The town of Siuna was the site of several mines operated by foreign corporations in the past. Some of the water in the region is contaminated because of this mining.
My family, which included my parents along with my brother and myself, moved from Toronto, Canada, to Siuna in 1957 where we spent 5 years until 1961. My father worked in a capacity of managing transportation and maintenance for La Luz Mining Company. We lived in the campus housing for all of the foreign workers on the top of a hill overlooking Siuna and the mine. My brother and I attended the one room school for all of the English speaking children which taught grades one to nine. After grade nine, the children or young adults had to be sent off to bording school which would usually be back in their home country. My brother Doug and I, have very fond memories of our time growing up in Nicaragua. The mountain climate was ideal averaging between 75 and 85 degrees F. throughout the year. Check out some of the photos taken during our stay there. By: Jim Drebert.
My father, Allen Drebert at Rosita copper mine, who shot all of the following photos
La Luz Mines International housing campus in Siuna.
Brothers, Jim & Doug, at our pool on La Luz Mines Campus
Mother with brothers at pool
Friends Terry and John, our Mother, Doug and myself, Jim, on the right checking out snake that had been run down
Classmates in our one-room English school on campus
Looking down on La Luz Gold Mine complex from campus pool
Father and son at Prinzapolka dock on Caribbean coast owned by La Luz Mining Company
Doug and I going down Prinzapolka River towards Caribbean via tug and barge shooting a 22
