Winti

It is a syncretization of the different African religious beliefs and practices brought in mainly by enslaved Akan, Fon and Kongo people during the Dutch slave trade.

[2] C. Wooding described Winti in 1972 as: "...an Afro American religion, within which the belief in personified supernatural beings occupies a central position.

Stephen described Winti as: "...primarily a religion, which means that respect for the divine, worship and prayer are central.

They came from kingdoms that had certain religious aspects in common, like the belief in a supreme creator God, who lives far away from the people, leaving the world to less-powerful gods or spirits, and the belief in an immortal human soul and the related ancestor worship.

The former slaves and their descendants were forced to convert to Christianity, and for nearly 100 years (1874–1971), practicing Winti was forbidden by law.

In 2019 psychiatrist Glenn Helberg made a public call to the Suriname-based Christian denominations to consider Winti as an equal religion.

The Kra and Dyodyo determine your reason and mentality, while the biological parents provide blood and the physical body.

Dutch Royal Tropical Institute, Objectnumber 10019264, Portrait after a Winti-dance in a Maroon village, Suriname , 1948. The dance is called Wintidansi or wentipee in the Ndyuka language. The dancers prepared their bodies with herbs and are therefore able to dance through the fire. While making music (striking the Apinti , singing and dancing) it is possible for the dancer to go into a trance. The Winti-dance is only performed on special occasions.