Nouveau Wakapou

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Nouveau Wakapou
Nouveau Wacapou
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Nouveau Wakapou
Location in French Guiana
Coordinates: 3°40′27.8″N54°04′32.9″W / 3.674389°N 54.075806°W / 3.674389; -54.075806 Coordinates: 3°40′27.8″N54°04′32.9″W / 3.674389°N 54.075806°W / 3.674389; -54.075806
Country France
Overseas region French Guiana
Arrondissement Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Commune Maripasoula
Population
 (2022) [1]
  Total150

Nouveau Wakapou, also Nouveau Wacapou, is an Aluku maroon village situated on the Lawa River in French Guiana. The village is located across the Surinamese gold mining village of Benzdorp. [2]

Contents

Overview

In the early 20th century gold was discovered in the region which caused an exponential growth of Nouveau Wakapou. By 1938, the population was about 1,000 people and it was largest village of the region, however the village started to decline from the 1950s onwards. [2] Around 2022, the population was around 150 people and it was mainly inhabited by Aluku maroons. [1] [3] Most of the inhabitants adhere to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. [1]

In 2003, a school was built in Nouveau Wakapou. [4] [1] There are no shops in the village, and it is dependent on Maripasoula or Benzdorp. [1] [5] The Mankassiaba Soula rapids are located near the village in the Lawa River. [6]

Transport

Nouveau Wakapou is located about 20 minutes downstream from Maripasoula. [1] It can also be reached by car from Maripasoula by taking the road to Papaichton, and taking a turn near the airport. [6]

Related Research Articles

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French Guiana Overseas department of France in South America

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Maripasoula Airport Airport in French Guiana, South America

Maripasoula Airport is an airport 3.5 km (1.9 NM) north of Maripasoula, a commune in the arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in French Guiana. It is near the Lawa River, which forms the border between French Guiana and Suriname.

Ndyuka people Ethnic group

The Ndyuka people or Aukan people (Okanisi), are one of six Maroon peoples in the Republic of Suriname and one of the Maroon peoples in French Guiana. The Aukan or Ndyuka speak the Ndyuka language. They are subdivided into the Opu, who live upstream of the Tapanahony River in the Tapanahony resort of southeastern Suriname, and the Bilo, who live downstream of that river in Marowijne District

Surinamese Maroons

Surinamese Maroons are the descendants of enslaved Africans that escaped from the plantations and settled in the inland of Suriname and French Guiana. The Surinamese Maroon culture is one of the best-preserved pieces of cultural heritage outside of Africa. Colonial warfare, land grabs, natural disasters and migration have marked Maroon history. In Suriname six Maroon groups -or tribes- can be distinguished from each other.

Granman

Granman 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 are nowadays also often called granman.

Antonio do Brinco Village in Sipaliwini District, Suriname

Antonio do Brinco, also Albina 2, is a garimpeiros village in the Tapanahony resort of the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village is located on the Lawa River, and is next to Peruano, and opposite Maripasoula in French Guiana. The village is named after Antonio with the earring who constructed the first commercial building.

Apatou (captain) Aluku explorer and captain

Apatou was a guide, and Captain of the Aluku Maroons in French Guiana. Apatou founded the village of Moutendé which has been renamed Apatou. He mediated between France and Suriname with regards to the border, and allied the Aluku with France.

Boniville Village in French Guiana, France

Boniville is a village of Aluku Maroons in the commune of Papaïchton located on the Lawa River in French Guiana.

Cottica Mountain Mountain in French Guiana

Cottica Mountain is a 744 metres high mountain near the Lawa River in the commune of Papaichton in French Guiana, France.

France–Suriname relations Bilateral relations

Diplomatic relations between France and Suriname were established on 25 August 1976. Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana share a common border of 520 kilometres (320 mi). Suriname operates an embassy in Paris, a consulate in Cayenne, and an honorary consulate in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. France operates an embassy in Paramaribo, a consulate in Georgetown, Guyana, and an honorary consulate in Albina.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Maripasoula" (PDF). SNUIPP (teachers union) (in French). pp. 22–23. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 Marjo de Theije. "Small-scale Gold Mining and Trans-frontier Commerce on the Lawa River". In and Out of Suriname. pp. 65–66. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  3. "La scolarisation en français au collège de Maripasoula, en Guyane" (PDF). Association française pour l’enseignement du français (in French). 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  4. "Ecole élémentaire Nouveau Wacapou". French Ministry of Education (in French). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  5. Paul Kraaijer (22 September 2010). "Mythes rond goudwinning". Parbode (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  6. 1 2 "54- Site de Mankassiaba Soula (Wakapou)" (PDF). DEAL de Guyane (in French). Retrieved 7 July 2022.