Bigiston

Bigiston, also Bigi Ston, is a group of settlements of Ndyuka Maroons and indigenous Kalina[2] in the Albina resort of the Marowijne District of Suriname. The villages lie on Marowijne River across from Saint-Jean-du-Maroni in French Guiana.[3]

Bigiston
Village
School in Bigiston (1964)
School in Bigiston (1964)
Bigiston is located in Suriname
Bigiston
Bigiston
Location in Suriname
Coordinates: 5.415°N 54.126389°W / 5.415; -54.126389
Country Suriname
DistrictMarowijne District
ResortAlbina
Government
 • CaptainSylvester Awatjale[1]
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total361

Bigiston is the name of the most northern of six small settlements. The name means big stone after a nearby rock with petroglyphs.[4] The village is a minor tourist attraction, and promoted for ecotourism.[5][6] The village has a school,[7] and a clinic operated by the Regional Health Service (RGD).[7]

The village chief as of 2017[8] is Sylvester Awatjale,[1] who lives in the southern Amerindian settlement. The Ndyuka and Kalina people peacefully coexist, but do not intermingle or intermarriage.[5] Electricity is being provided by Diesel generators operating about six hours a day.[9] The most southern settlement Gronkiki contains a Winti clinic offering traditional health care.[5]

On 5 October 1986, during the Surinamese Interior War, the village was attacked by the Jungle Commando[10] and most of the villagers fled to French Guiana, however the village has been rebuilt and resettled after the war.[11][5]

References
  1. "Dorpen en Dorpsbesturen". Vereniging van Inheemse Dorpshoofden (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  2. Groenedijk 2006, p. 15.
  3. "Bigiston". Raoul Kieffer (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. "Hering, Christiaan Johan". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. Groenedijk 2006, p. 21.
  6. Plan Bureau 2014, p. 127.
  7. Plan Bureau 2014, p. 112.
  8. "Sylvester Awaitjale nieuw dorpshoofd Bigiston". Dagblad Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  9. "Op weg naar 1×24 uur stroom voor dorpsgemeenschappen". United News.sr (in Dutch). 19 February 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  10. "Surinaamse machtsstrijd maakt Indianen weerioos". Reformatisch Dagblad via Digibron (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  11. "Gemeente Bigiston". Barend en Dinie (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2020.

Bibliography
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