MAROONS in FRENCH GUIANA History, Culture, Demographics, And
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MAROONS IN FRENCH GUIANA History, culture, demographics, and socioeconomic development along the Maroni and Lawa Rivers. REPORT PRODUCED FOR TRIPPLE R ALLIANCE (Final Report, May 2019) Tristan Bellardie Marieke Heemskerk TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 GLOSSARY OF TERMS .................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 USE OF LOCAL TERMINOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHIC NAMES ..................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 RESUME ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.1 THIS STUDY ............................................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ............................................................................................................................................. 10 2 BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS .......................................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 BUSHINENGE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12 2.2 TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................... 12 2.3 NUMBER OF BUSHINENGE IN PRESENT DAY FRENCH GUIANA .................................................................................... 13 2.4 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF BUSHINENGE ALONG THE MARONI AND LAWA .................................................... 14 3 HISTORY OF MARRONAGE TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY ............................................................................................................... 15 3.1 AREA OF MARRONAGE ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 3.2 MAROONS AND AMERINDIANS ALONG THE MARONI IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES..................................... 18 3.3 EARLY COLONIAL TREATIES WITH MAROON GROUPS IN 18TH CENTURY.................................................................. 18 3.4 RELATIONS BETWEEN ALUKU AND NDYUKA ALONG THE MARONI IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES ............ 19 3.5 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT POLICY TOWARDS MAROONS IN THE 19TH CENTURY ...................................................... 21 3.6 ALUKU AND NDYUKA INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIRST GOLD RUSHES (~1875-1910) ............................................ 21 4 FRENCH GUIANA BUSHINENGE IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY .......................................................................................... 23 4.1 AFTER THE FIRST GOLD RUSH TO THE 1960S: CONTINUED RELATIVE ISOLATION ............................................... 23 4.2 1969 TO 1990S: PERIOD OF “FRANCISATION” ........................................................................................................... 23 4.3 RELATION BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES AND STATE AUTHORITIES ........................................................ 24 4.4 CONTINUED MIGRATION OF SURINAME BUSHINENGE TO FRENCH GUIANA............................................................ 25 4.5 CULTURAL IDENTITY AND GROWING SELF-AWARENESS ............................................................................................. 27 5 BUSHINENGE AND GOLD MINING IN FRENCH GUIANA ............................................................................................................. 28 5.1 SMALL-SCALE GOLD MINING SECTOR IN FRENCH GUIANA .......................................................................................... 28 5.2 WHO ARE INVOLVED .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 5.3 LARGE-SCALE MINING AND BUSHINENGE/AMERINDIANS POSITIONS ..................................................................... 31 6 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 2 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Term Definition Aluku One of the four main bushinenge groups (Aluku, Ndyuka,, Paamaka and Saamaka) that inhabit French Guiana. Villages and goong kampus of the Aluku are mainly found along the Lawa, as well as in the lower Maroni River. Basia Traditional authority position among the bushinenge; administrative assistant to a kabiten or gaanman. Bilo-Ndyuka Ndyuka whose traditional villages are situated along the lower Tapanahoni, between Poligoedoe and TjonTjon Bushinenge French Guiana term for maroons Kabiten Head of a bushinenge clan, often also thereby head of a village, or representative of the tribal group in a more ethnically diverse community. Chweli Blood oath or a ritual alliance-swear used between the Bushinenge Commune Level of administrative division in the Republic of France Gendarme A military component with jurisdiction in civil law enforcement in France Gaanman Paramount chief of a bushinenge group. All of the indigenous groups in Suriname also name their main tribal chief gaanman (granman) Indigenous First, original inhabitants of the American continent Peoples Goong kampu Place where bushinenge go to plant, hunt and collect forest product, typically somewhat removed from the traditional village. People may spend substantial time at their goong kampu, sometimes even more than in their original village. Some of the larger goong kampus have grown so large that they are now referred to as villages. Lower Maroni Maroni River from its mouth to the Hermina soula, just upstream from Apatou. Maroni Maroni River and its source rivers, including the Lawa and Litani Maroons People who were taken from Africa to work as slaves, and who escaped to establish independent, free communities – as well as their present-day dependents. Maroon communities have existed in virtually every country of the Americas, including the United States. Marronage The process of extricating oneself from slavery Ndyuka One of the four main bushinenge groups that inhabit French Guiana. Villages and goong kampus of the Ndyuka in French Guiana are mainly found in the area around the confluence of the Lawa and 3 Tapanahoni rivers, including Ampoma, the Gakaba area, and the area around Grand Santi (incl. communities of Anakondee, Monfina and Dagoe-ede). Opo-Ndyuka Ndyuka whose traditional villages are situated along the upper Tapanahoni, from Sangamangsoesa to Gaanboli. Paamaka One of the four main bushinenge groups that inhabit French Guiana. Villages and goong kampus of the Paamaka in French Guiana are mainly found on the lower Maroni, across the River of the Suriname Paamaka villages such as Langatabiki. Redi musu A group of free black peoples who served in the Dutch army but escaped after e revolt in 1805. They are named after the red caps they wore as part of the Dutch military troops. Saamaka One of the four main bushinenge groups that inhabit French Guiana. The Saamaka do not have their own villages in French Guiana, but they dominate the population in certain neighbourhoods of French Guiana villages such as Kourou and Mana. Sula Rapids Upper Maroni Most Southern part of the Maroni River, where it is called Litani. Wayana Indigenous people populating both banks of the Lawa River, as well as the Tapanahoni River in Suriname. The Wayana traditionally have strong friendship bonds with the Aluku Wisi Witchcraft or black magic, part of the animist Afro-American religions of both the bushinenge and other people of African descent in French Guiana and Suriname ACRONYMS CAF Caisse d'allocations familiales (Family Allocations Office) FG French Guiana NGO Non Governmental Organisation 4 USE OF LOCAL TERMINOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHIC NAMES In this report, we use local (French Guiana) names for certain groups of people, specific cultural practices, and geographic places. For example, we use the word bushinenge rather than the more international “maroons” or “marrons noirs”, because the French Guiana maroons today refer to themselves as bushinenge. We also say gaanman instead of paramount chief, because