What is "rupununi"

The Rupununi is a region located in the South-West of Guyana, bordering the Brazilian Amazon. The Rupununi river, also known by the local indigenous peoples as Raponani, flows through the Rupununi region. The name "Rupununi" originates from the Makushi (a dialect of one of the communities) word rapon, which is a black-bellied whistling duck ( Dendrocygna autumnalis) found along the river.