Kulumuli, also known by the name Twenkë, is a

Wayana The Wayana (alternate names: Ajana, Uaiana, Alucuyana, Guaque, Ojana, Oyana, Orcocoyana, Pirixi, Urukuena, Waiano etc.) are a Carib-speaking people located in the southeastern part of the Guiana highlands, a region divided between Brazil, Surin ...

village situated on an island in the Lawa River in

French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...

. Kulumuli is the residence of the

granman Granman (Ndyuka language: ''gaanman'') is the title of the paramount chief of a Maroon (people), Maroon nation in Suriname and French Guiana. The Ndyuka people, Ndyuka, Saramaka, Matawai people, Matawai, Aluku, Paramaccan people, Paramaka and Kwin ...

of the Wayana in French Guiana.

Name

The indigenous name for the village is Kulumuli, which means

reed Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * Re ...

. The alternative name Twenkë refers to the late chief of the village, who was installed as granman of the Wayana in French Guiana by the French authorities.

History

Halfway through the twentieth century,

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

se and

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

authorities tried to gain a firmer grip on the interior of Suriname and French Guiana, respectively. The indigenous inhabitants of the interior were registered in the civil registry of both colonies, and the Wayana, as inhabitants of the border between Suriname and French Guiana, were given the choice to register as either a

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

or as a

subject. Twenkë chose the French side and founded a village on the right riverbank of the Lawa River. Twenkë was recognised by the French as the

of the Lawa River. After his death, he was succeeded by his son Amaipotï. In 1973, the Alsatian Jean-Paul Klingelhofer was sent by the French authorities to Kulumuli to establish a school and to work as a teacher. His wife Françoise would later start a nursery in the village.

Geography

Kulumuli lies opposite the villages of

Taluwen Talhuwen, also spelt as Taluwen, Taluhen and Taluen, is a Wayana village situated on the Lawa River in French Guiana. Education Talhuwen features the only primary school in the immediate vicinity. Children from the villages of Kawemhakan and Ku ...

on the French east river bank and

Pïleike Pïleike was a Wayana village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village lies across the Lawa River from the island village of Kulumuli, which is considered to lie in French Guiana. As of 2009, the village is abandoned. History Pïle ...

on the

se west river bank. Taluwen itself is conjoined with the village of

Epoja Epoja, also known as Opoya, is a Wayana village situated on the Lawa River in French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the norther ...

. Pïleike was the village of

shaman Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...

Pïleike. When he died in the late 1990s, he ordered his fellow villagers to cross the river and join Kulumuli. Kulimuli lies about downstream the Lawa River from the village of

Antécume-Pata Antécume-Pata is a village in French Guiana, France. It was founded by André Cognat, a Pierre-Bénite-born Wayana tribal chief. It is home to a nursery and primary state school. Even though French is taught at the school, Sranan Tongo is still ...

and upstream the Lawa River from the village of

Kawemhakan Kawemhakan, formerly also known as Anapaikë, is a Wayana village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village lies on the banks of the Lawa River, which forms the border with French Guiana. Name The indigenous name of the village is Ka ...

Notes

References

* * {{authority control Indigenous villages in French Guiana Maripasoula Villages in French Guiana