Culture and Customs of French Guiana

Arts, Crafts, and Architecture

Arts

Crafts

Architecture

Museums

Customs and Traditions

Local Traditions

Etiquette

Dress and Behavior

Sensitive or Taboo Topics

Languages

While French is the official language, French Guianese Creole is also widely spoken in the department, with 50,000 to 60,000 speakers. It is a blend of French, English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and Brazilian, African dialects, and a few Amerindian words—essentially, all those who have left their mark on the region at some point. Linguistically, Guianese Creole is more or less similar to Antillean Creole but very different from the Creole spoken in Réunion, for example.

Glossary

A few local words and expressions useful for travelers:

Boucaner: the process of smoking fish or meat to preserve it.

Cachiri: a traditional Amerindian drink made from fermented cassava juice.

Carbets: wooden shelters without walls, typical of Amerindian cultures, where people sleep in hammocks communally.

Crique: a local term for any type of watercourse.

Layon: a trail in the forest, usually cleared beforehand with a machete.

Orpailleurs: or garimpeiros in Brazilian Portuguese. These are gold prospectors in the Amazon rainforest.

Saut: small waterfalls found in large numbers on Guiana’s rivers, often difficult to navigate by canoe, especially in the dry season.

Taxis Co: minibuses with around ten seats that leave when full and connect the main towns.

Touloulou: women fully disguised during Carnival who invite men to dance.