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Saramaka
Sign in to saveAlso known as Saramacca, Saamaka
The Saramaka, Saamaka or Saramacca are one of six Maroon peoples (formerly called "Bush Negroes") in the Republic of Suriname and one of the Maroon peoples in French Guiana. In 2007, the Saramaka won a ruling by the Inter-American Court for Human Rights supporting their land rights in Suriname for lands they have historically occupied, over national government claims. It was a landmark decision for Maroon and Indigenous peoples in the world. They have received compensation for damages and control this fund for their own development goals.
Key facts
- Ethnic group.group
- Saramaka
- Ethnic group.image
- Saramaka-1910.jpg
- Ethnic group.image_upright
- 0.8
- Ethnic group.caption
- Saramaka man, photo c.1910, from Sir Harry H. Johnson's The Negro in the New World
- Ethnic group.total_year
- 2013
- Ethnic group.total_source
- estimate
- Ethnic group.total
- 90,000
- Ethnic group.region1
- Tribal (Boven Suriname & Brokopondo)
- Ethnic group.pop1
- 28,500
- Ethnic group.region2
- Paramaribo & suburbs
- Ethnic group.pop2
- 29,000
- Ethnic group.region3
- French Guiana
- Ethnic group.pop3
- 25,000
- Ethnic group.region4
- Netherlands
- Ethnic group.pop4
- 7,500
- Ethnic group.rels
- Saramaka religion, Christianity: Moravian, Catholic, Evangelical
- Ethnic group.langs
- Saramaccan
- Ethnic group.related
- Matawai, Kwinti
via Wikipedia infobox
~28 min read
Encyclopedic overview
12 sectionsContents
- Setting and language
- History
- Presence in French Guiana
- Subsistence, economy, and the arts
- Social organization
- Political organization and social control
- Belief system
- Isolation
- Ethnographic studies
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
The Saramaka, Saamaka or Saramacca are one of six Maroon peoples (formerly called "Bush Negroes") in the Republic of Suriname and one of the Maroon peoples in French Guiana. In 2007, the Saramaka won a ruling by the Inter-American Court for Human Rights supporting their land rights in Suriname for lands they have historically occupied, over national government claims. It was a landmark decision for Maroon and Indigenous peoples in the world. They have received compensation for damages and control this fund for their own development goals.
The word "Maroon" comes from the Spanish cimarrón, which was derived from an Arawakan root. Since 1990 especially, some of the Saramaka have migrated to French Guiana due to a civil war in Suriname. By the early 16th century, the term "maroon" (cimarron) was used throughout the Americas to designate slaves who had escaped from slavery and set up independent communities beyond colonists' control.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Saramaka” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.