Who are we
We, the Saamaka communities, are afro-Surinamese people belonging to the Saamaka tribe with the deepest spiritual connection to the forest which they have protected for centuries through their cultural practices and traditions. We have lived in Suriname’s rainforest for more than 300 years and are stewards of 1.4 million hectares of Amazon rainforest – 9% of the Surinamese territory. With the rapid advancement of uncontrolled logging and gold mining in their territories, we are at risk of extinction. Saamaka society is based on a kinship system composed of twelve matrilineal clans (Lö’s) each of it consisting of the respective matrilineal descendants of escaped slaves from the same plantation.
These clans (each having several thousands of individuals) are the Awana, Abaisa, Bakapau, Biitu, Dombi, Fandaaki, Langu, Matjau, Nasi, Nyafai, Paputu and Watambii who are spread over seventy five communities within the Suriname River Basin including several displaced communities located to the north and west of this area. Clans are subdivided into different lineages or extended family groups, locally known bëë, usually comprising 50 to 150 people descending from a more recent ancestress (or founding mother). Several bëë’s from a single clan constitute the core of every village. Traditionally, each clan has a captain (lö kabiteni or fii pau kabiteni) who is the respective predecessor of the first captains of the 12 clans appointed within the Saamaka community centuries ago. Forest management has been traditionally based on customary laws that distribute forestlands over these twelve clans. The individuals belonging to a particular clan enjoy forest occupation and use rights.
Our territory
The ancestral Saamaka territory spands an area of 14177 km2 or 1.4 mln hectares. The West, East and south of the territory coincide with the watershed borders of the Suriname river. In the north the territory goes up to the settlemet of Phedra. Communities inside the territory live in 75 villages located along the Suriname river. Fishing, hunting, agriculture as well as harvesting timber and non-timber forest products takes place across the whole territory.
Suriname in South America
Saamaka Territory in Suriname
Saamaka communities
