People in between: the Matawai Maroons of Suriname

[p. 171]

II Religion

[p. 173]

7
Religion

An adequate picture of the present-day religious situation of the Matawai can not be attained without understanding the historical background, in which two different religious traditions played an important role. The traditional world-view of the Bush Negroes evolved since the runaways fled from the plantations and formed tribal groups. Although the traditional world-view was based on African religious concepts, it was only in the New World that it acquired its own particular shape and developed into a new synthesis. This point has been elaborated by Mintz and Price (1976), who emphasize the particular creative and adaptational processes in the context of historical circumstances in the forming of Afro-American societies in the New World. Each of the tribal groups developed their own unique religious traditions which, however, exhibit striking resemblances attributable to the fact that the traditions were based on the same original conceptions. Furthermore, close ties have been maintained between the tribal groups since they settled in their respective areas, far away from each other. Thus religious exchange was likely to occur, as can be documented from historical sources^(1.).

Since 1765 attempts to introduce Christianity among the Bush Negro tribes had an impact on their religious conceptions. Despite the persistent missionary efforts, not all tribal groups were equally affected by this new religion. Christianity was never able to replace the traditional religion. Often it was met with strong resistance and various religious movements arose from this clash. In some areas, however, as for the Matawai, Christianity became widespread and was able to make strong inroads. The introduction of this religion among the Matawai took

(1.) We may refer to the institution of two shrines in Matawai area under the influence of a religious movement in Saramaka (see p. 238), the introduction of the Papa Gadu cult in Maipaston by Djuka (Freytag 1927: 25) (see further p. 184), the introduction of the Gaan Gadu or Gaan Tata cult in the Matawai area by Djuka (see further p. 195) and the missionary trips of Johannes King to other Bush Negro tribes (see further p. 185).

[p. 174]

place under very special circumstances: it was propagated by the prophet Johannes King, a Matawai himself, who, instigated by visions, affiliated himself with the church of the Moravians in Paramaribo and tried to convert his tribesmen. It is mainly due to the work of this prophet that Christianity came to play such an important role in the life of the Matawai since the 1860s.

Due to this historical background the following procedure would have been the most appropriate. First, to describe the traditional world-view of the Matawai pre-dating the introduction of Christianity. Next, to trace the lines along which this world-view has developed and to specify the influences involved in its development: both from outside the Matawai world-view, like Christianity and from religious traditions of other Bush Negro groups and from changes inspired by religious movements. Then we would analyse the conditions under which Christianity was introduced and found acceptance by the people. We would, moreover, have to specify the oppositions of the Moravian church to particular aspects of the traditional religion and to general principles of social organization. We would then be in a position to describe the present religious situation and to draw conclusions from the dilemma of the Matawai, who are living within two, in many ways, conflicting religious systems.

Some factors, which are related to the long Christian tradition of the Matawai, have hampered the outlined procedure. As a result of the prolonged contact of Matawai society with Christianity few elders can be found who consciously remember the period pre-dating the acceptance of the church and who are able to give a systematic account of the changes traditional beliefs have undergone. Furthermore, a factor which has far greater impact on our research, is that the influence of Christianity on the Matawai has been so profound that they are shamed of their ‘pagan’ past. Today there remain only a few older people who show an active interest in their religious past. As other Bush Negroes, Matawai show a resistance to reveal their religious ‘secrets’ to outsiders and even to members of other lineages. We suggest that this tendency has been reinforced in the case of the Matawai by their strong affiliation with the Christian church. In fact Christianity has stimulated an interest in the present as opposed to an orientation dominated

[p. 175]

by the past. In any case, the oral tradition about religious conceptions is weak among present-day Matawai, as compared to, for example, that of the Saramaka^(2.).

The written sources about Matawai show a similar bias. The main archival and published material at our disposal concerning Matawai history are the notes of Johannes King and the missionary reports, both of which inform us in great detail about the ways in which Christianity was introduced and the difficulties encountered from the side of the Matawai, but give only a few details concerning their former religion. The long Christian tradition had still another consequence, namely that our informants were inclined to ascribe each change that had taken place in the traditional world-view exclusively to Christian influence, when in fact other impulses towards change have sometimes played a role (see p. 238).

For this reason we were forced to change our original design. We decided to approach the present religious situation from a two-folded perspective. After a historically oriented analysis of the development of Christianity among the Matawai, we focus on some of the important concepts in the ‘traditional’ Afro-American Matawai religion, as can be observed among the present Matawai. A number of changes are reconstructed which have occurred in the immediate past.

Our use of the term ‘traditional’ needs some explanation. In this context it does not imply that the present-day world-view of the Matawai has not changed since pre-Christian times. We use the word ‘traditional’ for the current Matawai world-view because it constitutes a corpus of beliefs interrelated with principles of social organization, and because the concepts in the religion of today directly relate to basic concepts, that already played an important role in their world-view before the introduction of Christianity.

Finally, we will deal with the difficulties the Matawai of today are facing, keenly aware of their intermediate position, daily coping with life in two conflicting religious systems. On the basis of the available data we will be able to elaborate ideas put forward by a number of students to explain religious acculturation in Bush Negro groups and in the Para district. Our analysis of the complex Matawai religious situation will show that descriptions in terms of a dualistic

(2.) The Saramaka, for instance, have a rich religious tradition, as has been indicated by Price (see for instance 1975: 145-53). Oral tradition in general has revealed a deep interest in the past (see Price 1979).

[p. 176]

system, or Christianity as only an addition, syncretism or non-syncretism do not really fit the facts in this society. It is emphasized that living in two conflicting religious systems is only possible when, in both systems, adjustments are made influencing the participation in both religions. Some of the mechanisms that facilitate this will be presented in the final chapter.