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The Aluku are a Bushinengue ethnic group living mainly on the riverbank in Maripasoula in southwest French Guiana. The group are sometimes called Boni, referring to the 18th-century leader, Bokilifu Boni.
In 1770, two other Maroon groups joined the tribe which became known as the Boni after their leader. Boni used guerilla tactics against the colonists, and kept retreating into the heavily guarded Fort Boekoe located in a swamp. On 20 September 1772, after seven months of fighting, an army of 300 freed slaves finally managed to conquer the fort. The Aluku moved southwards, and settled along the Lawa River, a river that formed the border between French Guiana and Suriname. The Ndyuka initially attacked them for encroaching into their territory. In late 1779, a peace treaty was signed between the two tribes, and Boni promised not to raid the Dutch plantations. During the period of peace, the Aluku had been approached by the French to settle on the river Mana. Boni did not trust them, and had ignored the offer.
Peace was maintained until 1788 when plantation Clarenbeek was attacked. In 1789, the neighbouring Ndyuka joined forces with the colonists, and by 1791 Lieutenant colonel Beutler had chased the remaining Aluku from Suriname into French Guiana. On 19 February 1793, Bokilifu Boni was killed by Bambi, a Ndyuka chief.
In 1836, the Navy chemist Le Prieux, who was on an expedition to the southern border of French Guiana, arrived at the Aluku. Le Prieux pretended that he was on an official mission, and made a peace treaty on behalf of the French State. He also installed Gongo as granman. When the Ndyuka granman Beeyman heard about this, he summoned Gongo and told him that the treaty was unacceptable. Fearing a French invasion, Beeyman mobilized his army. This turn of events, upset the Surinamese government who asked Gongo to stand down his army, and that they would contact the French Governor. On 9 November 1836 an agreement was signed between French Guiana and Suriname stating that Le Prieux had no authority whatsoever, and that the Aluku should leave the French territory and submit to the Ndyuka.
On 7 July 1841, a delegation of 12 people was sent to the French Governor to ask permission to settle on the Oyapock River, however 11 including granman Gongo were killed. Therefore, attempts at diplomacy were abandoned, and part of the tribe settled on the Lawa River where they founded the villages Pobiansi, Assissi, Puumofu and Kormontibo. In 1860, the Ndyuka, on the centennial of their autonomy, signed a peace treaty with the Aluku in Albina, and allowed them to settle in Abouna Sounga. The rapids near Abouna Sounga form the northern border of the Aluku lands; the southern border is the Litani River.
Until the dissolution of the Inini territory in 1969, the Aluku lived autonomously with little or no interference of the French government. Along with the establishment of communes, came a government structure, and francisation. It has resulted into two incompatible systems (traditional government and communes) existing side-by-side where the communes keep on gaining the upper hand. Most importantly, it led to the concentration in bigger villages and the near abandonment of smaller settlements.
In February 2018, the Grand Conseil coutumier des Populations Amérindiennes et Bushinengué (Great traditional council of Amerindian and Maroon populations) was established with six Aluku Captains and two Aluku leaders among its members. One of the main issues raised in 2009, was the absence of traditional leaders from the working sessions of the municipal council.
The Aluku granman used to reside in Papaichton. In 1992, there were two granman installed, Paul Doudou who was granman in Papaichton until his death in 2014, and Joachim-Joseph Adochini who was chosen by election, and not part of maternal lineage. Adochini resides in Maripasoula.
The main settlements are in the county of Maripasoula, consisting of:
A large part of the Aluku population resides in the urban areas of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Cayenne, Matoury, and Kourou in French Guiana. Many Aluku in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni live in makeshift "villages" on the outside of town without any infrastructure. The urban population was estimated at 3,200 people in 2018.
They have adapted in part to modernity, taking part in the market economy, and the consumption society. Some are hired by the Army as river boat drivers. According to Bernard Delpech, the Aluku have undergone "destabilization of the basic traditional material, cultural transformation, altering the rules of collective life".
The main god for the Aluku is Odun, Four Pantheons, mystical spirits, are distinguished which play an integral part in everyday life. The funeral rites are very extensive, and can last many months.
The Aluku language is a creole of English language (inherited from the British colonies that took over from the Dutch in Suriname) as well as Dutch, a variety of African languages and, more recently, French. The language is derived from Plantation Creole which is nowadays known as Sranan Tongo, however the branch diverted around 1712, and evolved separately.
It is related and mutual intelligible to the languages spoken by the Pamaka and Ndyuka language peoples. The main difference is in the phonological system and lexicon used.
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