Dominca’s 365 rivers – days of the year. I am happy to read this, officially naming the rivers. The name, Layou River, should remain as is. I recall going on picnics in that area. I hope that the hot water area is still there. Happy memories.
    Water, water, everywhere. Whenever I see a lake in Canada, I feel like jumping into it. They remind me of the Layou River and other rivers in Dominica. It makes me homesick too.
    Please provide the areas where the rivers are situated. My advice is that all the rivers should be named where they are situated. No foreign names, unless they will be named in honor of Dominicans who have significantly contributed to Dominica in various ways. I do hope this meets with approval.
    Oh Dominican residents, how proud you should be of your island, the land of beauty and sunshine and to make it a great and better place for you to enjoy and live in peace, happiness, harmony and safety, just as God planned for you.
    I recall a Dominican song from my childhood days to my adulthood days in Dominica:

    Sweet Dominica, the land of beauty
    The land of cocoa, grapefruit and orange
    The land of rivers and glorious sunshine
    We say, Oh yes, sure, that’s a happy land…

    Some of you would remember this. Probably Dominica calypsonian residents could resurrect this beautiful song when celebrating The World of Rivers.

  19. Anonymous
    August 17, 2010

    copthall river… bath estate river.. roseau river… thats 3 :-)

  20. August 17, 2010

    @sandra: How did the Gay men made the rivers disappear???? lol

  21. August 17, 2010

    I think that we can start by naming a river in honor of each island in the caribbean.. That’s just a start and my two cent to this forum.

  22. child
    August 17, 2010

    our people are so negative ,we are not the only ones that are reading these comments .soon our visitors will begin to question that to

  23. marigot
    August 17, 2010

    Do we really have 365 rivers? Probably we use to. Most of the rivers now become streams. The reason is that the farmers cut away the trees that were close to the rivers to protect them.
    Many of them are now dried up like dried rasins.

  24. only
    August 17, 2010

    I would say that naming 365 rivers would be VERY challenging because it depends on the definition of a river. There are a lot of creeks.

  25. sunshine
    August 17, 2010

    A very good job Discovery Dominica, but if the inhabitants continue selling their farm lands to foreigners, then where will the future generation farm? Once the lands is in foreign hands, then
    it never gets back to the locals.People,don’t forget that agriculture is our primary economic and social advancement. We are not a manufacturing country, and we should do the best and work with the produce that we have in abundance. Stop dreaming about the big white hope that will come and invest in your island. We have an abundance of labor but if you look around the world there is so much cheap labor eg. China. Wake up people it’s later than you think.

  26. Watcher
    August 17, 2010

    @Tom Thumb: Good I checked about eighty but it is somewhere to start.

  27. Itassian
    August 17, 2010

    A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, a sea or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River.

    What we have in Dominica, whether we call them river, stream, rivulet or tributary they are all rivers whether large or small.

    If the river count was based on the checks at the river mouths then it might be difficult to come up with the 365 figure. However when one considers that many of the rivers you see are not one but a combination of several rivers, then based on that, the 365 figure seems realistic. Take for example the Layou River. Does any one know exactly how many rivers combine to form this great river? Another example is the Castle Bruce river. Several rivers join in the interior before they get to the river mouth. What is needed is an expedition to track down every single river at their origin, not at the mouths only and I bet there might even be more than 365.

    The point is we are blessed with an abundance of rivers that many other countries right here in the Caribbean would long to have. We need to preserve and protect this invaluable resource as evidence suggest that we are slowly loosing some of our rivers to human activities.

    I remember the days when the Blenheim River was so deep that you could dive from the Blenheim bridge. If you try that now you are sure to break your neck. Many similar stories can be told about other rivers, about what they used to be that they are no more.

    God save our rivers!!!!

  28. Tom Thumb
    August 17, 2010

    Here is a list I found online of some of the rivers in D/ca :
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_of_Dominica

  29. 4saken 1
    August 17, 2010

    love that challenge, what proof do I have 2 give that I visited so n so river?

  30. Anonymous
    August 17, 2010

    well said J ,

    Dominica the land of many rivers , commonly know as the Nature Isle of the of the Caribbean,
    we should add a new title ” Isle of all the complainers ”

    Every time i come across an article that positively highlights our island , it is followed by a bunch of negative comments. Dominicans are always quick to bash their own island, jeez we are you peopls so damn hard to please.

    White River, Indian River, Concord River, Pagua River, bath estate river, Roseau valley river, Belles river,Menvielle Hall River (just naming few)

  31. Tom Thumb
    August 17, 2010

    You know, in places like Guyana, they would call our biggest river a creek. As far as they are concern, streams like ours are not rivers. So my question today, is Dominica counting all flowing bodies of water as rivers to get to that 365 count, or should we today differentiate between rivers, ravines, and creeks?

    PS:
    And please don’t tell me that Dominica is counting river valleys to get to that 365 count because most of our river valleys today don’t have a whole-year flowing stream!

  32. August 17, 2010

    This is the first step in being forthright about our resources.

  33. D
    August 17, 2010

    Brilliant!

  34. Pleased
    August 17, 2010

    Excellent Challenge. Absoulety brilliant an Idea. Just never voiced. Through this we can also update our “Nature Isle” data and engage in more factual tourism promotional activities. It is also likely we may discover “new ones???

  35. Jay
    August 17, 2010

    firstly, let me say how lovely the display photo is….brings out alot in dominica and our rivers. but honestly yow not one day i breathed for 27 years i believed that dominica has 365 rivers. i supposed they counted all the sreams and ghauts (ravines like we say comonly). i mean please. we are not foolish go count the RIVERS and give us a correct number. for years we have been listening to the 365 river nonsense and we have grown smart enough to know t hat its impossible….strupes

  36. underground
    August 17, 2010

    The little ravine by NAYOH in cottage is that a river too ?…yes the one by the big mangolong tree in the corner on the hill

  37. Fraud
    August 17, 2010

    Which 365 rivers? That is such a lie. Please do not a recount. I am pretty sure you will not get 40.

  38. J
    August 17, 2010

    wowwwwwwwwwww, lots of postiive vibes, i havent seen anyone at least name one river yet.

  39. Reason
    August 17, 2010

    To name the supposed 365 rivers is impossible.

    Go to your largest maps of Dominica and count all of the streams flowing into the sea. You will find only about 80. Suppose that each one has two tributaries. That adds up to 80 plus 160 so that makes it 240 if you are lucky. The 365 number is just a fabrication years ago to indicate that we have many rivers. Like Antigua says about their beaches. Anyway it should be a fun thing to try even if it is unatainable!

  40. saphire
    August 17, 2010

    I like the idea of world rivers day and I think that we should do more to protect our water resources in Dominica. I look forward to participating in the upcoming activities. However, to name the 365 rivers?? Seriously??

  41. jean gwabay hardcore
    August 17, 2010

    …..This is a lovely photo

  42. underground
    August 17, 2010

    Good question ..?…to me that 365 river thing that we always boast about .looks and sounds so impossible in everyway i see it wenever im home….i guess they always counted all dem little ravin

  43. Driver
    August 17, 2010

    Are we still believing that we have 365 rivers?

    puhhlease!

    ravines are rvines ….and i’m sure all the rivers if not all just branch out from a main one

  44. sandra
    August 17, 2010

    Ask the Gay men, they are the ones that made the rivers disappear

  45. madness
    August 17, 2010

    365 rivers do not exist so they are going to have problems naming them..unless dried up rivers can be included.

  46. Dread
    August 17, 2010

    Good theme ‘Where have our 365 rivers gone?’ That is the question!!!

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