one of the world's longest sheer drop waterfalls at over 700 feet tall, Kaieteur falls. Kaieteur National Park is situated on the Guiana Shield, a plateau that is one of the world's oldest and remotest geological formations. The name of the fall commemorates Chief Kai, one of the distinguished chieftains (known also as Toshaos) of the once powerful Patamona tribe. He committed self-sacrifice by canoeing over the falls in order that Makonaima, the Great Spirit, would be appeased and to save his tribe from being destroyed by a raiding party of savage Caribs. "Teur" translates as "falls"- hence the name Kaieteur. Folklore has it that the old man and his "wood skin" canoe were turned to stone and now form part of the rocks of Kaieteur. Perhaps he won appeasement, for his name still marks the magical curtain of water known as Kaieteur. [link]