Winti
Encyclopedia
Winti is the Afro-Surinamese traditional religion
that resulted from the coming together of different elements of the religious beliefs of the slaves that were brought to Suriname
from different west African tribes (nowadays countries). Similar religious developments can be seen elsewhere in the America's and the Caribbean (e.g. in Brazil's Candomblé, Cuba's Santería, Haiti's Voodoo, Trinidad and Tobago's Orisa, etc.). The term 'Winti' literally means wind, just like the wind the spirits are all around us.
The foundation of Winti is the belief in a creator God called Anana Kedyaman Kedyanpon, the believe in pantheons of gods or spirits called Winti and the veneration of the ancestors. The term Winti was originally only the name of the gods or spirits but nowadays is used to refer to this religion in general.
Winti may further be described according to C. WOODING (a Winti expert) as:
"...an Afro American religion, within which the belief in personified supernatural beings occupies a central position. These personified supernatural beings can take possession of a human person, switch off their consciousness, as it were, and thereby reveal things concerning the past, present and future as well as cause and/or heal illnesses of a supernatural nature." (C. WOODING, Winti: een Afro Amerikaanse godsdienst in Suriname (Meppel: 1972)
Another Winti expert (H.J.M. Stephen, 1985) describes Winti as:
"...primarily a religion, which means that respect for the divine, worship and prayer are central. In addition, it has a strong magical aspect, which often has been emphasized too one-sidedly and unfairly. Magic involves the influence of earthly events by supernatural means."
After the 'abolition' of slavery in 1863, a ten year period of economic slavery followed known as 'De Periode van Staatstoezicht' (the period of State Supervision). The period of State Supervison ended in 1873 and was followed by a very long period of mental and cultural slavery. The 'former' slaves and their descendants were forced to convert to Christianity and for nearly 100 years (1874–1971)practicing Winti was forbidden by law. They were also forced to speak Dutch, education in their own language 'Sranan Tongo' was forbidden and children were not allowed to speak Sranan Tongo in school. If children did speak Sranan Tongo, they were forced to wash their mouth with soap.
Certain groups of maroons
also distinguish a fifth pantheon, the realm of the death.
The Goron Gadu's are:
Also called Mama Aisa, Wanaisa or Awanaisa. She is the mother of gods. The mother of Africa (Mama fu Nengre Kondre). She is Mother Earth, The head of the Winti of the Earth.
or Yemaya.
ic forest, or bush, spirit. Ampuku are said to resemble tall black men. An Ampuku can possess people (both men and women) and can also pass itself off as another spirit. Ampuku can also be water spirits, and are known in such cases as Watra Ampuku.
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
that resulted from the coming together of different elements of the religious beliefs of the slaves that were brought to Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
from different west African tribes (nowadays countries). Similar religious developments can be seen elsewhere in the America's and the Caribbean (e.g. in Brazil's Candomblé, Cuba's Santería, Haiti's Voodoo, Trinidad and Tobago's Orisa, etc.). The term 'Winti' literally means wind, just like the wind the spirits are all around us.
The foundation of Winti is the belief in a creator God called Anana Kedyaman Kedyanpon, the believe in pantheons of gods or spirits called Winti and the veneration of the ancestors. The term Winti was originally only the name of the gods or spirits but nowadays is used to refer to this religion in general.
Winti may further be described according to C. WOODING (a Winti expert) as:
"...an Afro American religion, within which the belief in personified supernatural beings occupies a central position. These personified supernatural beings can take possession of a human person, switch off their consciousness, as it were, and thereby reveal things concerning the past, present and future as well as cause and/or heal illnesses of a supernatural nature." (C. WOODING, Winti: een Afro Amerikaanse godsdienst in Suriname (Meppel: 1972)
Another Winti expert (H.J.M. Stephen, 1985) describes Winti as:
"...primarily a religion, which means that respect for the divine, worship and prayer are central. In addition, it has a strong magical aspect, which often has been emphasized too one-sidedly and unfairly. Magic involves the influence of earthly events by supernatural means."
History of Winti
During slavery members of various West African tribes were brought to Suriname. They came from kingdoms that had certain religious aspects in common, like the belief in a supreme god who lives far away from the people, leaving the world to gods who are less powerful than her/him, the belief in an immortal human soul and the related ancestor worship.After the 'abolition' of slavery in 1863, a ten year period of economic slavery followed known as 'De Periode van Staatstoezicht' (the period of State Supervision). The period of State Supervison ended in 1873 and was followed by a very long period of mental and cultural slavery. The 'former' slaves and their descendants were forced to convert to Christianity and for nearly 100 years (1874–1971)practicing Winti was forbidden by law. They were also forced to speak Dutch, education in their own language 'Sranan Tongo' was forbidden and children were not allowed to speak Sranan Tongo in school. If children did speak Sranan Tongo, they were forced to wash their mouth with soap.
The soul
In Winti it is believed that a human being has three spiritual aspects, the Dyodyo, Kra and Yorka. Through these aspects human beings are integrated into the supernatural world. The Dyodyo are the supernatural parents who protect their children and may be higher or lower gods. They received the pure soul, the Kra, from Anana and give that to a child. The Kra and Dyodyo determine your reason and mentality, while the biological parents provide blood and the physical body. Yorka, the other spiritual part, absorbs the life experiences. After the death of the physical body, the Kra goes back to the Dyodyo and the Yorka goes to the realm of the dead.The pantheons
There are four (4) Pantheons or groups.- 1. The Earth pantheon with the Earth gods or Gron Winti.
- 2. The Water Pantheon with Water spirits (gods) or Watra Winti.
- 3. The Forest Pantheon with the Forest Spirits (gods) or Busi Gado's.
- 4. The Sky Pantheon with the Sky Gods or the Tapu Winti.
Certain groups of maroons
Maroon (people)
Maroons were runaway slaves in the West Indies, Central America, South America, and North America, who formed independent settlements together...
also distinguish a fifth pantheon, the realm of the death.
The Earth pantheon
The Winti of the Earth pantheon are called. Goron(=ground, earth) gado's (gods).The Goron Gadu's are:
- Aisa.
Also called Mama Aisa, Wanaisa or Awanaisa. She is the mother of gods. The mother of Africa (Mama fu Nengre Kondre). She is Mother Earth, The head of the Winti of the Earth.
- Loko (He is the husband of Aisa. Lives in a Loko Tree.)
- Leba (the god or spirit of the crossroads, in other African or African-American religions known as Legba or Papa LegbaPapa LegbaIn Haitian Vodou, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and is believed to speak all human languages...
) - Fodu
- Luangu
- Goron-Ingi
The water pantheon
This pantheon contains the spirits of the water, the so-called Watra-Wenu. This pantheon also contains the Watramama, in other African or African-American religions known as Mami WataMami Wata
Mami Wata is venerated in West, Central, Southern Africa, and in the African diaspora in the Caribbean and parts of North and South America. Mami Wata spirits are usually female, but are sometimes male.-Appearance:...
or Yemaya.
- Watra Ingi
- Watra Kromanti
The forest pantheon
Included in the forest pantheon of the Winti religion are Ampuku (also known as Apuku) which are anthropomorphAnthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
ic forest, or bush, spirit. Ampuku are said to resemble tall black men. An Ampuku can possess people (both men and women) and can also pass itself off as another spirit. Ampuku can also be water spirits, and are known in such cases as Watra Ampuku.
- Busi Ingi
- Ampuku
- Kantasi
- Adumankama
The sky pantheon
This pantheon contains the spirits of the sky, the so-called Tapu Kromanti.- Opete or Tata Ananka Yaw
- Sofia-Bada
- Awese
- Aladi
- Gisri
- Tando
- Gebry
- Adjaini
See also
- Afro-American religionAfro-American religionAfro-American religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants in various countries of Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the southern United States...
- West African Vodun
- SanteríaSanteríaSantería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
- CandombléCandombléCandomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
- Haitian Vodou
- ObeahObeahObeah is a term used in the West Indies to refer to folk magic, sorcery, and religious practices derived from West African, and specifically Igbo origin. Obeah is similar to other African derived religions including Palo, Voodoo, Santería, rootwork, and most of all hoodoo...