45 Direction of Sustainable Development of the South Province Territories I Strolling along the waterways 44 Strolling along the waterways The Yaté River Nearby Yaté Dam’s Natural Reserve Overhanging Crossing this nature reserve, between wooded plateau and deep sinkholes overgrown with vegetation, beautiful panoramas are offered to the walker over the mouth of the Yaté, the red earth banks and the green islets of the eponymous lake. Yaté’s Timetabled Road The trail follows part of the Timetabled Road which is currently closed to traffic. Formerly open by time slot, alternately to one direction of traffic then the other, due to its narrowness, its name comes from this old method of access. It’s a beautiful cornice route allowing you to admire magnificent turquoise water holes and numerous waterfalls. Watch out for water releases The Kiki Swamp- Nê Jawari* in the Nûmèè language (Lake of the Jawari Clan) This place is known as the Kiki Swamp. A version of this French toponym says that a gendarme once wanted to take his horse, called Kiki, across. As this place was marshy, the horse sank into it and broke its leg, hence the name of the Kiki Swamp. According to our informants, the Jawari Clan fished for eels in this place. They also said that in times of drought they fished for eels buried in the mud. The Erythrines Forest - Djuru Dere - Jurudrèrè* in the Nûmèè language. Locatedat the topof thepass. juru / drèrè (Botany: tree, erythrine, poplar) tuft, grove, forest / erythrine Yaté’s road pass - Wato Téaru* in the Nûmèè language wato / tea / ru nickname / ride / walk Wato goes up while walking The pass was named so because in the past the postman delivering mail to Yaté was named Wato. He climbed the Yaté Pass by walking and that is why the pass was named like that. Wato was the nickname of old Akapo Victor, known as Wanut, postman from Yaté in the 1960s. The enigmatic Charybdis chasm The chasm located along Lake Yaté takes its name from this legend, even if none of the local residents have (yet) testified to having seen whirlpools forming on the lake... In any case, it remains no less mysterious: if you are lucky enough to see it (and find it) without it being submerged by water, and if you manage to approach it closely enough, you will see that it gives the impression that one can go caving in its den. Stay careful though! The stability of the chasm is not yet known today. © Guillaume Juge The legend Originally, Charybdis was the daughter of Gaia, Mother Earth, and Poseidon, god of the seas, and was therefore known as the goddess of the tides. However, the goddess had a monstrous appetite and so he regularly stole livestock along the coasts of Sicily. One day, the hungry divinity made the mistake of devouring Hercules’ oxen and this is how Zeus, king of the gods and father of Hercules, immediately struck her down and threw her into the Sea. Charybdis then transformed into a gigantic swirling chasm... ! * “Study on toponymy” see p.74 View over Yaté Bay Overlooking the Yaté River
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