Granman

Granman (Ndyuka language: gaanman) is the title of the paramount chief of a Maroon nation in Suriname and French Guiana. The Ndyuka, Saramaka, Matawai, Aluku, Paramaka and Kwinti nations all have a granman. The paramount chiefs of Amerindian peoples in Suriname is nowadays also often called granman.

The six maroon granman

Ndyuka gaanman

The Ndyuka gaanman is elected from the Otoo matriclan or lo and resides in Diitabiki.^[1] The current gaanman is Bono Velantie, who was installed on 17 March 2015.

Previous gaanman include:

• Gazon Matodja

Saramaka granman

Granman Atudendu of the Saramaka maroons (1934-1949).

The Saramaka granman resides in Asidonhopo. The current granman is Frans Banai.

Previous granman include:

• 1) Abini (1762-1767)
• 2) Kwaku Etja (1775-1783)
• 3) Johannes Alabi (1783-1820)
• 4) Gbagidi Gbago (1821)
• 5) Gbosuma (1822-1835)
• 6) Abraham Wetiwojo (1835-1867)
• 7) Frans Bona (1870-1886)
• 8) Akoosu (1888-1897)
• 9) Djankuso (1889-1932)
• 10) Atudendu (1934-1949)
• 11) Agbago Aboikoni (1951-1989)
• 12) Songo (1991-2003)
• 13) Belfon Aboikoni (2005-2014)

Matawai granman

The Matawai granman resides in Pusugrunu. The current granman is Lesley Valentijn.

Aluku granman

The Aluku granman resides in Papaïchton. There is currently no Aluku granman. The late granman Paul Doudou died in 2014.

Paramaka granman

The Paramaka granman resides in Langatabiki. The current granman is Samuel Forster. Previous granmans are:

• 1) Papa Doffin
• 2) Tata Bigiman
• 3) Tata Aboma
• 4) Frans Kwakoe
• 5) Asaisi, Akama, Amerikan and Apensa (interim period with four leaders; Asaisi who was next in line refused the position, which was then given to Apensa as the oldest of the four)
• 6) Kwaku Petrus Apensa (1898-1923, he was the first Pamaka granman officially recognized by the Government; he died 101 years old)
• 7) Jozef Aboenawroko (1931-1947)
• 8) Cornelis Zacharia Forster (1951-1991)
• 9) Jan Levi (1993-2008)
• 10) Samuel Forster (since 2010)

There are some persons that may have been granman for a short while, but they are not listed and not mentioned in the oral tradition of the Pamaka. For instance Hendrick Amawie killed Papa Doffin and made himself granman.

Kwinti granman

The Kwinti granman resides in Witagron. The current granman is Andre Mathias.

Notes

1. Van Wetering & Thoden van Velzen 2013, pp. 1, 28-31.

References

Van Wetering, Wilhelmina; Thoden van Velzen, H.U.E. (2013). Een Zwarte Vrijstaat in Suriname: de Okaanse samenleving in de negentiende en twintigste eeuw. Leiden: Brill. NIKOS: Pamaka Ontwikkelingsplan. Paramaribo, 2016.