![\"Pirogue\"](\"http:\/\/bushinengue.light-inc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Pirogue.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBushinengue (“People of the forest” in Nengue Tongo, sometimes referred as “Maroons” in latin languages) are the descendants of fugitive African slaves who fought for their freedom and escaped from plantation grounds to the banks of river Maroni. Their socio-cultural organisation is built from those of African societies mixed along with Native American and European ones and works as a perfect synthesis of various spiritual, linguistic and traditional elements.<\/p>\n
Around 12,000 people from six different ethnicities live on the banks of river Maroni between French Guiana and Suriname. They represent around 5% of the Guianese population and speak Saramaka and Nengue Tongo, both derivated from European languages. Their original traditional art is called Tembe and is a whole language with its different colors and geometric shapes, each bearing a precise meaning. On the river banks, people still hunt and fish for food, and build boats and houses in a traditional manner. The rich cultural legacy of Bushinengue culture is unfortunately jeopardised by a rigid French administrative system.<\/p>\n
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However, since the 70s when French Guiana became a French district, families moved North to bigger cities. With an unemployment rate of 60% among black populations, these are among the most deprived minorities of the country. Families settle in slums where they rent precarious houses for 700\u20ac a month. 14% of houses do not have tap water and 10% no electricity. 20,7% are living below poverty threshold, leading many to illegal trade markets as prostitution, narcotics and illegal gold mining, resulting in the spreading of AIDS, violence, and pollution of the Maroni.<\/p>\n
Racism is found widespread against Bushinengue people. Openly expressed by even teachers or doctors refusing visits from black people, the complex and highly contrasted context of French Guiana raises the ultimate question of respecting environment, traditions and humanity in modern countries.<\/p>\n
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*** Fran\u00e7ais ***<\/p>\n
Les Bushinenge de Guyane (“Gens de la for\u00eat” en Nengue Tongo, parfois appel\u00e9s “Marrons” en Europe) est le peuple descendant des esclaves fugitifs qui lutt\u00e8rent, corps et \u00e2me, afin de reconqu\u00e9rir leurs droits de vivre dans la dignit\u00e9. Originaires de r\u00e9gions diverses d\u2019Afrique, leur organisation socioculturelle, au fil du temps, s\u2019est construit sur des mod\u00e8les de soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d\u2019abord africains, mais aussi am\u00e9ridiens et europ\u00e9ens : une synth\u00e8se particuli\u00e8rement r\u00e9ussie qui est un des rares exemples actuels de melting pot. Ils parlent le Saramaka et le Nenge-Tongo d\u00e9riv\u00e9s form\u00e9s de langues europ\u00e9ennes cr\u00e9\u00e9s afin que les ma\u00eetres ne puissent saisir le sens de leurs conversations.<\/p>\n
Avec pr\u00e8s de 12 000 individus r\u00e9partis en six ethnies, cette population repr\u00e9sente 5% de la Guyane. Cette synth\u00e8se de cultures et traditions diverses \u00e0 donn\u00e9 naissance \u00e0 l\u2019art Temb\u00e9. Cet artisanat de sculpture et de peintures est un v\u00e9ritable langage de par la vari\u00e9t\u00e9 des symboles d\u00e9peints. Aujourd\u2019hui, ils vivent de chasse et de p\u00eache traditionnelle, cultivant ainsi toute une vie aux bords des principaux fleuves de la Guyane Fran\u00e7aise, en particulier le Sinnamary et le Maroni. Cette existence est construite autour de rituels quotidiens bien pr\u00e9cis, en harmonie avec le fleuve, que ce soit pour faire la vaisselle, puiser sa subsistance ou simplement se laver.<\/p>\n
La n\u00e9cessit\u00e9 de travailler et d’\u00e9tudier pousse les familles \u00e0 vivre en ville. Avec 60% de ch\u00f4meurs, les populations Noires font face \u00e0 d’importants probl\u00e8mes sanitaires et sociaux. Des familles s’entassent dans des cabanes de t\u00f4le parfois lou\u00e9es 700\u20ac par mois. 14% des logements n’ont pas d’eau courante. 10 % vivent sans \u00e9lectricit\u00e9. 20,7% vivent en-dessous du seuil de pauvret\u00e9. Le commerce de drogue, la prostitution et l’orpaillage clandestin d\u00e9veloppent la violence et le SIDA. La fi\u00e8vre de l’or \u00e9panche du mercure dans les fleuves.<\/p>\n
Autant de faits qui renforcent un racisme d\u00e9j\u00e0 omnipr\u00e9sent et exprim\u00e9 de mani\u00e8re ouverte… dans un d\u00e9partement fran\u00e7ais. La complexit\u00e9 de la situation qu’introduit la confrontation de deux mondes, celui des traditions et celui du syst\u00e8me fran\u00e7ais pose la question fondamentale du respect de l’environnement naturel, humain et culturel de l’ethnie Bushinenge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bushinengue (“People of the forest” in Nengue Tongo, sometimes referred as “Maroons” in latin languages) are the descendants of fugitive African slaves who fought for their freedom and escaped from plantation grounds to the banks of river Maroni. Their socio-cultural organisation is built from those of African societies mixed along with Native American and European