Matta (Lokono: Korhopa;[1] also Matta Karupa[2]) is an indigenous village of Lokono[1] Amerindians in the resort of Zuid in the Para District in Suriname. The village can be accessed from a road which branches off the Southern East-West Link.

Matta
Korhopa
Village
Soldiers in Matta (1947)
Soldiers in Matta (1947)
Matta is located in Suriname
Matta
Matta
Coordinates: 5°27′09″N 55°19′22″W / 5.4525°N 55.322778°W / 5.4525; -55.322778
Country Suriname
DistrictPara District
ResortZuid
Government
 • CaptainWendeline Sabajo[1]
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total500
Time zoneUTC-3 (AST)

Overview

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Matta has a school and a clinic.[3] Matta is connected to the road network of Suriname, however the road was unpaved. In 2012, the government promised to pave the road.[4] In August 2018, the road was finally upgraded.[5] The economy of the village is mainly based on growing cassava.[2]

The village has been allocated a communal forest. In 2018, 203 hectares of the forest were awarded to[6] Creditmarket Investment Company NV who already started to clear the forest to make way for a planned industrial estate.[7]

Murder of Captain Karwofodi

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On 13 August 2020, Captain Michael Karwofodi (67), the village chief, was murdered.[8] On 16 August, six teenagers aged 13 to 18 were arrested, and have confessed to the murder.[9] They were from the village and had been removed from the community house by the chief for misbehaving.[10] They confessed that they intended to rob Karwofodi of his money and juwelry.[11] On 21 June 2022, Raphael S, the leader of the group was sentenced to 12 years for murder and robbery.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dorpen en Dorpsbesturen". Vereniging van inheemse dorpshoofden in Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Nieuw dorpsbestuur Matta richt zich op ontwikkeling". Werkgroep Caraibische Letteren (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Planning Office Suriname - Districts" (PDF). Planning Office Suriname (in Dutch). 2014. p. 131. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Geen geld voor asfaltering wegen Para". Dagblad De West (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Kapitein Matta blij met aanpak rijweg". Alles in SU (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Vids strijdt tegen 'massale' gronduitgifte". De Ware Tijd via Fathh (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Activiteiten ondernemer zet Matta onder druk". Dagblad Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Kapitein Matta dood aangetroffen in woning". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Zes tieners aangehouden voor moord op kapitein Matta". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Village of Matta Mourns the Murder of Okono-Arawak Chief Michael Karwofodi". Last Real Indian. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Twaalf jaar celstraf geëist voor roofmoord kapitein Karwafodi". Suriname times (in Dutch). 6 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Twaalf jaar cel voor roofmoord kapitein Matta". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2022.