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Maripaston

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Coordinates: 5°19′50″N 55°21′11″W / 5.3305°N 55.3530°W / 5.3305; -55.3530
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Maripaston
Village
Maripaston (1890)
Maripaston (1890)
Maripaston is located in Suriname
Maripaston
Maripaston
Coordinates: 5°19′50″N 55°21′11″W / 5.3305°N 55.3530°W / 5.3305; -55.3530
Country Suriname
DistrictPara District
ResortBigi Poika
Time zoneUTC-3 (AST)

Maripaston was a village situated in the Bigi Poika resort of the Para District, Suriname. The village was located along the Saramacca River and used to be the main village of the Matawai maroons, a group of descendants of African slaves who escaped and formed their own communities in the interior of Suriname.

History

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The site where Maripaston was established had previously been the location of the wood plantation Sonnette, which had been operational since at least 1819 but was abandoned after 1832.[1] The village itself was founded after 1836 by Adensi, the daughter of granman (paramount leader) Kodjo, though the inhabitants were later forced to leave by the authorities.[2] In 1852, Noah Adrai resettled the village, and a Moravian church was constructed there in 1860 by Johannes King, a missionary.[3]

Maripaston grew to become the principal village of the Matawai and the seat of their granman.[4] However, in 1898, when Lavanti Agubaka, who lived in Boven Saramacca, was elected as the new granman, Maripaston lost its status as the main village of the Matawai.[5][6] Despite plans developed in 1899 to build a tramway from Berlijn to Maripaston, the line was never constructed.[7]

The last recorded mention of Maripaston as a settled place was in 1951,[8] suggesting that the village has since been abandoned. However, the area has continued to see economic activity, particularly through illegal gold prospecting.[9] In 2011, a gold concession in the area was awarded to Grassalco, a company that is currently operating a gold mine there.[10][9]

Maripaston is accessible only by boat, located about half an hour downstream from Kwakoegron.[11]

Notable people

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  • Granman Adrai Vroomhart in Maripaston
    Granman Adrai Vroomhart in Maripaston
  • Maripaston on a 1880 map (bottom left)
    Maripaston on a 1880 map (bottom left)

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maripaston.
  1. ^ "Plantage Sonnette". Suriname Plantages (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Boekbespreking Skrekiboekoe". Suriname.nu. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  3. ^ Ursy M. Lichtveld & Jan Voorhoeve (1975). Creole drum. New Haven: Yale University. p. 118. ISBN 0-300-01661-1.
  4. ^ Johan Cateau van Rosevelt (1880). "Kaart van Suriname" (in Dutch).
  5. ^ "Wij lezen in de N.Surin.Crt". Haagsche courant (in Dutch). 20 April 1895. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  6. ^ Ben Scholtens (1994). Bosneger en overheid in Suriname (in Dutch). Paramaribo: Afdeling Cultuurstudies/Minov. p. 155. ISBN 9991410155.
  7. ^ "Paramaribo". Dagblad van Zuidholland en 's Gravenhage (in Dutch). 30 April 1899. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Het District Suriname in 1950". De West (in Dutch). 28 June 1951. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Salomons oordeel ruziënde Surinaamse goudzoekers". Waterkant (in Dutch). 30 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Maripaston Goudmijn". Grassalco (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  11. ^ Willy Grader (1 January 1932). "Mijn vacantiereis naar Suriname". De West (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2022.
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