Once the Maroons escaped from slavery and established their communities in the remote interior of Suriname, attention shifted from military threat to internal danger. As they faced these dangers in an unknown rainforest, they sought refuge in prophetic movements directed by charismatic religious leaders.This book charts the history of Okanisi religious movements from their escape to the present day. It is based on sixty years of fieldwork by the late Bonno Thoden van Velzen and Ineke van Wetering, archival research and oral histories. Prophets of Doom is a tribute to Okanisi society and reflects decades of research and dedication.
H.U.E. Thoden van Velzen (1933–2020) was Professor of Anthropology at Utrecht University and the Amsterdam School for Social Science Research. Among his publications are The Great Father and the Danger (KITLV,1988), In the Shadow of the Oracle (Waveland Press, 2004) and Een Zwarte Vrijstaat in Suriname: De Okaanse Samenleving in de 19e en 20e eeuw (Brill, 2013) with W. van Wetering.
Foreword: Two anthropologists at Work: An Insider’s PerspectiveAcknowledgementsGlossaryList of Maps and IllustrationsIntroduction1 The Construction of History in Maroon Society2 The Lost Homeland and the Years of Suffering3 Loweten: The Great Trek4 In a Forest Sanctuary5 The Fight for Supremacy and the Exploration of the Hinterland6 Peace7 Dangerous Newcomers8 A War Like No Other9 Great Events10 Saka in Command of the Tribal Obiya11 New Movements12 At the Oracle of Gaan Tata13 A Fury Unleashed14 The Jungle Commando’s Obiya15 Demons16 Hard Facts and the StoriesArchival Sources and ReferencesIndex