Language & Landmarks: Venezuela’s Mt. Roraima

Buenos Dias and welcome to Mt. Roraima, located in Canaima National Park in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  In the 15th century, when the Spaniards first came to this unexplored area of the world, they were fascinated by the small floating indigenous homes on Lake Maracaibo.  These dwellings reminded them of the canals and stilted homes of Venice, so they named the area Venezuela, meaning “Little Venice”.

Located on the northern coast of South America, Venezuela is a land of abundant natural resources and one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains fascinating topography and unique plant and animal life including endangered giant anteaters and giant armadillos. Table top mountains called tepuis, some as high as 9,000 feet like Mt. Roraima, are some of the oldest geological formations on our planet and date back to the Precambrian period: the era that marks the birth of the Earth. These ancient formations have virtually no soil, yet carnivorous plants, bromeliads, and over 500 species of orchids cling and thrive in the rock. Because the mesas of these formations are not connected and barely accessible, each tepui has its own flora and fauna. The steep sides of the tepuis make them virtually un-scalable for man or animal, leaving the tops isolated and unexplored. In describing these mounds the Pemon people, who have inhabited this area of South America for centuries, chose the name tepui, meaning “house of the gods” and believe that their gods dwell at the summit, further discouraging the climb. In the early 19th century, news of these unknown, unseen areas prompted scientific expeditions, great curiosity, and fantastic folklore stirring the imaginations of authors like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Inspired by accounts of Mt. Roraima and other tepuis, it was Doyle who penned the classic science fiction work The Lost World, which became the inspiration for movies like King Kong and Jurassic Park. What new worlds of culture or language and uncharted business horizons are inspiring you?

 – Mary Beauregard, Global LT Intercultural Consultant

Canaima Lagoon, Canaima National Park

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