Her name is Clare

On August 18, 2009, during a trip to Lethem my life changed...I met Clare Bernadette Daniels Clement. As innocently as, "does your cellphone have Blue Tooth?....can we swap some music?" a whole new world opened before me. We sat for over an hour exchanging musical selections from mine phone to hers and the reverse. We chatted, learned a bit about each other, agreed to meet again when she was in Kwatamang Village and I was back at back at Bina Hill Institute...about 3 miles from Kwatamang.


Clare is a 32 year-old widowed mother of two sons, 8 and 10. She is tiny...just 5 feet tall and has the smallest feet I've ever seen. Have you ever tried to buy dress shoes for a woman with a size 5 foot...really size 5! Her feet are only this long...tiny.

She is a full-blooded Macusi Amerindian...she speaks three languages: Macusi, Portugese and English. Since 2003, shortly after her husband was killed, she has lived in Boa Vista, Brazil. One of her sons, the younger, Kelron lives with his grandmother in Hiowa Village, while her older son, Douglas lives with her parents in Kwatamang. Clare hopes to be able to return to Kwatamang where she will be able to re-unite with both of her sons.

Like most Amerindian women I have met, Clare is incredible...she is patient, thoughtful, resourceful...nothing phases her. And best of all, she takes absolutely no crap from me. I hope this relationship will go forward...she is wonderful.

And this is what her very beautiful looks like...she is letting her hair grow back out similar in length to many of the women in the village.