Sranantongo
What does "winti" mean?
winti is Sranantongo for wind. Pronounced WIN-tie.
Winti is the Afro-Surinamese religion: a coherent body of West African belief as it continued in Suriname, with a creator god, the ancestors, and a set of winti, spirits tied to domains of nature. The word literally means wind and names both the religion and an individual spirit. Under colonial law the practice was a criminal offence; the ban was only lifted in 1971. For many Surinamese today winti is simply part of life, sometimes alongside church or mosque.
A famiri ben hori wan winti prei. (The family held a winti ceremony.)
Winti is not folklore, not superstition and not voodoo. It is a living religion with its own priests, songs and rules, and people who practise it are not necessarily outside the church either. Guidebooks that present it as exotic spectacle have it wrong. Ceremonies are not an attraction: you go if you are invited, and you do not photograph them.
Frequently asked questions
What does winti mean in English?
winti is Sranantongo and literally means wind. Winti is the Afro-Surinamese religion: a coherent body of West African belief as it continued in Suriname, with a creator god, the ancestors, and a set of winti, spirits tied to domains of nature. The word literally means wind and names both the religion and an individual spirit. Under colonial law the practice was a criminal offence; the ban was only lifted in 1971. For many Surinamese today winti is simply part of life, sometimes alongside church or mosque.
How do you pronounce winti?
Say it as WIN-tie. Sranantongo is understood by almost everyone in Paramaribo, including people who speak Dutch, Sarnami or Javanese at home.
Is Sranantongo a real language?
Yes. Sranantongo is a full creole language with its own grammar and spelling, formed in Suriname with roots in English, Dutch, Portuguese and West African languages. Dutch is the official language of Suriname, but Sranantongo is the lingua franca on the street.