Paramaccan people
Eastern Maroon Creole: Paamaka | |
|---|---|
 Meeting under a pole dwelling in Langatabiki (1947) | |
| Total population | |
| 11,000[1] (2014, est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Paramacca, Suriname | 4,300 |
| Urban French Guiana | 3,900 |
| Languages | |
| Paramaccan | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Winti | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Ndyuka | |
| Granman of the Paramaccan people | |
|---|---|
since 2020 | |
| Residence | Langatabiki |
The Paramaccans, also known by their endonym Paamaka[3][4] (French: Pamak),[5] are a Maroon tribe living in the forested interior of Suriname, mainly in the Paramacca resort,[6][7] and the western border area of French Guiana.[5] The Paramaccans signed a peace treaty in 1872, granting the tribe autonomy.
Overview
The administrative centre for the tribe is located in Snesiekondre,[8] but the main village of the resort is Langatabiki which is also the residence of the granman (paramount chief) of the Paramaccan people.[9] The tribe controls 13 villages in Suriname,[10] and the village of Providence in neighbouring French Guiana.[11]
The total population in 2014 was estimated at 11,000 people with 4,300 people living in the tribal areas in Suriname, and 1,000 living in the interior of French Guiana.[1]
History
The Paramaccans were runaway slaves from the Handtros or Entros plantation who fled around 1830.[12] In 1856, the August Kappler reported that the tribe had established villages near the Paramacca Creek.[13] In 1872, they had signed a peace treaty with the Dutch colony giving the tribe autonomy,[14] and Frans Kwaku, the leader of the expedition to Paramaribo, was officially appointed granman by the Governor.[13] In 1879, a group of about 90 Paramaccans led by Apensa created a settlement on an island in the Marowijne River near the mouth of the Paramacca Creek. The town was named Langatabiki (Long Island).[15] During the Surinamese Interior War, the Paramaccans sided with the Jungle Commando,[16] which resulted in a large migration to French Guiana.[5]
Language
Paramaccan is also the eponymous term for their language, which is English-based[17] with influences from Dutch, African languages,[18] and other languages. It is similar to the languages spoken by the Ndyuka and Kwinti, and mutually intelligible with Sranan Tongo.[19] Paramaccan is the youngest of the Surinamese pidgin languages.[20] The language had an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 speakers in 1991.[21]
Villages
- Langatabiki (Suriname)
- Lokaloka (Suriname)
- Nason (Suriname)
- Providence (French Guiana)
- Snesiekondre (Suriname)
See also
Brother Mambo: Finding Africa in the Amazon, JD Lenoir with Phil Ceder (Kutukutu), Black Rose Writer, 2022.
References
- 1 2 Richard Price (2013). "The Maroon Population Explosion: Suriname and Guyane". New West Indian Guide. New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids Volume 87: Issue 3-4. 87 (3–4): 323–327. doi:10.1163/22134360-12340110. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- ↑ "Pamaka stam in Suriname heeft nieuwe granman". Waterkant (in Dutch).
- ↑ "Aukan–English Dictionary". SIL Global.
- ↑ "Starnieuws - Traditionele leiders Marowijne- en Lawagebied vragen betrokkenheid bij grensakkoord". Starnieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-04-15.
- 1 2 3 "Pamak". Populations de Guyane (in French). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ↑ "Distrikt Sipaliwini". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ↑ "Paamaka en Ndyuka leggen grens vast". Regional Development.gov.sr (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ↑ "Bestuurscentra Sipaliwini bouwtechnisch opgeleverd". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ↑ "Planning Office Suriname - Districts" (PDF). Planning Office Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ↑ Plan Bureau 2014, p. 169.
- ↑ Mallé, Marie-Pascale (2004). "Les maisons des Noirs marrons de Guyane". In Situ. Le patrimoine rural. 2004 #5 (5): 4. doi:10.4000/insitu.2373.
- ↑ Marten & Schalkwijk 2018, p. 3.
- 1 2 Marten & Schalkwijk 2018, p. 19.
- ↑ Marten & Schalkwijk 2018, p. 19, :"Original publication:Koloniaal Verslag van 1872 page 543"
- ↑ "Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië - Page 155 - Boschnegers" (PDF). Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch). 1916. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ↑ Thoden van Velzen 1988, p. 215.
- ↑ Borges 2014, p. 124.
- ↑ Borges 2014, p. 167.
- ↑ Jacques Arends (1989). "Syntactic Developments in Sranan". Digital Library for Dutch Literature. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ↑ Borges 2014, p. 187.
- ↑ "Languages of Surinam". Suriname.nu. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
Bibliography
- Borges, Robert (2014). The Life of Language. Dynamics of language contact in Suriname (PDF) (Thesis). Utrecht: Radboud University Nijmegen.
- Marten, J.; Schalkwijk, W. (19 June 2018). Conference on Slavery, Indentured Labour, Migration, Diaspora and Identity Formation. Anton de Kom University.
- Plan Bureau (2014). "Planning Office Suriname - Districts 2009-2013" (PDF). Planning Office Suriname (in Dutch).
- Thoden van Velzen, Bonno (1988). "De Brunswijk-opstand: Antropologische kanttekeningen bij de Surinaamse burgeroorlog". University of Groningen (in Dutch). Sociologische Gids.
