Boni the Aluku of Suriname

The country of Suriname in South Amerikkka is one of the most overlooked in the conversation of Afrikan resistance to enslavement. Suriname was a dutch colony, Its population is one of an Afrikan majority, but they label about half of the Afrikans as "Maroons" and the other half "Creole", in order to hide this information in the statics. There are six Afrikan tribes in Suriname that are labeled as "Maroons". They are the Ndyuka, the Aluku, the Paramaka, the Saamaka, the Matawai, and the Kwinti. This story is about Boni, a member of the Aluku group.

Boni's Mother was an enslaved Afrikan, who was repeatedly raped by her enslaver. She eventually became impregnated by the enslaver, and when his wife found out, she vowed to punish Boni's Mother. Boni's Mother ran away from the plantation, into the jungle, where she had never gone before. She was guided by a Spirit, which she attributed to Winti (Akan Religion in Suriname.) She ended up jumping into a river, and she almost died from exhaustion, but a group of Aluku fisherman found her and rescued her.

Not long after, she had her son, Boni. Boni grew up free, and he joined the Aluku Warriors in their warfare against the dutch colonists. They raided plantations, stole food and weapons, and brought enslaved Afrikans back with them to be free. The other Aluku recognized Boni as a great Warrior, destined to be their leader. He became the captain of Ft. Boekoe, the fortress built for by him and the Aluku Warriors. Ft. Boekoe was only reachable by a secret path made underwater, so it wasn't visible from the shore. The dutch had great difficulties try to reach the fort, they would get lost and end up in the middle of the swamp. When the Aluku caught the dutch trying to attack the fort, they would execute them on the spot.

The dutch grew tired of their failed assaults against the Aluku Warriors. They began to buy enslaved Afrikans from other islands, and promise them freedom if they were able to capture Ft, Boekoe. This was to prevent them from turning on the dutch and joining the Aluku. The Afrikans working for the dutch eventually destroyed Ft, Boekoe, but they failed to capture the Aluku. The Aluku, under Boni's leadership, continued to attack the dutch plantaions.

#Maroons #Warfare