Nouveau Wakapou

Nouveau Wakapou, also Nouveau Wacapou, is an Aluku maroon village situated on the Lawa River in French Guiana. The village is located across the Surinamese gold mining village of Benzdorp.^[2]

Nouveau Wakapou Nouveau Wacapou
Nouveau Wakapou Location in French Guiana
Coordinates: 3°40′27.8″N 54°04′32.9″W
Country	France
Overseas region	French Guiana
Arrondissement	Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Commune	Maripasoula
Population  (2022)[1]
• Total	150

Overview

In the early 20th century gold was discovered in the region which caused an exponential growth of Nouveau Wakapou. By 1938, the population was about 1,000 people and it was largest village of the region, however the village started to decline from the 1950s onwards.^[2] Around 2022, the population was around 150 people and it was mainly inhabited by Aluku maroons.^[1][3] Most of the inhabitants adhere to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.^[1]

In 2003, a school was built in Nouveau Wakapou.^[4][1] There are no shops in the village, and it is dependent on Maripasoula or Benzdorp.^[1][5] The Mankassiaba Soula rapids are located near the village in the Lawa River.^[6]

Transport

Nouveau Wakapou is located about 20 minutes downstream from Maripasoula.^[1] It can also be reached by car from Maripasoula by taking the road to Papaichton, and taking a turn near the airport.^[6]

References

1. "Maripasoula" (PDF). SNUIPP (teachers union) (in French). pp. 22–23. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
2. Marjo de Theije (2015). "3 Small-scale Gold Mining and Trans-frontier Commerce on the Lawa River". Small-scale Gold Mining and Trans-frontier Commerce on the Lawa River. In and Out of Suriname. pp. 65–66. doi:10.1163/9789004280120_004. ISBN 978-90-04-28011-3. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
3. "La scolarisation en français au collège de Maripasoula, en Guyane" (PDF). Association française pour l’enseignement du français (in French). 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
4. "Ecole élémentaire Nouveau Wacapou". French Ministry of Education (in French). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
5. Paul Kraaijer (22 September 2010). "Mythes rond goudwinning". Parbode (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
6. "54- Site de Mankassiaba Soula (Wakapou)" (PDF). DEAL de Guyane (in French). Retrieved 7 July 2022.