Granman

Granman (Ndyuka language: gaanman) is the title of the paramount chief of a Maroon nation in Suriname and French Guiana. The Ndyuka, Saramaka, Matawai, Aluku, Paramaka and Kwinti nations all have a granman. The paramount chiefs of Amerindian peoples in Suriname is nowadays also often called granman.

The Ndyuka gaanman is elected from the Otoo matriclan or lo and resides in Diitabiki. The current gaanman is Bono Velantie, who was installed on 17 March 2015.

Previous gaanman include:

The Saramaka granman resides in Asidonhopo. The current granman is Frans Banai.

Previous granman include:

The Matawai granman resides in Pusugrunu. The current granman is Lesley Valentijn.

The Aluku granman resides in Papaïchton. There is currently no Aluku granman. The late granman Paul Doudou died in 2014.

The Paramaka granman resides in Langatabiki. The current granman is Samuel Forster. Previous granmans are:

There are some persons that may have been granman for a short while, but they are not listed and not mentioned in the oral tradition of the Pamaka. For instance Hendrick Amawie killed Papa Doffin and made himself granman.

The Kwinti granman resides in Witagron. The current granman is Andre Mathias.

Van Wetering, Wilhelmina; Thoden van Velzen, H.U.E. (2013). Een Zwarte Vrijstaat in Suriname: de Okaanse samenleving in de negentiende en twintigste eeuw. Leiden: Brill.  NIKOS: Pamaka Ontwikkelingsplan. Paramaribo, 2016.

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