Bigiston
Bigiston is the name of the most northern of six small settlements. The name means big stone after a nearby rock with petroglyphs. The village is a minor tourist attraction, and promoted for ecotourism. The village has a school, and a clinic operated by the Regional Health Service (RGD).
The village chief as of 2017 is Sylvester Awatjale, who lives in the southern Amerindian settlement. The Ndyuka and Kalina people peacefully coexist, but do not intermingle or intermarriage. Electricity is being provided by Diesel generators operating about six hours a day. The most southern settlement Gronkiki contains a Winti clinic offering traditional health care.
On 5 October 1986, during the Surinamese Interior War, the village was attacked by the Jungle Commando and most of the villagers fled to French Guiana, however the village has been rebuilt and resettled after the war.
References
- ^ "Dorpen en Dorpsbesturen". Vereniging van Inheemse Dorpshoofden (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ Groenedijk 2006, p. 15.
- ^ "Bigiston". Raoul Kieffer (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- ^ "Hering, Christiaan Johan". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ Groenedijk 2006, p. 21.
- ^ Plan Bureau 2014, p. 127.
- ^ Plan Bureau 2014, p. 112.
- ^ "Sylvester Awaitjale nieuw dorpshoofd Bigiston". Dagblad Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Op weg naar 1×24 uur stroom voor dorpsgemeenschappen". United News.sr (in Dutch). 19 February 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Surinaamse machtsstrijd maakt Indianen weerioos". Reformatorisch Dagblad via Digibron (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Gemeente Bigiston". Barend en Dinie (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
Bibliography
- Groenedijk, Sarah (2006). Winti Practives in Bigiston (Thesis). Utrecht: University of Utrecht.
- Plan Bureau (2014). "Planning Office Suriname - Districts 2009-2013" (PDF). Planning Office Suriname (in Dutch).